Dr. J. Joseph Burns,
Associate Vice Provost for undergraduate programs at Boston College

"Online Learning and Liberal Arts in Global Education"
Dr. J. Joseph Burns became Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences at Boston College (BC) in 1986 and has held the post of Associate Vice Provost since 2003. Prior to joining BC, Dr. Burns was an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Director of Studies at Princeton University and worked with research and immersion learning programs in Central and South America.

In recent years Dr. Burns’s work has focused on mechanisms to improve undergraduate learning through assessment. Dr. Burns has been a member of various accreditation teams visiting universities throughout New England and Lebanon. He holds a Ph. D. from Yale University in Comparative Sociology and his research has focused primarily on Southeast Asia.

Dr. Ann Lesch,
Professor Emeritus of Political Science at The American University of Cairo

"Surmounting political and cultural barriers through global education? A view from Cairo"
Dr. Lesch is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at The American University of Cairo (AUC), where she previously served as Associate Provost for International Programs and Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences. She is also the founder and former Director of the Palestinian American Research Center.

Previously, Dr. Lesch was a Professor of Political Science at Villanova University and also worked with The American Friends Service Committee, The Ford Foundation, and Universities Field Staff International. In addition, she has served as the President of the Middle East Studies Association and the Sudan Studies Association. Dr. Lesch holds a Doctorate degree from Columbia University.

Dr. Sam Potolicchio,
Professor and Department Chair in Global Leadership Studies at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration and President of the Preparing Global Leaders Summit

"How the University Can Prepare Global Leaders"
Dr. Sam Potolicchio is currently a lecturer on American Politics at Georgetown University’s Global Education Institute where he lectures to high-level government officials and businessmen. He also teaches politics, public policy and research methods for the Semester in Washington Program at Georgetown. In addition, Dr. Potolicchio is the Distinguished Professor and Chair in Global Leadership Studies at the Russian Presidential Academy as well as founder, president and academic director for the Preparing Global Leaders Summit in Moscow at the Russian Presidential Academy of the National Economy and Public Administration.

Dr. Potolicchio is also the official lecturer on American Federalism at the Open World Leadership program housed in the United States Library of Congress. He has won numerous teaching awards including the K. Patricia Cross Award from the American Association of Colleges and Universities and was named by the Princeton Review as one of the “Best Professors in America” in 2012. Dr. Potolicchio was educated at Georgetown University and Harvard University.

Dr. Julia Sloan,
Principal of Sloan International Inc.

"Strategic Thinking as a Leadership Requisite to Creating a Global Crossover"
Dr. Sloan is the principal of Sloan International Inc., an executive development firm specializing in strategic thinking, and the author of several books including Learning to Think Strategically. Dr. Sloan teaches strategic thinking at Columbia University and serves on the advisory boards of Manhattan College, the Institute for Management Studies and several other non-profit advisory boards. She also consults for the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces and the United Nations Secretariat.

Previously, Dr. Sloan has taught at the Brookings Institute and guest lectured at universities across the globe including: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Tokyo University, Keio University, the Dubai School of Government, King Saud University, the Institute for Public Administration, and the United Nations Staff College. Dr. Sloan holds a doctorate degree from Columbia University.