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  • Rachael Dean

    May 19, 2025 1:00 pm |  1 View

    Rachael joined LAS International Programs in May 2025 as an Academic Program Coordinator and had been previously working with Illinois International as the Coordinator for International Safety and Security from March 2019. She is passionate about student exploration and wellness! Rachael spent time living, traveling, and studying abroad in Europe, South America, and Asia and holds a special place in her heart for Japan where she lived for seven years. She is currently keeping busy with her never-ending house and garden projects and spending time with her girls (dog & cat) and family.

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  • Steph Lepak

    May 12, 2025 11:00 am |  1 View

    Stephanie Lepak is an Academic Program Coordinator in the LAS International Programs Office at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A proud first-generation college graduate, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Global Studies and Spanish from the university, with a concentration in Environment, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility. Her passion for international education was sparked by transformative study abroad experiences in Spain and Italy, where she worked on sustainable tourism initiatives and gained hands-on experience in biological agriculture at a cooperative farm.

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  • Julien Berthelon

    Apr 21, 2025 1:15 pm |  22  Views

    Julien Berthelon, Ph.D., is originally from Mâcon, in the Burgundy region of France. After graduating from the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, he began teaching French at Clark University in 2012, and two years later served as a French Instructor and co-director of the French House at Macalester College. In 2015, he came to the University of Illinois to pursue an MA in French Studies, followed by a Ph.D., which he completed in August 2024. His doctoral research focused on representations of masculine insecurities in 19th- and 20th-century French literature as well as early French cinema.

    Over the course of nearly ten years at UIUC, Julien has taught a wide range of courses in the Department of French and Italian and has been actively involved in various cultural initiatives on campus. Among other projects, he co-directed the French Ciné-club and collaborated for several years on the Digital Edition of the Correspondence of Marcel Proust with the Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

    He is excited to continue supporting LAS’s mission of fostering intercultural engagement and meaningful connections.

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  • Ellen Elghammer

    Mar 12, 2025 10:15 am |  13  Views

    My name is Ellen and I have lived in Central Illinois my whole life, and I am a proud UIUC two time graduate! I studied Social Work for my undergrad and graduate degrees and worked in case management and counseling to start my career. I transitioned to working in higher education in 2021, starting at Parkland College as an Admissions Advisor. After 3.5 years, I decided to make the transition across town, and I now work as the Coordinator of Recruitment of Admissions at LAS. I love working with students and helping them through their academic journey, and I especially love working with underrepresented populations and nontraditional students.   When I’m not working, I am usually outside walking, feeding the local geese (food that’s healthy for them, not bread!), hanging out with my two cats, or reading. 

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  • Ryan Howard

    Mar 10, 2025 2:45 pm |  5  Views

    Ryan Howard is the Assistant Director, Recruitment & Admissions. He has a B.A. in Interpersonal Communication and an M.A. in Human Communication Processes – Pedagogy. Ryan has a background in teaching Communication Studies courses such as Public Speaking, Interpersonal, and Intercultural. He also has a background of working in admissions and recruitment. Outside of work, he loves being a dad to two awesome kiddos, Josie and Maverick. He also enjoys exercising, coaching sports, and playing hockey in his free time. Ryan is a very friendly and outgoing person, willing to assist anyone in need, and always happy to help!

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  • Matthew Rooney

    Mar 7, 2025 12:00 pm |  4  Views

    Matthew is a former student of LAS and graduated with a bachelors in Sociology. He has a background in training and development, and loves supporting the AAP team in his current role. Outside of work, Matthew enjoys video games, watching basketball, spending time with his fiancé, and being a mediator for the many petty disputes between their cat and dog.

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  • Isabel Molina Guzman

    Mar 5, 2025 3:45 pm |  5  Views

    Isabel Molina Guzman is Associate Dean of LAS Student Academic Affairs and Professor of Communication and Latina/Latino Studies.

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  • Sara Henschen

    Feb 7, 2025 9:15 am |  21  Views

    Sara Henschen is the newest member of the LAS Records Advising team and currently lives in White Heath, IL. She and her husband (Jacob) have one son (Ben) who is in third grade and one dog (Percy). Previously, Sara served as the Office Support Specialist at the Native American House on campus. She enjoys baking/cooking, being outdoors, and swimming. One fun fact about Sara is that she spent 12+ years working with the Anishinaabe of White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota.

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  • Sharnelle Kimbrough

    Jan 3, 2025 2:00 pm |  8  Views

    Sharnelle was born and raised in Champaign County, she has lived in southern states such as Georgia and Virginia but kept finding her way back to Illinois. Sharnelle has an Associate of Arts in Business and is currently pursuing her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. She enjoys traveling, exploring, the theatre, art of all kinds, being out in nature, festivals, and spending time with her children.

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  • Jose De La O

    Jun 10, 2024 8:45 am |  73  Views

    Jose De La O is an Academic Advisor for the Access & Achievement Program. Before this, he was working in Undergraduate Admissions to recruit prospective college students to Illinois, but now he is enjoying working with college students to best ensure they meet their academic goals during their college career. Jose likes the outdoors and enjoys swimming and biking, especially during the summertime.

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