Our Study Abroad Team
Meet the staff working behind the scenes to bring you quality education abroad programming and research support. Contact us
Graham Hettlinger, Managing Director
Since 2013, Graham has served as Director of Higher Education Programs, and is responsible for hiring, training, and supervising study abroad staff, and assisting with program-related issues and emergencies. He began his work in international education as resident director of the Ohio State - Tufts University Moscow program in 1997. He's published four books of Russian literary translations, including Collected Stories of Ivan Bunin and Childhood, by Maksim Gorky. Graham received a BA in Government from Oberlin College and an MA in Slavic Languages and Literatures from Ohio State University. Prior to his current role, Graham served as Associate Director of Summer Overseas Programs at Georgetown University and as Director of Education Abroad at the University of Maryland, College Park. He also served as Senior Program Manager of American Councils’ outbound Higher Education Programs from 2000-2006.
Vladka Shikova, Senior Program Manager
Vladka’s first encounter with American Councils was in 2000 when she participated in RLASP in St. Petersburg, Russia. She joined American Councils after completing her graduate degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and since 2002, she has helped establish and maintain language and culture programs in a number of countries in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. As Senior Program Manager, Vladka oversees all aspects of AC Study and Research Abroad programs. Born and raised in Bulgaria, she enjoys sharing her native language and culture with fellow Americans.
Merritt Huang, Program Manager
Merritt is the Program Manager for East Asia programs at American Councils. Merritt gained experience in nonprofit program management and international education initiatives while working in Beijing between 2006-2012. She has traveled to Central America, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and throughout the greater China region, including a trek to Mount Everest base camp in Tibet. While pursuing her master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, she became well-versed in the mental health challenges facing college students today; her thesis focused on the effects culture and acculturation have on the mental health of students studying abroad. She holds professional certification in Education Abroad and has advanced fluency in written and spoken Chinese. Originally from Wisconsin, Merritt is appreciative every day for the warmer climate of Washington, D.C. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffees, and spending time with her husband and three-legged dog, Mochi.
Irakli Saralidze, Program Manager
Irakli is the Program Manager for Eurasian and Russian language acquisition and research Programs. Irakli is an alumnus of two international exchange programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State: International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI), a post-graduate level academic program designed for mid-career foreign scholars. Irakli was born and raised in the country of Georgia and speaks English, Georgian, Russian, and Italian. He enjoys exploring new places and being exposed to new cultures. He possesses B.A. in English Language and Literature and M.A. in American Studies.
Max Shelton, Recruitment & Outreach Coordinator
Max is the Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator for American Councils Study and Research Abroad. He received his BA in Russian Language and Literature from The George Washington University in 2012 and his MA in Russian Language from Middlebury College in 2015. Before his current position, Max served as Resident Director for the Russian Language and Area Studies Program in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Saint Petersburg, Russia and Yerevan, Armenia. He has also worked as a Program Specialist with American Councils on the FLEX, YES, and NSLI-Y programs. In addition to English, Max speaks Russian, German, and a bit of BCS. He has traveled extensively throughout western Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the Balkan Peninsula. In his free time, he enjoys playing baseball, playing music, and recording podcasts.
Bobbie Tullock, Program Assistant
Bobbie is the Program Assistant for the American Councils Study and Research Abroad. Her passion for learning different languages and understanding their respective cultures has naturally led her to pursue a career in education. She has taught 3 different languages in 4 countries on 3 continents and has worked as an Educational Consultant, helping undergraduate students find fitting graduate programs in different European universities. Bobbie has a MA in Slavic Studies from Sofia University and has participated in educational and cultural exchanges in the Czech Republic, Germany, Turkey, and Kosovo. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, baking, and translating contemporary American literature into Bulgarian.
Dan Szetela, Program Assistant
Dan is a Program Assistant for American Councils Study and Research Abroad. Dan graduated from Macalester College with a BA in Russian Studies and Political Science. While at Macalester, Dan studied abroad in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and following graduation, he taught English at Petrozavodsk State University as a Fulbright ETA. Prior to joining the Study and Research Abroad team, Dan worked for American Councils as a FLEX Participant Recruiter in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Outside of work, Dan continues to engage with Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans by working on Russian-English translations of Kyrgyz author Chinghiz Aitmatov, learning new languages (currently Kazakh, with past experience in Ukrainian and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian), and listening to artists ranging from Ekatarina Velika to Ayau. Dan also enjoys photography, baseball, cycling, and playing drums and guitar.
Derek Chuah, Program Assistant
Derek is a Program Assistant for American Councils Study and Research Abroad. He received his BA in Political Science and Chinese from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, during which he completed his senior Capstone with American Councils in Nanjing, China, as part of the Chinese Flagship program. Derek recently received an MA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where he also earned a Certificate in Chinese and American Studies from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and spent a year abroad as an exchange student in Taiwan. Fluent in Mandarin, Derek worked as an analyst for the research firm The China Guys prior to joining American Councils. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, listening to music, and finding new video games to play.
Bethany Reeve, Program Assistant
Betsy is a Program Assistant for American Councils Study and Research Abroad. Betsy has a B.A. in Global Studies from the University of South Carolina, as a part of which she spent a semester studying in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and travelling around Central Asia. Before joining American Councils, Betsy worked as an online math instructor for international students, an experience which inspired her to pursue a career in international education. Her undergraduate honors thesis explores the history and future of state policies regarding primary and secondary school language of instruction across Central Asia. Some of Betsy's passions include linguistics, anthropology, watching movies and documentaries, and playing with dogs.