Higher Education Advisory Council

The members of the IELTS USA Higher Education Advisory Council are leaders in their fields in the higher education sector. They represent secondary schools, undergraduate and graduate education, public and private institutions, and the TESOL profession. 

The responsibilities of the Board include but are not limited to:

• informing the Executive Director and staff about trends in higher education that are relevant to IELTS USA
• advising the Executive Director and staff about IELTS USA issues, policies, and strategic plans
• serving as an ambassador for IELTS USA publicly in everyday work situations, and at conferences and meetings
• assisting the Executive Director and IELTS USA staff with introductions to specific non-recognizing institutions
• being available to the Executive Director and staff of IELTS USA for individual consultation
• recommending and recruiting potential Board members.

The inaugural Higher Education Advisory Council meeting took place in 2015, and we had the opportunity to discuss the current state of IELTS in the US and worldwide with representatives from US colleges and universities. The council members offered open and candid feedback on potential new IELTS programs, services, strategic communications, and plans for the future. We look forward to continuing this dialogue with them moving forward.

IELTS USA Higher Education Advisory Council Members

Patriece Campbell

Director of International Programs and Services Millersville University Patriece has more than 15 years of experience in international education.She holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan-Flint, a M.P.A. from Michigan University in Ann Arbor, and a Ph.D. from the University of New England.

April Crabtree

Assistant Vice Provost University of San Francisco April Crabtree has worked in admission since 2008. Prior to her role at USF, April served as Associate Director of Admission and Coordinator of International Admission at Eckerd College.

Andrea Felder

Assistant Vice Provost American University Andrea has been involved in international education for close to 15 years. She holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.Ed. from North Carolina State University; and Ed.D. from North Carolina State University.

Becky Konowicz

Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admission Santa Clara University Becky Konowicz has worked in enrollment management since 2004. She holds a B.A. from DePauw University and a M.Ed. from Grand Valley State University.

Krista LaVack

Associate Director of International Admission Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) University Krista serves as the Associate Director of International Admissions at MCPHS University and has worked in international education for over 20 years. Krista earned a B.A. degree from Trent University in Canada, and a M.S.Ed. degree from SUNY Potsdam.

Maria Luis Landry

Director of Admission Tulane University Maria Landry counsels prospective L.L.M. and S.J.D. students through the application process. She holds a law degree from Universidade Catolica de Lisboa – Faculdade de Direito and an L.L.M. from Tulane Law School.

Drew Miller

Director of Admission Cranbrook Schools Drew is responsible for managing the enrollment of 1660 boarding and day students and has been in admissions for more than 35 years. He holds a M.Ed. from the University of Hartford and a B.A. from Hamilton College.

Costas Solomou

Vice President for Enrollment The State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo Costas has worked in international education for more than 15 years. He holds a Bachelors degree from St. John Fisher College and a Doctorate in Higher Education from the University of Rochester.

Dean Tsantir

Director of Graduate Admissions University of Minnesota Dean Tsantir’s experience involved international student recruitment and educational technology research. He also has experience working overseas for the Ministry of Education in Chiba City, Japan.

Emilija Zlatkovska

Director of Intensive English Program and Interim Executive Director Center of International Programs University of Southern Indiana Emilija has been active in the field of international education for about 15 years. She holds an MSc and PhD in language education, EFL/ESL from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Former Members:

• Tom Atkinson, Associate Dean, Graduate School, Purdue University (served 2015-2018)
• Douglas L. Christiansen, Vice Provost for University Enrollment Affairs, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Vanderbilt University (served 2015-2016)
• Jane Dunphy, Senior Lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (served 2015-2019)
• Jordan England, Executive Director, International Student Programs, Foothill-De Anza Community College District (served 2018-2020)
• Aimee Gruber, Senior Director of Outreach & Business Development, Enrollment Management Association (served 2017-2019)
• Deborah Hefferon, International Education and Cross-cultural Communication Consultant (served 2015-2018)
• Jason Kahabka, Associate Dean for Administration, Cornell University (served 2015-2018)
• Tatiana Mackliff, Executive Director of International Education, Miami Dade College (served 2015-2018)
• Pamela Pollock, Associate Director for Professional and Scholarly Development, Harvard University (served 2019-2020)
• Fiona Rees, Senior Associate Director of Admission, University of California Los Angeles (served 2015-2016)
• Shelley Saltzman, Associate Director for Partnerships, American Language Program, Columbia University (served 2015-2020)
• Steven Shaw, Assistant Vice Provost and Director of International Admissions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (served 2015-2019)
• Timothy Stanne, Assistant Dean for Graduate Admissions, New York University School of Law (served 2015-2019)