Ms. Sue Shinomiya, MBA, of Global Business Passport in Portland, Oregon, inspires cultural curiosity and inclusive leadership as a consultant, trainer, coach and writer. She empowers professionals and learners to connect, lead and thrive across cultures and differences. Sue has spent over 10 years in Japan. She currently resides in Portland and holds a position of Adjunct Faculty member at Portland State University. She proudly serves as President of the Board of SIETAR USA and enjoys cultural exploration, photography, dance, and the great outdoors.

C. Melissa Neu, DSL, is a global leadership strategist, intercultural communication consultant, and educator with more than 20 years of experience as a growth and development strategist. As the founder of The Cultural Expedition Co., she partners with organizations to embed global and adaptive leadership competencies, strengthen communication, and cultivate cultural agility in increasingly complex environments. Dr. Neu is known for designing experiential and inclusive learning experiences that blend research-grounded strategy with storytelling, reflective practice, and interactive facilitation. She is the creator of the Purpose-Built Leadership Program and holds multiple certifications in leadership development, intercultural assessment, and coaching. Dr. Neu serves as President-Elect of the SIETAR USA Board of Directors and is committed to advancing equity, global understanding, and strategic leadership in practice.

Stephanie Holdren has served on nonprofit boards for nearly twenty years. She currently serves as secretary on the board of directors for both SIETAR USA and Texas PTA. With extensive experience in nonprofit leadership and governance, she has a proven ability to manage operations, oversee budgets, train board members, and increase community engagement. Holding a master’s degree in intercultural relations, she has promoted international and intercultural awareness in schools and throughout the community. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, dancing, traveling, and reading.

SIETAR has sustained Monica Mumford’s enthusiasm for all things intercultural since the first conference she attended in 1980. Monica has volunteered in many capacities throughout the years, from organizing the registration table and volunteers at the Kilkenny conference in 1990 to serving on the Board of Directors for SIETAR USA as Secretary and/or Treasurer since 2003, as well as one term on the Advisory Council. Monica holds a Master’s Degree in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University. During her career, she has held roles in international project administration, intercultural training program coordination, and accounting/finance before moving into international human resources. Monica’s most recent role was in Global Mobility in the mining industry.

Allison Iurato is a strategic communications leader and advisor with 12 years of experience across corporate environments. Currently, she is a Business Customer Advisor at PSE&G where she manages complex relationships with large commercial and industrial clients, and aligns their strategies with the utility’s regulatory and operational goals. In addition to her corporate role, Allison is an intercultural communication educator and content strategist with her company Alto Intercultural. She designs workshops and content that helps professionals, teams, and organizations communicate effectively across cultural differences, and supports intercultural trainers and educators by strengthening their marketing and digital strategies. As Communications Director for SIETAR USA, she leads the organization’s communications strategy across digital, editorial, and public relations channels, supporting member engagement and professional development initiatives.

Stephen Henderson is an emerging intercultural practitioner with a non‑linear but deeply grounded path, including 16 years in Osaka, Japan and an MA in I/O (Industrial/Organizational) Psychology. He has designed and taught culture‑focused courses for students preparing for international careers and now works in a complex healthcare system, paying attention to how culture and communication shape everyday experience. Stephen’s interests sit at the intersection of intercultural communication and I/O psychology, with a focus on motivation, inclusion, and wellbeing. He is especially drawn to helping people pause, listen, and approach conflict with more empathy and less “black‑and‑white” thinking. Through his role in SIETAR USA leadership, he is interested in moving intercultural ideas off the page and into classrooms, teams, and executive‑level strategy in ways that go beyond trainings and become part of an organization’s core values.

Aqueelah Roberson, EdD is a transformational servant leader who has supported students, families, and community members as an educator in the public and private education sectors for the last 19 years. She has held roles in K-12 and higher education. She absolutely loves using the arts as a platform to educate, enrich, and entertain. Through educational avenues, Aqueelah finds ways to blend her passion for the performing arts, working with young people, and cultivating cultural awareness and sensitivity in her work. Currently, Aqueelah serves as the policy director for a non-profit organization in Minnesota that promotes transformational student-centered designs for learning. Additionally, she volunteers with a faith-based organization as a community outreach team member. In this role, she ensures that children, youth, families, and community members have access to needed resources and systems of support. Aqueelah feels compelled to help others discover, unleash, and maximize their potential—making an impactful contribution to society.

Jon DeVries is a trainer and consultant specializing in intercultural competence, team building and leadership development. His work experience includes creating and building new, innovative programs for university students and professionals and delivering cross-cultural skills programs. He is excited to be serving in his first term on the SIETAR USA board and feels privileged to interact with a broad range of professionals across the field.

Hannah Strack appreciates how the intercultural field cultivates spaces where people from across the world can engage, challenge, and learn from one another. With much of her experience rooted in the Mediterranean—particularly in Italy, Malta, Morocco, Turkey, and Georgia—she came to SIETAR USA through her work in relocation/destination services, higher education, and the cross-cultural training industry, and stays because of the intelligent and welcoming people! Hannah is skilled at fostering connection and engagement, strengths she brings to her role as Membership, Outreach, and Diversity Director. When she’s not preparing for a training or conducting research, you can find her at a salsa or Bollywood dance class or exploring a local festival.

Noor Azizan-Gardner, originally from Malaysia, is founder and CEO of Baru Global Group, LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations build inclusive, innovative cultures. At the University of Missouri, she created the Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative and later served as its Chief Diversity Officer. In her current role, she continues to deliver intercultural competency lectures, leads leadership workshops, and consults for public and private organizations and the armed forces. Her passion project is serving on the Board of Directors of the Ragtag Film Society in Columbia, MO, which stages the annual internationally acclaimed and beloved documentary film festival, True/False.

Liesbeth Huysmans is an intercultural coach and consultant who prepares expatriate leaders for relocation to the United States and supports diverse, hybrid, and global teams in strengthening collaboration. Originally from Belgium, she has lived abroad for over 15 years across three countries, bringing a deeply personal global perspective to her work. With over a decade of experience in language teaching and intercultural coaching, she combines communication expertise with practical intercultural insight. As Director of Professional Development for SIETAR USA, she is dedicated to creating meaningful learning opportunities through webinars, workshops, mentoring, and community-building initiatives. Outside of work, she is a mom to a trilingual third culture kid and enjoys traveling, exploring new places, and discovering great food.

Cheryl Anne Farmer is an experienced association management professional with more than 25 years of leadership supporting nonprofit organizations and member-driven associations. As the owner of her own association management business, she oversees day-to-day operations, conference planning, membership services, and board governance support for multiple organizations. Cheryl Anne has worked with hundreds of board members over the course of her career, bringing a thoughtful and adaptable approach to navigating diverse personalities and leadership styles. Outside of her professional work, Cheryl Anne enjoys spending time with her husband, their two daughters, and their dog, Copper. Cheryl Anne loves the outdoors and can often be found snowmobiling in the winter, boating in the summer, or golfing whenever she gets the chance.