Alex Radi

Executive Director

Contact: alex@fiuts.org

Era Schrepfer

Strategic Advisor/Former Executive Director

Contact: era@fiuts.org

Alex is grateful to be part of FIUTS, a community that reflects so much of what he values: international friendship, meaningful exchange, and the belief that people grow when they have opportunities to learn from one another. His work has centered on supporting students, building cross-cultural programs, and creating spaces where people from around the world feel welcomed and connected.

Pronouns: He/Him

Other Languages Spoken: Mandarin Chinese, Japanese
Favorite Place on Earth: New Zealand
Next Place I’d Like To Go: Kiribati
Favorite International Dish: Inari sushi

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 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 and Zagreb, Croatia
Next Place I’d Like To Go: Vietnam, Thailand, Tunisia
Favorite International Dish: Asopao de Pollo con Guandules and chocolate chip peanut butter cookies

JOSEF COLE

Manager of Student Programs

Contact: josef@fiuts.org

Josef is a 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, Josef 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 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

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 with a MA in Teaching English and German languages and Translation. As a student, Olena 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 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.

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)