Our Staff

Dr. Aaron D. Clevenger is the Assistant Provost & Dean of International Programs and serves as the Senior International Officer at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Dr. Clevenger has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University since 2004 and in addition to International Programs has also served in Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Undergraduate Research, and International & Graduate Enrollment. Dr. Clevenger is charged with articulating and implementing the university’s vision for comprehensive internationalization. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of Security Studies & International Affairs and teaches Human Security, International Studies, and Globalization & World Politics. Dr. Clevenger earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal Communication and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Science in Human Security & Resilience from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education and Organizational Change from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL.

Dr. Clevenger works to understand individuals through an intersectional philosophy. His preferred teaching style is experiential education. Many disciplines and settings utilize experiential education methodologies including study abroad, outdoor and adventure education, place-based education, critical cultural theory, project-based learning, research abroad, environmental education, international service learning, and global internships. Dr. Clevenger is influenced by educational philosophers such as Montessori (1912), Freire (1970), Dewey (1938), Lewin (1946), and Knowles (1980); these philosophers not only inspire educators to teach and inspire beyond the classroom and rote memorization, but also to teach through reflective assessment and critique of society and culture.

Dr. Clevenger is a passionate advocate of the United Nations’ goal of sustainable development, which implores all nations to adopt the belief that all people should be educated about the environment, social justice, and the economic developmental needs of the world. He has committed himself to growth as an educator through hands-on international and global experiences in serving as a facilitator, research mentor, and international instructor in 11 countries over the last twenty years. In addition, he has served as a four-time Global Research Mentor guiding student researcher in Hong Kong, China, Romania, Hungary, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, and Brazil.

Sandra M. Ruiz is the Administrative Assistant for the office of International Programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She joined the team in September of 2021. Sandra earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Stetson University and is an international student herself. Her professional background helps her to understand the complexity and importance of international education and abroad studies. Sandra believes diversity and inclusion play a main role in higher education, as well as learning through life experiences. She is always intrigued on learning about new cultures, meeting new people, and, if possible, learning more languages.

Anastasia Fynn is the Director for International Student & Scholar Office, where she oversees overall compliance and serves as the Responsible Officer for the J-1 program and the Primary Designated School Official for the F-1 program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach campus. Ms. Fynn has been with Embry-Riddle since 2016 and has been in the International Education field for 10 years. In her current role, Ms. Fynn is charged with providing strategic vision and leadership in managing ISSS; this includes ensuring immigration compliance, training and coaching, overseeing operations and workflow management, liaising with campus stakeholders, and providing programmatic support and for International Students and Scholars. As an immigrant from Ghana, Anastasia has personal experiences foreign learner in the US and leverages this understanding of international student life and immigration policies to help facilitate student transition procedures.

Ms. Fynn is passionate about international student advocacy and has a strong belief in correlation between academic success and immigration compliance. To this end, she volunteers for several International Education organizations, such as the Association of International Education (NAFSA) where she has served in different positions. She has presented webinars and workshops that help contribute to currents trends in international learning and services. She serves on the board for the Florida Association of International Educators, holds a BA in English and Political Science from the University Of Ghana, an MBA in International Business from Strayer University, and is pursuing a MS in Human Security and Resilience from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Ms. Fynn believes in an interdependent world, where it is essential for students, faculty, and staff to have the opportunity to become personally and intellectually familiar with the people, ideas, and customs of other nations. Such interaction not only promotes a universal perspective and intellectual growth, but also contributes to the cultural and economic well-being of universities.

Judy Samuels is the Associate Director of International Student and Scholar Services at the Daytona Beach campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She is an instructor for the University 101 class which helps the first-time freshman adjust to university life. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Interpersonal Communication from Ohio University and a Master of Science in Leadership from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Ms. Samuels has worked been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University since 2012 in various positions within the International and Graduated Admissions and International Student Services offices. Her current responsibilities focus on immigration and the overall international student experience as an advisor to F1, M1, and J1 visa holders. Ms. Samuels is passionate that all international students should understand their responsibilities and be allowed to succeed in pursuing their dreams of an education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In addition, she believes that all students should have a positive campus experience no matter their background. This principle is displayed through her work in the International Student Services Office and through her volunteer work in Florida International Educators Association and NAFSA. Her philosophy is to assist in promoting and training other international educators; this helps create an environment of empathy and a willingness of acceptance, which enhances the ability to provide the guidance and the service required to improve the overall international student experience.

Jiye Park is the Assistant Director of International Student and Scholar Services. As a DSO and ARO, Jiye is responsible for providing advice to international students and scholars on immigration and cultural matters. She brings to ISSS her personal experiences as an international student herself, as well as a professional history with immigration policies and intercultural communication. Her background in working with diverse students in nonprofit and higher education is a stepping stone to her becoming the advocate for an inclusive international community here. Before joining Embry-Riddle, she was an administrator at the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea specializing in visa and nationality procedures. Jiye received her BA in English literature and music theory at the University of Chicago and her MA in religion and the arts at Yale Divinity School.

Sue Macchiarella Is the Director of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Office of Global Engagement (OGE), which is responsible for student global mobility. Sue holds two master degrees, Human Resource Development and Public Administration. She is an undergraduate alumni of the University of Central Florida, where she earned her commission into the U.S. Army. Sue's lifelong international experiences include living and working globally, and she has spent portions of her life living in Asia and Europe and worked extensively in Kenya. Since starting at ERAU in November 2011, Sue has increased student participation in globalization programs, as well as increasing partner university agreements and faculty-led programs.

Sue has presented at the National Association of Fellowship Advisors, the Council on Undergraduate Research, NAFSA’s Region VII Chat event, and GE3 on topics related to international education and has published in EAIE’s Forum Magazine. Sue loves to think outside the box of IE and is currently working towards all faculty-led programs having a “real-life” learning or “giving back” aspect.

Sue’s own experience as a study abroad student in college not only reinforced her priority of student health and  safety abroad, but also cemented her belief in the importance of international education experiences and the incredible personal growth that stems from time and study abroad. She believes that learning to successfully navigate new spaces, opening one’s self to new situations, interacting with diverse populations, and evaluating one’s own beliefs as a result of these experiences creates a solid global citizen. Students who participate in international experiences become people see the beauty and value in differences, as well as the importance and positive effect that those differences play in maximizing understanding, creativity, and innovation.

Miriam Gutierrez-Cunico serves as the Exchange Program Coordinator for the Office of Global Engagement. She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University since 2019. Miriam oversees the administration and maintenance of the Terra Dotta Software for Study Abroad Programs for Daytona Beach, Prescott, and Worldwide campuses. She has been appointed as Chapter Coordinator of Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society, has over 15 years of experience working in the administration field, and over 4 years as a Program Coordinator for Universities. She is from Vicenza, Italy and moved to the USA in 2001. She is a proud military wife of a 25-year Army veteran. Born and raised in a different country, and then moving to the USA, she understands how International students feel when living and studying abroad, and getting adjusted to a different culture. She is tri-lingual and speaks fluent Italian, English, and Spanish. She traveled to over 15 countries and love to learn about new cultures. She loves working with students to help them accomplish their goals.

Patti Jo Allen is the Administrative Assistant for the Office of Global Engagement. Patti Jo joined Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ten years ago when she relocated from New York, and comes with a background in office management and studies in Labor Relations.

She refers to herself as the mainframe of the office and supports the Director and the Exchange Coordinator in their efforts, while managing and facilitating all aspects of the office. As a military “brat”, Patti Jo appreciates the value of experiencing other cultures and enjoys interacting with exchange students as they navigate the process of coming to Embry-Riddle, as well as working with students in preparing for their journey abroad. She feels that it is especially rewarding to see the students at the end of their travels, and take note of the growth and development.

Hannaliisa Savolainen is the Director of Embry-Riddle Language Institute (ERLI) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she has direct oversight of the program mission. Prior to her position at ERLI, Ms. Savolainen worked at Northern Arizona University as an administrator in the Program in Intensive English and International Student and Scholar Services. Ms. Savolainen has completed the Supervisor’s Academy from Arizona Governmental Training System, ELT Leadership Management Certificate Program from TESOL International Association, and Practicing Leaders Residency Program in Embry-Riddle’s Leadership Academy. Her ongoing participation in professional organizations contribute to her knowledge base on current trends in international education, teacher training and mentoring, as well as building effective collaboration across campus units. Ms. Savolainen taught English in Chicago, IL; Santa Monica, CA; and Flagstaff, AZ. Ms. Savolainen earned her M.A. in Linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, she has taught Finnish and worked as an independent linguistic consultant and translator for Finnish.

Ms. Savolainen knows first-hand the importance of both academic and language support for an international student. When Ms. Savolainen first arrived to US from her native country, Finland, she quickly learned that, while years of English language in school allowed her to communicate independently, she did not possess the academic and specialized language skills required in academic study and flight training. Intensive English programs such as ERLI focus to meet the needs of international student’s academic language and acculturation needs. Key components in this framework are providing support to teachers and students by making principled decisions, intervening early in student issues and ensuring that students are receiving and benefitting from campus services. Additionally, Ms. Savolainen wants to instill to the students the central role of accountability and autonomy play in academic success, so that once they transition to degree programs, they do so successfully. 

Douglas is the Assistant Director of the Embry-Riddle Language Institute and has an M.A. in Applied Linguistics with a specialization in TESL from the University of Florida. He has taught English as a second language at the university level both in the U.S. and overseas for 25 years and has been on faculty at the Embry-Riddle Language Institute for over 18 years. He has taught every class at every level multiple times, as well as courses in special topic areas including TOEFL/IELTs, ERLI 101, U.S. Government & Criminology, and Aviation & Aerospace 101. In addition to teaching at the institute, he has also served as an academic advisor for first year students at the university and taught Embry-Riddle's developmental English classes for international students for more than ten years. Douglas advocates a philosophy of empowering students with the tools to become self-learners, both in their academic life and future careers, and his experience has taught him that most students have a desire to learn and improve. As such, he believes in setting reasonable and attainable goals that challenge students and has found that they will generally rise to meet and exceed them.

Douglas’s areas of research interests include Aviation English, web design, and measures of student progress. He has also presented at SSTESOL and NAFSA, is a peer reviewer for the Internet TESL Journal, and published in the Florida Foreign Language Journal.

Aliona Buresh, an Instructor for the Embry-Riddle Language Institute, has her M.A. in Educational Leadership/TESOL from the University of Central Florida. She started her teaching career as a University EFL Professor at the Institute of Parliamentarism and Enterprise in Minsk, Belarus when she graduated with a B.S. in Teaching English, Italian and Russian as a Second Language. She worked for two years in Daytona State College teaching ESOL and supporting students from various educational and cultural backgrounds. In ERLI, she teaches academic English classes and Special Topic courses.

By working with ERAU professors, Aliona has developed a course on Human Factors for international students, which she is currently teaching. Besides teaching classes, she is a placement test coordinator, demographics specialist, and a professional development coordinator. Aliona is multilingual as she is fluent in Russian and Italian. Aliona utilizes her language skills and multicultural background by performing translating duties for ERLI students and assisting ERAU students studying Russian in RUSS101.

Being a language instructor and being able to assist international students on regular basis is very rewarding for Aliona. She never feels more energized and fulfilled than after a class that went well. She wants to set her students up for success, and she does that by encouraging and supporting students thought out their learning process. She thinks her enthusiasm and confidence encourages students to continue their exciting journey of learning to become well-rounded professionals. Aliona enjoys participating in professional development as it always allows her to perfect her knowledge. She ensures her professional growth by participating in ERLI committees, educational associations, attending specialized workshops and conferences. She follows the latest developments in the field of ESL studies and shares that knowledge with the faculty.

Rachel Lee is an Educational Specialist/Language Instructor at Embry-Riddle Language Institute. She completed an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) through Southern Illinois University (SIUC) in 2020. Prior to that, she earned a B.S. in Aviation Management and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Aviation through SIUC, while also completing a minor in Spanish and 6 semesters of Mandarin Chinese. Rachel has over 20 years of experience in aviation, including academic advisement, recruitment, advising various student groups, and being a certificated pilot. More recently, she has taught ESL, EFL, and Aviation EFL courses to students studying in the U.S. and abroad. She believes that building relationships and trust with students allows them to have lowered affect and better learning outcomes. Rachel employs a wide range of activities, drills, games, and exercises in her classrooms to engage students with a variety of skills, abilities, and learning modalities.

Emily is an Instructor in the Embry-Riddle Language Institute. She earned an MA in TESOL from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She started teaching English in 2008 while in graduate school and has continued to enjoy teaching English to speakers of other languages since then. Emily offers students a collaborative, inclusive, student-centered class environment that appeals to multiple learning styles, and her goal is to help students achieve academic independence and success. Much of her career has been focused on writing, not only in language learning but also academic composition courses, though she enjoys instructing all language skills, using an integrated approach. She has taught in a variety of academic settings, which include universities in South Korea and Thailand, ESL credit courses at a community college in Ohio, and a university intensive English program in Alabama. Emily joined ERLI in 2021.

Jennifer is the Administrative Assistant & Student Support Specialist for the Embry-Riddle Language Institute. Jennifer has a B.A. in History from William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA and has worked in higher education since 2012. Jennifer started her career coordinating program logistics providing student support for the National Institute of American History & Democracy (NIAHD) at W&M. She moved to Daytona Beach from Virginia and joined ERLI in 2021. Jennifer is the first point of contact for students and provides administrative support to faculty and staff. Jennifer recognizes that the challenges students face outside of the classroom will directly impact their performance in the classroom. In order to help students succeed in the classroom and beyond, she strives to help them develop the practical skills needed to overcome those challenges with confidence.

Sarah Orfinger is the Project GO coordinator for both the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses. In this position, Sarah organizes the strategic language study abroad programs and streamlines the process for ROTC students from both ERAU and other US universities who would like to take advantage of the grant awarded by the DoD. Prior to working with Project GO, Ms. Orfinger worked in the International and Graduate student division at ERAU where she recruited students both internationally and domestically and assisted graduate students with throughout the admissions process. She also served as an admissions counselor and advisor at the Worldwide campus and worked for JetBlue Airways prior to her time at Embry Riddle. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Science in Public with a minor in Spanish from the University of Florida and her Master of Science in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Ms. Orfinger is passionate about the importance of second language acquisition and the study abroad experience. Having found studying abroad to be her favorite and most significant university experience as well as becoming fluent in Spanish and becoming certified as a TESOL instructor during her college years, Ms. Orfinger is enthusiastic about the opportunity to send students abroad to experience different languages, cultures, sights, and broaden their worldviews in ways they never thought possible. Key benefits of studying abroad include a greater awareness and deeper understanding of the world, learning a language in the native setting, and gaining greater self-confidence while stepping outside of your comfort zone. The ability to speak a second language opens so many doors both professionally and socially, and Ms. Orfinger wants to instill to students the endless advantages and value that this will provide them in preparing for a successful future.