Staff

John D. Stephens
Director
Gerhard E. Lenski, Distinguished Professor of Political Science & Sociology | UNC-Chapel Hill
PhD in Political Science | Yale University
BA in Social Relations | Harvard College
3211 FedEx Global Education Center
(919) 843-9852

Kathleen Shanahan Lindner
Executive Director
MA in TransAtlantic Studies | Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
BA in International Studies, German | UNC-Chapel Hill
3210 FedEx Global Education Center
(919) 962-6765
(919) 962 0398 (f)

Sarah Hutchison
Associate Director, TransAtlantic Masters Program
PhD in Comparative Literature | UNC-Chapel Hill
BA in Comparative Literature | Columbia College, Columbia University
3208 FedEx Global Education Center
(919) 962-4507
In free time: I love to hike with my husband, daughter, and our three dogs.
Committed to: the inter-institutional partnerships and experiential learning involved in TAM. The opportunities TAM provides to young people are life-changing, and it is fascinating to be involved in such an innovative international educational project. I love working with the TAM applicants, students and alumni!

Victoria Vass
Business Manager
BA in Public Policy | UNC-Chapel Hill
3207 FedEx Global Education Center
(919) 962-2152
In free time: I play board games, hike, dance, and watch movies.
Favorite thing about CES: The focus on creating shared experiences that lead to a better, more just future for all.
Prior Work: I received my B.A. (2015) in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina: Chapel Hill. Previously, I served two terms in the AmeriCorps program and worked as an operations coordinator for a nonprofit specializing in homelessness prevention.
Kayla Bassett Andrade
Student Services Manager
BA in Education | UNC-Chapel Hill
3213 FedEx Global Education Center
(919) 843-4285
Global experience:
I studied abroad in the Spring of 2019 at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. My favorite class while studying there was Sociology of Education. I loved the weekly small group discussion where I listened and learned about the varying education experiences from students all across Europe. During my time abroad, I was fortunate enough to travel to 15 countries, but my favorite trip was in Scotland hiking Isle of Skye.
Prior work: I joined CES after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill in May of 2021 with a BA in Education majoring in Human Development & Family Studies. While at UNC, I worked at Morehead Planetarium & Science Center teaching STEM-based curriculum to local elementary and middle school students.
Favorite European food: Borscht – an Ukrainian beet soup with beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots. It is also popular in Russian and Polish cuisine.