John C. Bersia
Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives and Director

John C. Bersia, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 2000, is a global educator and journalist. He serves as Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives, as Director of the Global Perspectives Office and as a University Professor at the University of Central Florida. He also writes a weekly foreign-affairs column that is internationally distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. Bersia previously served as a Foreign-Affairs Columnist and Editorial Board Member for the Orlando Sentinel. During that time, he won the first Pulitzer Prize of the 21st century for the Sentinel, as well as for its parent organization, the Tribune Co. Additionally, he is the recipient of the Walker Stone Award of the Scripps Howard Foundation, the first-place “Green Eyeshade” editorials award of the Society of Professional Journalists, the annual Media Award for Editorial Excellence of The National Association of Consumer Advocates and other national awards. Earlier, Bersia worked in the global political-risk analysis and publishing businesses, as well as for the federal government. He is the author of World War 4: Confronting Terrorism (2003), serves as Editor of the Worldviews for the 21st Century monograph series, and has written thousands of commentaries on global issues. He hosts the “Global Perspectives Show” on the UCF Channel, co-chairs the UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program's advisory board and co-directs The India Program at UCF.
Further, he is the Chair (a voluntary position) of the Global Connections Foundation, a non-profit, non-ideological, non-political, regional, educational network that promotes international awareness and understanding. Bersia holds an M.Sc. in International Relations from the London School of Economics; an M.S.P.I.A. in Public Information Administration from The American University; an M.A. in Government (Foreign Policy) from Georgetown University; and a B.A. in Political Science (International Relations) and French from UCF.

Dr. Stephen Sloan
Lawrence J. Chastang Distinguished Professor of Terrorism Studies

Stephen Sloan is the Lawrence J. Chastang Distinguished Professor of Terrorism Studies and also serves as a University Professor and  a Fellow in the Global Perspectives Office.  He is the author or co-author of numerous books, including Terrorism: The Present Threat in Context (2006), Terrorism: Assassins to Zealots (2002), the Historical Dictionary of Terrorism (1994), Corporate Aviation Security (1993), and Beating International Terrorism (1992). Until 2004, he served as Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Presidential Professor of Political Science at the University of Oklahoma, where he taught the first U.S. university course on terrorism. He also has held positions at Booz, Allen Hamilton and the Center for Aerospace Doctrine Research. Sloan regularly conducts terrorism seminars and simulations for government officials, military audiences, law enforcement personnel and other groups in the United States and other countries. Sloan completed a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Comparative Politics at New York University in New York City. He obtained a B.A. from Washington Square College of New York University. In addition to his work in terrorism/counter-terrorism studies for the Global Perspectives Office, where he serves on the Internationalization Advisory Board, Sloan teaches courses on terrorism, the changing nature of war and intelligence. He is sponsored by the Global Connections Foundation.

Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas
Diplomacy Program Director

Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas is shaping a new global initiative at the University of Central Florida, the Diplomacy Program, which will feature education and training for both students and professionals. From 2003-2005, she served as Diplomat in Residence at UCF under the auspices of a national U.S. Department of State program. In that capacity, she was the U.S. Department of State’s official liaison in Central Florida, conducting workshops, providing information on careers, connecting students to internship and scholarship opportunities, and speaking on policy matters. Until the fall of 2005, she was a Senior Foreign Service Officer with the rank of Career Minister. Previously she served as U.S. Ambassador to Senegal on from 1999-2003; Chief of Mission to Guinea-Bissau; Acting Director of USIA; Cultural Attaché, American Embassy, Athens; Country Affairs Officer for Greece, Turkey and Cyprus; Director of the American Press and Cultural Center, American Consulate, Istanbul, Turkey; and in other positions at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, the President's Appointments Office at the White House and the Foreign Service Personnel Office. Amb. Elam-Thomas' additional posts abroad were in France, Mali and the Ivory Coast. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the U.S. Government's Superior Honor Award, the Lois Roth Award for Excellence in Informational and Cultural Diplomacy, and a Group Superior and Meritorious Honor Award for her work in connection with the first Persian Gulf War. She holds a B.S. in International Business from Simmons College, and an M.A. in Public Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She speaks Turkish, Greek and French. Ambassador Elam-Thomas is partly sponsored by the Global Connections Foundation.

Mark Allen Freeman
Public Affairs Coordinator

Mark Freeman joined the Global Perspectives Office as Public Affairs Coordinator in 2006. He is responsible for the coordination and promotion of events, ranging from distinguished speakers to panels to symposia to conferences. He also plays a key role in developing and expanding partnerships at the regional, state, national and international levels. Freeman is the Marketing Editor for the Worldviews for the 21st Century monograph series. Prior to joining Global Perspectives, he was a Global Fellow in the Global Perspectives Office under the auspices of the Lawrence J. Chastang Global Fellows Program at the University of Central Florida. He also was a graduate teaching assistant in the University of Central Florida’s Political Science Department. In that capacity, he also served as an assistant to the Director of the Lou Frey Institute for Politics and Government, where he helped to organize and publicize a series of symposia dealing with issues of critical importance to the United States. Freeman holds an M.A. in political science with an emphasis on Environmental Politics and Policy from UCF and a B.A. in political science, with a focus on international relations, also from UCF. He also earned a minor in cultural anthropology. He has traveled to several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Panama and Mexico.

Gabriela Othón
Program and Research Coordinator

Gabriela Othón is the Program and Research Coordinator for the Global Perspectives Office, the Diplomacy Program, the Terrorism Studies Program and other affiliated offices. She is responsible for helping to manage globally oriented projects, programs and research, and serves as the business and research liaison to key partners, such as the Global Connections Foundation, the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Foundation for Democracy and Development) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and the U.S. Department of State. She is also the Business and Research Editor for the Worldviews for the 21st Century monograph series. Othón is responsible for managing budgets, and serving as manager for support staff. She also conducts research on topics of international, national and metropolitan significance; participating in externally funded research projects; exploring grant opportunities; and facilitating public events. She has played a key role in key research projects at the University of Central Florida on terrorism trends and the marketing of high technology projects from the United States to India. Previously, she was a Research Specialist for the Global Perspectives Office, a Global Connections Scholar and a Global Fellow. Prior to those positions, she worked as manager in the retail sector for several years. Othón is a graduate of UCF, with a B.A. in Political Science, International Relations Track, and is a recipient of the Bledsoe-Young Award. She is a native of Panama, speaks Spanish, and has traveled extensively in the Americas and visited Europe.

Jessica Gagnon
Project Specialist

Jessica Gagnon is the Project Specialist for the Global Perspectives Office, the Diplomacy Program, the Terrorism Studies Program and other affiliated organizations, including the Global Connections Foundation. She is responsible for assisting with globally oriented projects and programs, conducting research and serving as a liaison to key partners, notably the Orlando Area Committee on Foreign Relations. Previously, she was a Program and Research Assistant for the same group of partners. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a University Honors degree in International Relations and Comparative Politics and a minor in Marketing. Gagnon is currently pursuing an M.A. in International Studies at UCF, and is a Graduate Assistant in the UCF Political Science Department. She was a Provost’s Fellow in 2007-2008. Gagnon’s research interests include East Asia and American national security. Fluent in French and a student of Mandarin, she has traveled extensively in North America and has visited China. She is sponsored by the Global Connections Foundation.

Andrea Perez
Program Assistant

Andrea Perez is a Program Assistant for the Global Perspectives Office, the Diplomacy Program, the Terrorism Studies Program and other affiliated organizations, including the Global Connections Foundation. She is responsible for providing support to globally oriented projects and programs, contributing to research efforts and serving as an initial point of contact for the office. Previously, she was an intern for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission in the Business Intelligence Department, as well as for the Global Perspectives Office. She is currently working on a B.A. degree at Rollins College, with an emphasis on Economics and International Affairs. She has traveled in the Americas, lived in South Africa for four years and speaks Spanish. She is sponsored by the Global Connections Foundation.

Ambassador Ulric Haynes, Jr.
Distinguished Visiting Scholar

Ambassador Ulric Haynes, Jr., was the U.S. ambassador to Algeria from 1977 to 1981, culminating his tour of duty as one of the negotiators for the release of the American Embassy hostages in Iran. He served as a Partner of SpencerStuart and Associates, as President of Management Formation, Inc., and in various capacities with the Cummins Engine Company. He also was Dean of the School of Business and Executive Dean of University International Relations at Hofstra University. He has taught at the University of Central Florida and Rollins College. Amb. Haynes is working on various projects, including a book on American foreign policy.

Joshua Smith
Researcher and Analyst

Joshua Smith is a Researcher and Analyst for the Global Perspectives Office, sponsored by the Global Connections Foundation. He works primarily with Dr. Stephen Sloan on terrorism and national security issues, but also conducts research on other international topics and assists with the production of the Worldviews for the 21st Century Monograph Series. A graduate of the University of Central Florida in Information Technology and Liberal Studies, he focused on computer science, economics and international relations. He was born in Illinois and has traveled to Mexico.

Abeer Abdalla
Global Connections Advanced Scholar on Terrorism

Abeer Beshir Abdalla is a Global Connections Advanced Scholar for the Global Perspectives Office, the Diplomacy Program, the Terrorism Studies Program and affiliated organizations, including the Global Connections Foundation. Abdalla’s studies focus on the interconnected relationship between multimedia, terrorism and the radicalization of Islam. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, with a B.A. in Radio and Television and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. She has earned a M.A. in Mass Communications, also at UCF. While at UCF, Abdalla served as the Political and Media Columnist for the Central Florida Future, and ran WGKN Radio Station. She is a native of Washington D.C., speaks Arabic, and is also studying Mandarin Chinese and French. She is sponsored by the Global Connections Foundation.

Ted Reynolds
Global Connections Advanced Scholar on Terrorism

Ted  Reynolds is a Global Connections Advanced Scholar on Terrorism for the Global Perspectives Office.  His work focuses on using both qualitative and quantitative methods of research to understanding terrorist radicalization.  Ted is a graduate of Rollins College with a B.A. in International Affairs and a UCF graduate with an M. A. in Political Science.  He  also has a graduate certificate in Terrorism Studies from the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland UK, and completed the Summer Workshop on Teaching About Terrorism at Oklahoma University.  Ted will be completing his Ph.D. in International Relations,  researching ‘Terrorist Radicalization in Western Democracies’, at the University of St. Andrews.

Cameron Pritchard
Global Connections Scholar

Cameron Pritchard is a Global Connections Scholar for the Global Perspectives Office.  Pritchard's research interests include Enlightenment Humanism, the philosophy of science and twentieth century ideologies.  He has published his research in Philosophy Now.  He also participated in the UCF mission to the United Kingdom, along with several other staff members of the Global Perspectives Office, in 2006.  Pritchard received a B.A. in Philosophy from UCF and recently completed his thesis towards an M.A. in European Philosophy from the University of Wales Lampeter.  Pritchard has traveled across Continental Europe, South America and the Caribbean.

Johanna Marizan-Ho
Fellow

Johanna Marizan-Ho is a Fellow of the Global Perspectives Office and the Global Connections Foundation. She assists with projects in both organizations. Until 2007, she was a Project Specialist in the Global Perspectives Office, responsible for activities and programs worldwide and for serving as the business liaison to key partners. Previously, she worked as a program assistant in the Global Perspectives Office and spent several years as a retail manager. Marizan-Ho holds a bachelor’s degree in B.A. in Political Science (American Policy track) and a minor in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida. She has traveled extensively in the Caribbean and Europe, and speaks Spanish.

Joshua Hill
Fellow

Josh Hill is a Fellow of the Global Perspectives Office and the Global Connections Foundation. He assists with projects in both organizations, with particular reference to those dealing with political violence, terrorism/counter-terrorism, national security and international security. Previously he was a Researcher and Analyst for the Global Perspectives Office, working primarily with Terrorism Studies Program Director Dr. Stephen Sloan on terrorism and national security issues, but also conducting research on other international topics. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, he received a B.A. in International Relations. Currently Hill is pursuing graduate studies in criminal justice/terrorism at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He has traveled extensively in Thailand, Mexico and Italy, and speaks American Sign Language.

Michelle Harrington
Fellow

Michelle Harrington is a Fellow of the Global Perspectives Office and the Global Connections Foundation. She assists with projects in both organizations. Until 2005, she was a Project Specialist in the Global Perspectives Office, responsible for programs related to Latin America and Asia, and for serving as the business liaison to key partners. Harrington also was the Business Editor for the Worldviews for the 21st Century monograph series. Prior to that, she worked with a world affairs council, an international trade firm and the state attorney general's office in Washington state. Harrington holds a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida, and a B.A. in international studies and Spanish from the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. She has studied abroad in Spain, has traveled in Ecuador and throughout Europe, and speaks Spanish.

Misuk Kim
Global Connections Research Assistant

Misuk Kim is a Global Connections Research Assistant for the Global Perspectives Office, the Diplomacy Program, the Terrorism Studies Program and other affiliated organizations, including the Global Connections Foundation. She is responsible for conducting research, with an emphasis on the Korean peninsula and its relations with its surrounding region. Previously, she was an intern for the Global Perspectives Office. She is a graduate of Rollins College, with a B.A. in International Affairs, and Dan Kook University in Seoul, South Korea, with a B.A. in Humanities. A native of South Korea, speaks Korean, and has traveled to Jordan, the Philippines and Japan.

Kathryn Moody
Senior Intern

Kathryn Moody is a senior intern for the Global Perspectives Office. She is a junior at Rollins College, majoring in International Affairs. Her research interests include terrorism, transnational crime and youth radicalization.  Upon graduation, Moody plans to spend a year living and travelling in the Middle East before pursuing a master’s degree in either security studies or conflict resolution.  She is currently studying Spanish and has travelled to England, Italy and Mexico.

Meldin Graziani
Intern

Meldin Graziani is an intern for the Global Perspectives Office. She is a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, pursuing an M.A. in Political Science with an emphasis on International Studies. She has a B.S. in Legal Studies from Florida Gulf Coast University.  Her research interests include the European Union and the Middle East. Graziani plans to pursue a doctoral degree in international relations. Fluent in Spanish, she has studied French and Mandarin, and traveled to Turkey, Mexico and throughout Europe.

Nathalia Martins
Intern

Nathalia Martins is an intern for the Global Perspectives Office. A junior at the University of Central Florida, she is majoring in Political Science – International Studies and minoring in French. She serves as Vice President of the United Nations Association at UCF. Her research interests include West European politics, the European Union, comparative politics and international law. She plans on graduate studies in international relations or law. A native of Brazil, Martins is fluent in Portuguese, has studied Spanish and French, and has traveled in South America and the Caribbean.

Candace Owen
Intern

Candace Owen, an intern for the Global Perspectives Office, is a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, pursuing an M.A. in Political Science with an emphasis on International Studies. She has a B.A. in Political Science – International Relations from UCF.  From 2007 to 2008, she participated in the AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America program. Her research interests are human rights, human trafficking, and sustainable global economic development. She plans to pursue a doctoral degree in international relations, is studying French and has traveled in Italy.

Bonnie Schickler
Intern

Bonnie Schickler is an intern for the Global Perspectives Office. She is a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, pursuing an M.A. in Political Science with an emphasis on International Studies. Schickler has a B.A. in Political Science – International Relations from UCF.  Her research interests are terrorism, the European Union, the U.S. intelligence community and U.S. Foreign Policy.  Schickler is conversational in French and has traveled to France and throughout the Caribbean.

Sabrina Stein
Intern

Sabrina Stein is an intern for the Global Perspectives Office. A senior at the University of Central Florida, she is majoring in Political Science – International Studies and minoring in French. She is Vice President for Conferencing for the United Nations Association. Her research interests are the role of IGOs and NGOs, and Latin American politics. She plans to pursue graduate studies in international relations or Latin American politics. Stein is fluent in Spanish and is studying French. A native of Uruguay, she has traveled throughout South America and to Spain.