Staff Contact

Valerie’s role within the MBA Program as the Sr. Associate Director of MBA Global programs responsible for the development and implementation of the Global Immersion Elective Programs (GIE) as well as the overall strategy and implementation of all MBA Global Programs. The GIE programs are the flagship international experience within the full time MBA program and are a key element of the Global Business Education Model. Valerie has been an active member in NAFSA as well as The Forum on Education Abroad and is excited to take part in the new organization the Global Leadership League. Valerie developed and implemented training for faculty and staff leaders on Emergency Preparedness and Response in coordination with the Undergraduate Business Programs. She is certified in both Cultural Intelligence​ and Globe Smart systems.

Valerie has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Music and Religious studies from Columbia International University and a Masters of Arts in in Arts Administration from Texas Tech University. She began her career in international education in 2001 where she served as a Designated School Official working with incoming international students at a small private college in South Carolina. She has over sixteen years of experience working in higher education administration at both large state universities and a small private college. Valerie has also worked within the nonprofit sector serving as Assistant to the CEO at the South’s Largest Children’s Museum, Edventure and as Managing Director of a small educational theatre company. Before joining UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School she served as Assistant Director of the Center for Global Engagement in the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University.

Valerie began her international experiences as a young adult performing with a combined choral group in​ Vienna, Austria; Prague, Czech Republic; and Bratislava , Slovakia. She has since become a dedicated international education professional and a passionate advocate for the value of international education as a means by which students have their comfort zones challenged and build the skills that are necessary to be competitive and successful in the modern business environment. She has traveled to Austria, Botswana, Canada, Cuba, Czech Republic, India, Israel, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Zambia,Taiwan, China, Japan, Bolivia, Finland, Estonia, Ecuador, Slovakia, and Zimbabwe. Valerie​ and her husband Ben currently live in Pittsboro.

Kaitlyn joined the MBA Global Programs Office in January 2018, but has been with UNC since 2011. She works across all MBA program formats by designing, creating, and executing global experiences. Within the full-time program, she manages the Dean’s Fellows Global Experience, and assists in managing the Global Immersion Electives (GIEs). Outside of the full-time MBA, she manages global programs for MBA@UNC, and our Evening and Weekend MBA.

Kaitlyn earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Higher Education, with a focus on International Education. She has lived and worked abroad in Ireland, and has worked within the field of International Education for 10 years. Prior to Kenan-Flagler, Kaitlyn was a Program Coordinator in the Study Abroad Office at Northern Illinois University and at UNC Chapel Hill. Most recently, she was International Programs Coordinator in UNC’s School of Information and Library Science, where she developed and managed faculty-led study abroad programs. She is a certified GlobeSmart facilitator, a member of the MBA Diversity Committee, and an annual judge in the UNC Global Photography Competition. Kaitlyn also served on the UNC Chancellor’s Global Taskforce, and is currently an active board member for the North Carolina Association for International Educators.

Born and raised in Chicago, she has traveled throughout Europe, Central America, South America, Africa, and Oceania. Outside the office, she (unsurprisingly) loves to travel, explore nature, and spend time with her toddler son. She is thrilled to support Global Programs at Kenan-Flagler and looks forward to working with students as they prepare to cross borders and cultures.