Speaker Bios and Photos | Illinois Global Institute

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Esailama Artry-Diouf

Esailama Arty-Diouf (M.A. 2006, Center for African Studies; Ph.D. 2012, Performance Studies, Northwestern University) is a Senior Program Officer at the San Francisco Foundation, one of the largest community foundations in the United States. The Foundation's mission is to mobilize community leaders, nonprofits, government agencies, and donors to advance racial equity, diversity, and economic inclusion. Esailama is manager of the Foundation’s Arts and Culture portfolio. She began her professional career as a performing artist in 1989 with Diamano Coura Wes African Dance Company in Oakland, California. As an artist and scholar, she has lectured on West African Dance, African Diaspora, and Black Dance History throughout the United States and conducted long–term teaching and performance residencies in South and West Africa, India, and the Caribbean. Esailama has extensive experience in cultural and non-profit work, having served in philanthropy for over 15 years. She has spent 20 years coordinating community arts and social justice projects with various stakeholders, including dignitaries, celebrities, and grassroots organizers. As a CAS M.A. student, Esailama studied Wolof with a FLAS fellowship.

Rachel Brichta

Rachel Brichta (M.A. Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, 2004) is Chief Administrator for the International Institute at the University of Michigan where she is responsible for long-range planning, strategic operations, financial management, and human resources for the institute and its 17 centers and programs. Rachel started studying Russian in high school and visited Russia in 1994, where she connected with her host family by speaking Russian. At the University of Illinois, she studied Belarusian with and FLAS and explored democratization efforts in Belarus in a thesis. She held positions with American Councils for International Education, the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, Youth for Understanding International Exchange, and Toledo Sister Cities International before joining the University of Michigan as a student services coordinator in the Center for Russian and East European Studies. Rachel soon became the Communications Coordinator for the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia and later the Communication Manager for the entire Internal Institute. Rachel believes that the best way to learn about a place is by going there and seeing it for yourself, “See the sights, eat the food, and speak the language! You will build connections and memories that might just change your life.”

Audrey Chun

Audrey Chun (M.A. East Asian Languages and Cultures, M.S. Information Science, 2017) is the Korean Studies Librarian at the University of Chicago Library. After completing her degrees at Illinois, Audrey moved to Pasadena, California, to join the Fuller Theological Seminary Library as the Reference and Korean Studies Specialist. Over time, she advanced to become the head of the department and later the Assistant Director of the library. During those years, she served as the president of the Southern California American Theological Library Association while actively contributing to the Committee on Korean Materials of the Council on East Asian Libraries. In January 2025, she returned to Chicagoland to join the University of Chicago Library. During her time at Illinois, she taught several Korean language courses and received the Ralph Tyler Award for Best Korean Language Teaching Assistant in 2015. Additionally, she worked as a graduate student assistant at the Asian American Cultural Center and held various roles within the University Library. Audrey is excited to speak with students at Illinois about career opportunities in academic sectors with a degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures.

Emily Freiburger

Emily Freiburger (B.A. Global Studies, 2019; M.S. Management, 2021) is a Consultant at Roland Berger in Chicago. While at UIUC, Emily earned her Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies with a minor in German, during which she studied at the Vienna University of Economics and Business through the IiVP program, focusing on German language studies. She later returned to UIUC to complete a Master of Science in Management at Gies College of Business. After completing her B.A., Emily worked as an English Teaching Assistant through Fulbright Austria at a forestry school in Styria teaching 400+ students from around the country. She then transitioned into nonprofit work at the Burpee Museum of Natural History as a Marketing and Public Relations Consultant, supporting local community initiatives and engagement during COVID. Building on these experiences, she pursued her M.S. in Management, which led her to a full-time role at Roland Berger, a global management consulting firm specializing in strategy, transformation, and performance improvement across industries. In her free time, Emily enjoys music, reading, pickleball, and tending to her garden. She is excited to speak with Illinois students about navigating careers in consulting, international education experiences, and professional development opportunities across industries.

Andy Guth

Andy Guth (Ph.D. Public Policy, George Mason University, 2012) is the Academic Program Coordinator at the Center for Global Studies, where he is helping to establish, lecture in, and administer the M.S. in Global Studies program. Prior to joining the University of Illinois, Andy worked in China for ten years, the Philippines for another three years, and traveled throughout Southeast Asia off and on for twenty years. He has consulted for the United Nations, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Transparency International, and others; has worked at the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) in Arlington, VA; and was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines. In his experiences living and working abroad, Andy has drawn on cross cultural understanding to facilitate communication and advance his career.

Douglas Heintz

Douglas Heintz (M.S. Library and Information Science, 2017, B.A. Slavic Studies, 2007) is a librarian and product expert with extensive international experience, specializing in SaaS and enterprise consulting. Based in Berlin with EBSCO Information Services, he has partnered with corporate, medical, academic, and national libraries across the UK, Ireland, Nordic/Scandinavian countries, Russia, and the former Soviet Union to manage library resources and enhance content discoverability. A former FLAS fellow with REEEC, he worked at Illinois in university administration before joining EBSCO. He is a native of Central Illinois.

Kristijan Ležaić

Kristijan Ležaić (M.A.E.S., European and International Studies, 2010, B.A. Tourism and Hospitality Management, 2006) works in Brussels, Belgium as a Seconded National Expert in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport. Kristijan has worked as a civil servant for almost 20 years in different ministries of the Republic of Croatia and has held various management positions related to EU policies and funds. From serving as a member of a Municipal Assembly to representing the EU in the UN, Kristijan has been involved in policy making on the local, regional, national, European, and international level. He served as a diplomat and worked as a chair of the intermodal working group during the first Croatian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2020. He also worked extensively with Western Balkan countries and spent 1.5 years in the international organization “Transport Community” in Belgrade. He cooperated with many institutions and universities, such as the University of Florida and the Brussels School of Governance, on EU-related topics, such as organizing simulations of trilogues and giving lectures on EU enlargement with a focus on Croatia.

Connor Murray

Connor Murray, (B.A. Political Science, German Studies, 2016; M.A. International Affairs, American University) is the Political Director at Council for a Livable World, leading the Council’s congressional outreach, candidate endorsements, and the Council’s campaign work. He is also a Research Analyst at Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, in Washington DC. He is focused on nuclear weapons policy and reducing the threats posed by nuclear weapons. His research interests include peaceful uses of nuclear technology, European foreign policy and security, and NATO. His writing and comments have appeared in Responsible Statecraft, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and the Hill. Connor has also appeared on podcasts, radio, and television. Prior to joining the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Connor worked in government relations at Signal Group and Elevate Government Affairs, as well as for the office of Congresswoman Robin L. Kelly. He also interned for the U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna, Austria where he focused on IAEA and arms control work.

Judith Pintar

Judith Pintar (Ph.D., Sociology) is a teaching professor at the iSchool and serves as the director of the Game Studies and Design Program. She is sociologist and game designer whose research and teaching interests include narrative design, game studies, and gameful pedagogies, which she pursues through the E-Literatures & Literacies Lab (EL3).

Cassie Pontone

Cassie Pontone (M.A. Italian Studies, 2021; B.A. Sociocultural Anthropology, 2011) is the Educational Content Coordinator at Gohagan & Company, an international affinity travel operator dedicated to providing educationally focused journeys to partners in the alumni and cultural sectors. In this role, Cassie researches and contracts featured guest speakers to join Gohagan's various travel programs. She also coordinates and manages guest lecturers joining from the array of prestigious faculty embers who travel with their alumni groups. Between earning her bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Illinois, Cassie began her career in the nonprofit sector of Chicago, working at major cultural institutions such as the Field Museum and the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, working in collections management and public outreach. Eager to continue her studies and pursue a master's degree, Cassie returned to UIUC to focus on Italian and Film Studies. During this time, she served as a Teaching Assistant and Graduate Assistant, leading courses in Italian language, Indian cinema, Roman history, and study abroad preparation, while simultaneously working for the European Union Center, drafting successful grant proposals and managing the "Race in the Mediterranean" reading group. Cassie held a summer FLAS for Italian and also accompanied a group of students to Pavia, Italy to help establish the LAS International Program at the University of Pavia. Upon graduation, Cassie began a contract position as Social Media Manager for the Italian nonprofit, Soleterre Onlus, where she focused on drafting regular project reports, translating Italian language content, and donor engagement.

Natasha Samreny

Natasha Samreny (M.A. Middle Eastern History) is a multicultural storyteller, producer, and comedian who focuses on identity conversations through her performances and workshops. She’s performed and taught around the world: Edinburgh and Camden’s fringe festivals, Boston Comedy Arts Festival, Detroit Women of Comedy Festival, Florida Studio Theatre, Latina Comedy Festival, New York City Sketch Fest, and Trinity Repertory Company. Natasha is a graduate of The Second City writing program. Natasha’s currently working on her first book, and co-producing a bilingual storytelling show with Rhode Island Latino Arts called Tejiendo Historias: Weaving Stories.