ISEP Welcomes Marina Casals Sala and Wendy Martinec as Directors of International Member Relations

ISEP Study Abroad, the largest global community for study, intern, and volunteer abroad programs, is delighted to welcome Marina Casals Sala to the ISEP team as the new Director of Member Relations for Europe and the United Kingdom. Casals Sala has more than 22 years of experience in international higher education spanning roles in Spain, Finland, and Morocco. She has served on the EAIE leadership team and as a board member of the Centre for Higher Education Internationalisation at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. In her most recent position, she managed global strategy and operations as the Director of International Relations at Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain. Casals Sala also created the SUCTI (Systemic University Change Towards Internationalisation) Project, an award-winning training course designed to empower university administrative staff on internationalization best practices. Casals Sala is based in Spain, expanding ISEP’s support for its European members and program participants.

“I have always resonated with ISEP’s values of providing quality cross-cultural affordable experiences to as many students as possible,” stated Casals Sala. “I am very excited to work with different institutions across many European countries, supporting them in their internationalization efforts and helping them work with ISEP as one of their main strategic networks.”

Another recent addition to the team, Wendy Martinec joined ISEP as the Director of Member Relations for Asia and Oceania in December. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Martinec’s more than 25 years of experience include serving as interim Pro Vice Chancellor –International and Director, International Partnerships and Services at La Trobe University, Australia. Her significant contributions during her time at La Trobe include spearheading award-winning student-mobility initiatives recognized by both NAFSA and IIE. She also created the Global Experience minor which recognizes indigenous culture learning as one of multiple credit options within the study plan framework. She is also a contributor to the International Education Association of Australia’s (IEAA) Learning Abroad White Paper. In her role at ISEP, Martinec leads strategic planning and execution for more than 30 ISEP partners across Asia and Oceania, ensuring exceptional program quality to meet the diverse demands of the study abroad market in this region.

“My dedication to international education is founded in the belief that every student deserves access to life-changing global opportunities,” said Martinec. “Aligning with an organization that resonates so profoundly with this principle is incredibly motivating. It allows me to apply my expertise in the Asia Pacific region to significantly contribute to meaningful impact within a global community where education knows no borders.”

Casals Sala and Martinec will serve as key leaders of ISEP’s international team and report to Kristen Aguto, Vice President of Member Relations.

“ISEP remains steadfast in our dedication to the institutions that contribute to providing accessible international experiences for students worldwide. We deeply appreciate how vital our international member institutions are to our mission and are thrilled to welcome Marina and Wendy to our team,” stated Aguto. “Their combined regional expertise increases ISEP’s capacity to respond to the shifting needs of our institutional partners and allows us to be a true collaborator in their internationalization goals.”

About ISEP Study Abroad

ISEP Study Abroad is a non-profit organization that has partnered with universities and colleges in the United States and around the world for more than 45 years. Today, ISEP is the largest global community for study, intern, and volunteer abroad programs. Our more than 350 member and affiliate institutions across over 50 countries trust us to help them achieve their internationalization goals through our unmatched access to high-quality, affordable, and immersive academic programs for their students. Learn more about ISEP at https://www.isepstudyabroad.org/.

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