Chair

Lars Franke**, chair@aasapuk.org

British American Drama Academy (BADA)

Lars has worked in US study abroad for some twenty years, having previously taught music history, aesthetics and film music on undergraduate, postgraduate and life-long learning programmes at a number of UK universities. He ran the UK programme of Randolph College before moving to his current position as Managing Director of the British American Drama Academy in 2020. Lars first joined the AASAP/UK Board in 2009 and is a passionate believer in the need for intercultural work to build bridges across global communities.

Deputy Chair

Mieke Berg**

Sotheby’s Institute of Art

Mieke Berg has been based in London since 2007 and is currently the Head of Operations and Student Life UK for BrandEd, having previously held the position of Programme Manager for Study Abroad at Sotheby’s Institute of Art – London, within the company. Additionally, she has held previous roles at other study abroad institutions in the UK. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, Mieke holds a BS in History and a MA in Human Development (with an emphasis on International Student Development) and began her career working in Residence and Student Life at US institutions of higher education. Mieke has served on the AASAP UK Board as a Non-Voting Observer and previously held the position of Secretary for 4 years.

Katie Behringer**

Florida State University

Katie got her first taste for international education while studying literature in Ireland as a sophomore at Michigan State University. Originally from the suburbs of Detroit, she moved to the UK in the late 2000s for the Mountbatten Programme, followed by a master’s degree at the University of Nottingham. She has worked in study abroad for the past 15 years, mostly with Florida State University’s London campus. As Associate Director at FSU, Katie loves helping students discover their own love for London through the best food markets, long walks, and theatre shows across the city.

Ria Bourne**

Harlaxton College

Ria is the Student Experience Manager at Harlaxton College, which is based in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Having grown up in Grantham her early years were shaped by interactions with US Study Abroad students at school and in the local area. This experience led to a lifelong fascination with the US and international education, leading to her study abroad at Louisiana State University as part of her BA in American Studies. Ria worked in international higher education with students in London for over a decade before returning to her hometown in 2021 to work at the place that started it all, Harlaxton College.

Stephanie Brown**

FIE

At FIE, Stephanie wears many fashionable hats including Admissions and Enrolment Manager, Residence Life Supervisor, Scholarship Mentor and First-year Mentor. She has a passion for working alongside young adults in transformative experiences and finds her work at FIE wildly rewarding.

Born and raised on the beautiful border of North and South Carolina, Stephanie obtained a BS in Exercise Science from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. After a year serving in the AmeriCorps program with Habitat for Humanity, she moved into the field of higher education working in advising, international programming and faculty development. Stephanie was bit by the London bug and moved to this wonderful city in 2022 to complete a Masters in Organisational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London. Outside of the office, Stephanie enjoys exploring the many nooks and crannies of London in search for yummy food, fun facts and anything related to sports and the arts.

Juetzinia Kazmer-Murillo

Tufts in London/Tufts in Oxford

Juetzinia is the Academic Coordinator at Tufts in London and Tufts in Oxford. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and is an educator dedicated to supporting transformative global experiences. She holds a BA in Mathematics and Spanish from Claremont McKenna College, where she studied abroad in Chile, and an MA in International Comparative Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Most recently a Research Manager focused on creating and elevating a practical knowledge base, she has also served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Madrid and coordinated Fulbright Teacher Exchanges. In her free time, she enjoys reading memoirs, learning to embroider, and sharing her love for skincare with others. 

Heather Lees

American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS Abroad)

Heather is the London Director for AIFS Abroad, managing daily operations for all London programs.  It was her two semesters abroad (Harlaxton, UK and Shanghai, China) that changed her career trajectory.  She began in Residence Life and student activities before returning to the UK to work at a study abroad program.  Heather bounced back and forth between the U.S. and the UK (with a detour in Saudi Arabia) before returning to the UK in 2023 to work for AIFS Abroad starting as a Programme Manager for customised faculty-led programs.  Her experience on both the university side and the provider side has given her a great appreciation for all the intricacies of study abroad.  After 15 years in the UK, Heather still discovers something new everyday and enjoys sharing those revelations with students.

Yogi Mistry

AES

Lea Patch

CEA CAPA

Lea is the Senior Coordinator, Programs and Student Services at CEA CAPA. She is originally from Delaware, but has studied and worked abroad in South Korea, North Macedonia, and here in the UK. She has a master’s degree in International Education and Globalisation from the University of Bath, and transitioned into work in London after receiving this degree.

Katherine Ranger

Arcadia University