Advertise on podcast: Be A Global Citizen!

George Koichi Wong is a Peace Research Fellow at the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue, with expertise in regional security in Eastern Europe and Northeast Asia and international human rights law. He holds an M.A. in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations from UC San Diego. His experience includes human rights advocacy related to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, contributing a briefing on Ukraine’s maritime security for the U.S. Department of Justice’s ICITAP program, and facilitating dialogue on migration and political discourse at the University of Malta. Fluent in Japanese, George brings a cross-cultural perspective to interests spanning educational equity and nuclear disarmament. Enjoy our conversation about the connections between nuclear disarmament and global citizenship.

Adam W. Sadberry is an accomplished flutist and educator recognized by The Washington Post as one of its “23 for ’23.” He has performed at prestigious venues, including the Hollywood Bowl and Eastman School of Music, and collaborated with renowned artists such as Renée Fleming, Chaka Khan, and Earth, Wind & Fire. His work also includes contributing to the soundtrack of Disney’s The Lion King (2019). As an educator, Adam has led residencies at prominent institutions, emphasizing justice, joy, and compassion in music education. He is the founder of Mission Blackbird LLC and has presented at the League of American Orchestras conference. Adam holds a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music and is a Judith Leibowitz Scholar in the Alexander Technique. Enjoy what Adam has to say about global citizenship!

Lizzy Guthery is an Architectural designer, with specialties in sustainability, energy modelling and natural materials. She works with Design and Make Architects. She was recently featured on Grand Designs NZ showcasing her own home construction from start to finish. In our conversation, Lizzy shares about her journey to take action on sustainability as a global citizen. Enjoy her perspectives on building from sustainable materials, preserving through obstacles and constraints, and cultivating more understanding about the world around us.

Jesus Flores is an educator, author, and researcher dedicated to empowering underserved communities. He currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Diamond Ranch High School and is pursuing his Ed.D. at UCLA. Blending academic rigor with cultural relevance, Jesus is the co-founder of Foosgoneeducated and co-author of the book This Foo: 7 Lessons for Burros & Bag Chasers, where he works to bridge the gap between traditional education and community culture. Enjoy this conversation about his educator journey and what it means for him to be a global citizen!

Lucas Welter is a global strategy and organization development executive with more than 20 years of experience leading transformation, talent development, and network alignment across complex international organizations. He served as Chief Organization Development & Strategy Officer at AFS Intercultural Programs, where he led global strategy, organizational development, leadership development, and change initiatives across a network of 60 organizations worldwide. Lucas teaches doctoral students at New York University and at the University of Pennsylvania in organizational change, innovation, and nonprofit leadership. Enjoy our conversation about his early experience of studying abroad and what it means to be a global citizen.

Sharon Counts is an Assistant Professor of Business and Design Strategies at Parsons School of Design, The New School. Her research-led creative practice explores the efficacy of social impact and community engagement programs in the arts and business. She investigates how design innovations influence emerging trends in business, leadership and community engagement. Sharon has worked broadly as an artistic producer and designer of artistic experiences and programs that prioritize equitable access to culture. She works at the intersection of the arts and innovation, applying strategic design principles to the development of organizational culture and ethical leadership. Check out her thoughts on global citizenship!

Dr. Tonikiaa Orange serves as the Director for the Educational Leadership Program at UCLA Ed&IS and Director for the Culture and Equity Project (CEP) at UCLA Center X. Her commitment to education spans over 20 years, and she is an expert in culturally responsive pedagogy and is the co-developer of the Reciprocal Learning Partnerships for Equity Coaching Framework. Her work focuses on preparing the next generation of social justice leaders to transform and create equitable and culturally responsive educational spaces for all students. In our dialogue, we talk about cultivating spaces where everyone can feel supported and empowered to build community. Check out what Tonikiaa has to say about being a global citizen!

Vivi Wei is Brand Manager and Business Development Director at Brain Co. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is a recent graduate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Education Policy and Analysis. Her learning journey has taken her from Hubei, China, to Edinburgh, Scotland, to Boston, USA. She shares about her struggles to fit into and work with the Chinese educational system. Her perspective greatly expanded through literature and travel. Vivi has been led by her many interests in international affairs, educational policy, and technology. Her work at Brain Co pulls together her interests in making a change in the world through curriculum related to robotics and coding. Check out what Vivi has to say about being a global citizen!

Cathleen Kong is a computer science educator and former software engineer at Microsoft with experience teaching, designing technology-enhanced learning experiences, and building software. She is passionate about helping students develop technical skills through engaging, real-world projects in computer science and AI. In our conversation, she shares her interdisciplinary journey of becoming a software engineer and the connecting thread of wanting to build things that help other people. Her work as a teacher comes from a place of hope that new generations of leaders will be equipped with not only the right skills, but also a solid sense of moral values to inform their decisions. Enjoy what Cathleen has to say about being a global citizen.

Dr. Sarah Ann Wider is emerita professor of English and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Colgate University. A distinguished scholar of American literature, Wider spent nearly four decades teaching at Colgate University, where she developed a wide-ranging curriculum centered on Ralph Waldo Emerson, the Transcendentalist movement, feminist autobiographical writing, and Native American literature. As former president of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Society, she has made enduring contributions to the study of Emerson and the broader American Renaissance. In our dialogue, Sarah shares about the role of storytelling in healing past traumas, building greater community, and envisioning a more hopefilled world. She is a life long learner who exudes a passion for good conversation.

Herminio L. Perez, DMD, MBA, EdD is a nationally recognized leader in dental education, student affairs, diversity, and academic innovation. Herminio currently serves as Assistant Dean for Campus Life at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM). He is guided by a deep commitment to education, inclusion, and humanistic authentic leadership. In our dialogue, Herminio shares about his love for dentistry as a combination of the arts and science. His mission to educate, raise, and mentor the new generation of dentists to be ethical leaders and professionals is truly inspiring. Find out what Herminio has to say about being a dentist and a global citizen.

Dr. Michael Miller is a mission-driven executive leader with 20+ years of progressive experience across higher education, including academic affairs, student services, and institutional advancement. He is the Associate Dean at The City College of New York, The Spitzer School of Architecture. Michael shares about his foundational experiences as an actor and the ways in which he brings his full self into the work he does in higher education. He speaks to the need for global citizens to lead with kindness and curiosity.

Handrio Durham is an anthropologist (Boston University) with an MA in philosophy (Texas Tech University). His work lies at the intersection of culture, language, ethics, and technology, with a current interest in how human meaning-making is conducted through systems. Currently, he applies his background in ethnography and critical analysis to AI qualitative evaluation at Meta, ensuring linguistic precision, cultural nuance, and ethical alignment in Indonesian-language AI tasks. Enjoy listening to Handrio’s journey to discover his passion for philosophy and learning. He also shares insights about his other passion for opera about language learning, culture, arts, and human connection.

Dr. Denise Nelson Nash is a strategic leader and transformational project expert. She is the Vice President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees at Scripps College. She also is co-host of "Life in Higher Ed" Podcast and co-author of the book: Trinity of Leadership: Learners, Thinkers, Tinkerers. With over 25 years of experience driving transformative change, she specializes in turning complex challenges into sustainable growth opportunities. Enjoy our dialogue about learning beyond borders, believing in one’s agency to achieve great things, and engaging in humanistic leadership.

Dr. Hans Schattle is a Professor of Political Science at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. He teaches coursework in citizenship, democracy, civil society, cosmopolitanism, nationalism, global governance, political theory, political communications and politics of Europe, East Asia and the United States. He has written two books, Globalization and Citizenship and The Practices of Global Citizenship, both published by Rowman & Littlefield, as well as numerous articles in academic journals and commentaries in newspapers, including The New York Times/ International Herald Tribune, The Guardian and The Christian Science Monitor. We discuss American politics, democracy, and global citizenship. Enjoy what Dr. Schattle has to say about what it means to be a global citizen.