Era Schrepfer

Executive Director

Contact: era@fiuts.org

Era joined FIUTS in 2006, and brings many years of nonprofit and international experience to her role. Era has traveled extensively in Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean and served with the US Peace Corps as a Community Agriculture Volunteer in the Dominican Republic. In addition to her role at FIUTS, she serves on the Board of Joyas Mestizas, and as a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Western Washington. Her interests include cross-cultural leadership development, team building, nonprofit strategy and planning, and the use of social media for social change.

Era is a Minnesota native who was raised in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington. Era lives with her husband, daughter, and son in South Seattle and loves Latin music, new recipes, dark chocolate, and fiction from around the world.

Pronouns: she/her

Other Languages Spoken: Spanish
Favorite Place on Earth: Palenque, Mexico
Next Place I’d Like To Go: Vietnam, South Africa, Tunisia
Favorite International Dish: Asopao de Pollo con Guandules and chocolate chip peanut butter cookies

JOSEF COLE

Database Coordinator

Contact: josef.cole@fiuts.org

Josef is a recent graduate of the UW’s Evans School of Public Policy and the Jackson School of International Studies with an MPA and an MA in International Studies. He is a Washington native through and through and has lived all over the state.

Before his graduate studies, Joe graduated from Eastern Washington University with a BA in International Affairs, worked for UW Medicine and an immigration company, and did some traveling in South Asia and Latin America. His career goals are to work at the intersection of public policy and international relations, focusing on Latin America and mental healthcare, hopefully, at a think tank or nonprofit.

Outside of work, Josef (along with his wife) is experiencing the pleasures of parenting while trying to save a little energy for exercising, reading, and playing video games.

Pronouns: he/him

Other Languages Spoken: Spanish
Favorite Place on Earth: The Himalayas
Next Place I’d Like to Go: Patagonia
Favorite International Dish: Mofongo or Tallarín Saltado

Nada Ramadan

Program Specialist, Education Programs

Contact: nada@fiuts.org

Born and raised in Lebanon with the heart of an adventurer, Nada moved to Washington in 2021 and joined FIUTS staff in 2022. She received her BA in Literature and TESOL certification from the American University of Beirut while working with refugees from neighboring countries to integrate into the Lebanese society. She’s lived in Lebanon her whole life, but her heart always longed to discover new places around the world. She has traveled to so many places from Europe to the Middle East to Australia and looks forward to travel all around the Americas. She spends a lot of her free time cooking, visiting museums, hiking, and playing "catch me if you can" with her puppy. She loves how Washington has been a wonderful place to fulfill her love for breathtaking sceneries.

Her interests encompass working towards social equity, broadening students' horizons to achieve greatness, community building, and change the world to the better along the way.

Pronouns: she/her

Other Languages Spoken: Arabic, French
Favorite Place on Earth: Ios Island (Greece), Mt. Rainier (Washington), Southern Lebanon
Next Place I’d Like to Go: Egypt, Morocco, Japan, Thailand, Nepal, Germany, Brazil, Scotland, and everywhere else really..
Favorite International Dish: Egyptian lamb kabsa (savory) and knefe (sweet)

Claire cuccio

Manager of Development & Special Events

Contact: claire@fiuts.org

Claire wandered multicultural neighborhoods of Chicago before living in China, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Scotland, and Taipei. Optimistic that cultural understanding creates a more equitable and resolution-oriented world, she has since joined FIUTS to grow its impact further. Cultural exchange drove Claire’s prior educational and arts experience in languages, material heritage, and experiential learning. Beyond FIUTS, she serves on the advisory board of Global Culture Education Initiative, supports UW’s Washinkai, believes in Seattle’s Path with Art and hopes the emerging field of the NeuroArts encompasses artistic practices from around the globe. 

Claire holds a PhD in Japanese literature with a concentration in art history from Stanford University, which has informed her international work in substantial ways. Besides world cultures, she relishes design, writing and the seasons. 

Pronouns: she/her

Other Languages Spoken: Japanese, Mandarin Chinese
Favorite Place on Earth: Scotland’s Isle of Skye or autumn in Arashiyama, Japan
Next Place I’d Like to Go: Brazil, Cuba, Lebanon, Nigeria, Sicily, toward the Northern Lights
Favorite International Dish: larb, cannoli, ayam goreng, tsukemono, tudousi

olena vlasova

Manager of Education Programs

Contact: olena@fiuts.org

Olena was born and raised in Ukraine. Her first trip abroad was to visit family in Germany at the age of 16, which awakened a great passion for international traveling and German language. Olena graduated from Central Ukrainian Pedagogical University in 2008 as a MA in Teaching English and German languages and Translator. As a student, Olena discovered various scholarship opportunities through education programs and traveled to Poland, Romania, the US, Germany, Slovenia, and Sweden for short-term study visits. Her favorite program was Hansen Summer Institute for Leadership and International Cooperation hosted by San Diego State University with participants from 20 countries. This program was an eye-opener for Olena, it was the first time she met people from four different continents. Ever since then, Olena has become passionate about international education programs like this, having seen how impactful they can be. Breaking stereotypes and bringing people in this world closer through education has become Olena's mission and core belief.

Olena moved to Seattle with her husband Sergii and their daughter Kateryna in 2011, their son Andrew joined the family in 2014.

Olena worked as a student coordinator for international exchange students coming to Seattle for yearlong programs, finding host families and supporting students during their academic year. Olena also worked as a Program leader and ESL teacher for international summer camps with students from China and Spain. Olena's favorite job was with Experience America as a Program Manager, which ended abruptly at the beginning of the pandemic. In this role Olena managed multiple student groups from Denmark, Mexico and Taiwan coming not only to Seattle, but also to LA and New York. During the pandemic Olena explored the fields of philanthropy and public higher education having worked at a small Foundation in Bellevue and UW Bothell. Olena is super excited to be back in the field of international education programs.

In her free time Olena loves dancing, playing catchball (like volleyball), reading, going for long walks with her family, playing board games and meeting friends.

Pronouns: she/her

Other Languages Spoken: Ukrainian, Russian, German, and Spanish
Favorite Place on Earth: Maui Island (Kihei), Kyiv (Ukraine), Paris (France)
Next Place I’d Like to Go: Indonesia, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Greece, Bora Bora, Singapore
Favorite International Dish: Ukrainian dumplings (Varenyky)

Database and Community Programs Assistant

Sofia rodriguez

Workstudy

Contact:

sofia.rodriguez@fiuts.org

Born in Bogota, Colombia, she is currently majoring in Computer Science at the University of Washington. Her interests extend beyond academics, as she has a passion for Electronic Dance Music, hiking, dogs, fitness, and traveling.

Before joining FIUTS, she gained experience as a front desk receptionist at a non-profit mental health agency. Additionally, she worked as an English teacher in Colombia before coming to the United States for the first time as an Au Pair. This program allowed her to engage in a cultural exchange while improving her English proficiency and taking classes of personal interest, all while working as a caregiver.

During her time at the community college, where she explored various classes, she discovered a deep fascination with the field of Computer Science. She is now driven to pursue research in computational biology while also continuing to explore the vast array of sub-disciplines encompassed by Computer Science.

Pronouns: she/her

Other Languages Spoken: Spanish
Favorite Place on Earth: Japan
Next Place I’d Like To Go: The Maldives, Brazil, Italy, Greece

Favorite International Dish: Ajiaco - It is a traditional Colombian dish made with chicken, three varieties of potatoes, and the Galinsoga parviflora herb, commonly referred to in Colombia as guascas. It can be garnished with capers, avocado slices, pieces of corn on the cob, or cream.

Born and raised in California, Sofia is currently majoring in Food Systems and Nutrition at the University of Washington. Her interests and passions include cooking, hiking, climbing, scuba diving, traveling, soccer, and much more.

Before joining FIUTS, Sofia gained experience as an editor on her school newspaper, president and founder of a reproductive justice organization, and podcast host of Girls Worldwide Podcast. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in health care, and perhaps obstetrics and gynecology.

Pronouns: she/her

Other Languages Spoken: Spanish
Favorite Place on Earth: Puerto Morelos, Mexico
Next Place I’d Like To Go: Patagonia, Tanzania, Australia

Favorite International Dish: Pho, Dumplings, Ramen, Sushi