Staff

An expert in his field, Steve has been invited to speak at the U.N. on Non-Governmental Organizations and gender issues. He is on the Executive Committee of the International Volunteer Programs Association and is the Chairman of the Building Bridges Coalition, a project of the Brookings Institution focused on expanding international volunteer service, improving service quality, and ensuring positive impacts in communities throughout the world. Steve also serves on the advisory boards of More Peace Corps, Atlas Corps, and Global Citizen Year. He co-chairs the National Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy Task Force on Voluntary International Service, and serves on the Roundtable Consortium for the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange.

Steve has dedicated much of his time to communities throughout the world and is the Development Chief for the traditional area of Ziavi, Ghana, West Africa. He is the only non-African ever to have been given this honor. In May 2002, Mr. Rosenthal received the New York Senate Liberty Award "for selfless contributions during the terrorist attacks" of September 11th.

Learn more about CCS' efforts at the World Trade Center site after September 11th.

As Executive Vice President, Farhana oversees all CCS programs worldwide. Farhana is responsible for the development of new programs and program sites, as well as the recruitment, development, and ongoing management of our Country and Program Directors.

Over the years, Farhana has worked to ensure the highest possible quality of CCS programs and evaluates our program sites on a continual basis. Farhana is also responsible for the CCS program design and ensuring excellence across all operating standards. Farhana oversees the safety and security of all programs, with a special focus on the health and well-being of our volunteers in-country.

Farhana is passionate about the value of international volunteering and is committed to ensuring CCS volunteers have a positive impact on our partner organizations in the field.

Cassandra Tomkin was raised in Avon Lake, Ohio. She attended college at Miami University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Business Economics. During college, Cassandra volunteered in Ayacucho, Peru where she worked in an orphanage and a shelter for street children. Cassandra has also been active in domestic volunteerism through New York Cares, the United Way and Community Chest, and Junior Achievement. She has traveled to 33 countries on 5 continents, including a study abroad program in college. Despite an early career start in financial services, Cassandra followed her passion for international volunteerism by joining the CCS staff. In recent years, Cassandra has volunteered abroad in Tanzania, Morocco, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Peru, and Thailand. Cassandra is an active member of the Building Bridges Coalition and on the Roundtable of the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, a project led by Mobility International USA. She serves as an International Volunteerism Task Force Member for the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, and has worked with ServiceNation as an Organizing Committee Member.

Lauren Maitland was born and raised in Moorestown, New Jersey where her passion for volunteering began. She spent her free time in high school and college volunteering locally. After graduating from Rutgers University in 2003, she volunteered with CCS in Costa Rica where she worked in an orphanage and a school for children with special needs. Since joining CCS Lauren has also traveled to Brazil, Guatemala, Morocco, Ghana, Peru, and Russia. She provides daily support for the in-country staff, serves as the volunteer advocate, and supervises the Program Site Specialists. Lauren conducts regular reviews and assessments of the safety and security of our programs and attends trainings to apply best practices to our global safety, security, and emergency management protocol. Lauren works directly with the Executive Vice President.

Stephen Thompson is from Mechanicsburg, PA. As a student at Carleton College he studied African history and oral traditions, studied abroad in Mali, and earned a fellowship for individual travel throughout West Africa — all inspired by his CCS program in Ghana. Since joining CCS in 2006, Stephen has volunteered in Costa Rica, South Africa, Morocco, Peru, India, and Tanzania. Within the Programs Department at CCS, Stephen’s primary focus is monitoring and improving the quality and content of CCS programs. He also analyzes the impact of CCS volunteers on local communities and organizations, and offers support to the in-country staff and Program Site Specialists. Stephen works directly with the Executive Vice President.

Sharon N'Diaye was born and raised in New York and got her taste for traveling abroad at the age of 10, when she traveled with her grandparents to Israel, India, Morocco, South America, and Europe. She received her degree in Spanish, Portuguese and Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst. Her greatest passions are learning new languages and studying different cultures. In June of 2003, Sharon volunteered in a teenage girls' shelter in the San Carlos program, and felt so inspired about the philosophy of Cross-Cultural Solutions, that she knew she had to work for the organization. She joined Cross-Cultural Solutions two months later.

Alex Brandt was born in Scotland, but is proud to be known as a true Oregonian. He had his first experience as an international volunteer, at the young age of 17, in Peru with Cross-Cultural Solutions. He then attended Southern Oregon University, where he participated in two study abroad programs; Australia and Germany. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Philosophy. After college, he served in the United States Peace Corps Bulgaria program, where he worked as a Community Development Volunteer. His primary project was to work with the local government writing grants and preparing for Bulgaria’s accession into the European Union in 2007. He is now excited to be at CCS, where he is eager to share the importance of cultural exchange through international volunteering.

Molly Hampton was born and raised in Anna, OH. She graduated from The Ohio State University after participating in the International Affairs Scholars Program and studying abroad in Senegal. Her time in Senegal propelled her to study political science with a focus in international relations, and minor in globalization studies. In 2009, Molly volunteered with CCS in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania where she taught English at a primary school, helped out at an orphanage, and interacted with local women in an HIV/AIDS support group. Her life-changing experience inspired her to pursue a career with CCS so that she could spread the word about international volunteering and cultural exchange.

Megan Heise is originally from Homer City, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Colgate University with a BA in Political Science and History. Through her studies and travels, she has discovered her passion for women’s issues, education, and the arts. After learning of CCS’ mission, vision, and values, she was inspired to volunteer in Costa Rica for two weeks. There, she volunteered at a nursing home and built a strong relationship with the residents. As a result of this experience, she went on to manage a Lifelong Learning program for senior citizens at Colgate University. Upon graduation, she immediately joined CCS’ Program Management team.

Katie Nichols, a true Texan at heart, ventured to Southern California to attend Cal Poly Pomona. She obtained a B.S. in hospitality management, with a focus in sustainable tourism. After studying abroad in Rome for a month, she fell in love with traveling. The following summer, Katie volunteered in Ghana with CCS where she worked on a special reading program for students and taught younger children in an orphanage. The program sparked her interest in international volunteering as a form of sustainable tourism. Her passion for people, the service industry, and the mission of CCS then brought her to the East Coast where she looks forward to telling others about the possibilities of international volunteering.

Alexa Grau is originally from Indianapolis and first began international traveling at the young age of 15. After her first travel experience, she became passionate about other cultures, and in less than 10 years she has traveled to over 25 countries. Alexa attended George Washington University, where she participated in a study abroad program in Copenhagen, Denmark, and volunteered with CCS in Ghana. She graduated with a degree in international affairs, and a minor in political science. Soon after graduation, she was excited to join the CCS Program Site Specialist team.

Pete Bryan grew up in Franktown, Colorado. He participated in his first volunteer project at the age of 10, building boardwalks through the Colorado wilderness making it more accessible to senior citizens and the disabled. This project sparked Pete's lifelong love for volunteer work. He studied journalism at Colorado State University and volunteered abroad whenever his schedule allowed, traveling to places such as the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, the Bahamas, and Bolivia. His first experience with CCS was in the summer of 2006 when he volunteered in Cartago, Costa Rica for 12 weeks. He was so impressed with CCS that he jumped at the opportunity to move across the country and join the CCS New York staff.

Marge Rubin originally volunteered with Cross-Cultural Solutions' India program in February of 1996. Since returning from India and joining Cross-Cultural Solutions as a staff member in 1997, she has participated in nearly every Cross-Cultural Solutions volunteer program. She received her M.S. in Counseling from St. John's University, and has twenty years of experience working with organizations dedicated to the adoption and fostering of hard-to-place children. She is the mother of seven and the grandmother of three.

Kara Biland lived in Michigan, Tennessee, and Minnesota throughout her childhood and early adult life. Throughout high school, she spent much of her free time volunteering in elderly homes. In college, she decided that she wanted to take her volunteering and love for travel internationally. CCS had everything she was looking for in an organization. In 2003, she volunteered in Brazil for six life-changing weeks. She fell in love with the mission, vision, and values of the organization and wanted to pursue a career with CCS. Kara left her small town in Minnesota and moved to New York where she began her career with CCS. Since joining the CCS team, she has participated in both of the Peru programs, and loves being able to share her personal volunteer experiences with prospective volunteers from around the world.

Summer Wick is from the small town of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. She attended college nearby at Shippensburg University where she obtained her bachelor's degree in social work. Upon graduation she moved to Philadelphia where she worked at an AIDS service organization. She developed a passion for women’s rights and later returned to school and earned her master’s in social work at Temple University. In 2005, she volunteered in Bangkok, Thailand with Cross-Cultural Solutions. She was placed at a women’s rights organization where she learned about gender roles in Thai society. Summer returned from Thailand and immediately applied for a position with CCS in the hope of fostering and promoting growth and understanding of global issues and cultural understanding. Since joining CCS, Summer has also volunteered in Ghana, Costa Rica, and South Africa.

Alexandra Raab, originally from Denver, CO, discovered her passion for international travel at 16 when she traveled to France with her high school French class. She studied political science and international affairs at the University of Colorado, and spent a semester abroad in Alicante, Spain. She flew directly from Spain to participate in her first CCS program in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania with her parents. In 2009, Alex and her parents traveled back to Tanzania, bringing her two younger brothers along. In Kilimanjaro, she worked with children at a juvenile detention center, taught English, and assisted with HIV/AIDS awareness programs. She jumped at the opportunity to begin a career with CCS where she could share her enthusiasm for international travel and volunteerism with others.

Claire Boyce proudly hails from Madison, WI. Cultivating a deep passion for travel and international development, she has traveled to over 20 countries on five continents. She received her bachelor’s degree in international studies at the University of Wisconsin — Madison, focusing on environmental issues. After college, Claire volunteered for eight weeks with CCS in Cartago, Costa Rica where she served as a companion for the elderly, and experienced the vibrant spirit of “Pura Vida.” After three years as a project manager for a software company, Claire’s heart pulled her to a career with CCS in which she could share the joy of cross-cultural understanding and support the mission of sustainable community-led initiatives. In addition to outreach to prospective individual volunteers, Claire also serves as the Corporate Relations Specialist. She works to build partnerships with corporations and other non-academic partners interested in volunteering with CCS or supporting CCS’ Mission.

Kemper O’Neill participated in a CCS program in Cartago, Costa Rica upon graduating from high school in Baltimore, Maryland. She was enchanted with the local people and motivated by the relationships she was able to form in just a few short weeks. Kemper attended the University of Delaware where she majored in Spanish and biology, and studied abroad in Costa Rica; Puebla, Mexico; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. After graduating from college, she moved to New York City where her fascination with diverse cultures continued to grow. Now, she is ecstatic to promote volunteerism and shared humanity as a part of the CCS team.

Sara Young was born and raised in Connecticut. After earning a degree in sociology from Quinnipiac University, Sara had the opportunity to travel through Europe, which sparked her interest in travel. After college, she began volunteering at a local assisted living community, but wanted to find a way to get out of her comfort zone while still giving back. She then found CCS and volunteered in Peru, where she used her background in education at a daycare center. Once back in Connecticut, Sara realized she wanted a more fulfilling and rewarding career leading her back to CCS where she’s excited to share her experience with others.

Jelayna is from St. Catharines, Ontario. Her love and skill of rowing earned her an athletic scholarship to the University of Kansas where she traveled to England, France, and Italy for study and competitions. She graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology and a love of travel, languages, and cultural immersion. Jelayna always wanted to explore Cape Town, South Africa — the birthplace of her father — and in 2010 she volunteered there with CCS. Jelayna returned home with a well-rooted sense of purpose, and immediately pursued the chance to work at CCS to be able to share that experience with others.

Lesley Robinson is from Tulsa, Oklahoma where she earned bachelor's degrees in communication and French with minors in marketing and Spanish at the University of Tulsa. During college, Lesley studied abroad in Québec, France, and Spain. She gained valuable experience in higher education as the International Programs Coordinator and Study Abroad Advisor at the University of Tulsa. Lesley later earned a master’s degree in global and international education with an emphasis in peace education from Drexel University, worked for Princeton University, and served as an International Programs Coordinator for a small volunteer abroad company. She spent a year in Takasaki, Japan teaching English to high school students with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. Motivated by her passion to encourage students to engage in opportunities abroad, Lesley enthusiastically joined CCS. She has volunteered abroad with CCS in Costa Rica at a foster home with a family caring for over 30 children.

Meghan Hotchkiss, a native of Jacksonville, Florida graduated from American University where she earned bachelor’s degrees in international studies and Spanish. She also had the opportunity to study abroad in England, Chile and Spain. During her time in Washington, D.C. Meghan worked for the office of Senator Bill Nelson, the Planned Parenthood Organization and Heineken USA. After graduating, Meghan was a Rotary Cultural Ambassadorial Scholar and volunteered with Rotary Foundation in Salvador, Brazil. Afterwards, Meghan served as the Study Abroad Coordinator for the University of North Florida for four years, where she also earned her master’s degree in business administration. Motivated by her passion for international education and volunteering, Meghan enthusiastically joined CCS in September 2011. She has volunteered abroad with CCS in Peru.

Sudie Nallo, a native of South Carolina, graduated from Wake Forest University where she earned a B.A. in English. After college, Sudie served as an AmeriCorps VISTA and community service coordinator at Greensboro College. She later earned a M.S.W. from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis with an emphasis in social and economic development. While at the Brown School, Sudie worked with the Gephardt Institute for Public Service on domestic and international service-learning initiatives. She also completed an international practicum with the Centre for Enterprise Development and Action Research (CEDAR) in Ibadan, Nigeria. With this experience, Sudie served as a director of service scholar programs and a social work faculty member; connecting classroom teaching with intentional civic engagement. With a passion for global service-learning, Sudie joined CCS and has since volunteered abroad with CCS in Morocco.

Li Quach is originally from the Bronx, NY. She earned a bachelor’s degree in management and business at Skidmore College. During her time in college, she embarked on a year of traveling while studying abroad in London, England and Melbourne, Australia. This is where she discovered and explored her love of different cultures as she met and studied with many local people. Post-graduation, she was interested in a career in Marketing and Communications. After learning about Cross-Cultural Solutions, she fell in love with the organization's mission and values, and immediately joined the Communications team. She has volunteered with CCS in Peru, Thailand, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and South Africa.

Ilise Reznick is originally from Maryland and a graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of Maryland. She brings over four years of experience in Online and New Media marketing to the Communications Department, with a special focus on Search Engine Marketing and Optimization. Ilise joined CCS to apply the online marketing skills and experience she's gained toward a mission she believes in. She has volunteered abroad in Costa Rica with CCS.

Ashlei Bobo is originally from the Greater Philadelphia area. She received a B.A. in journalism and rhetoric and communication studies with a minor in Spanish from the University of Richmond. With a passion for international travel, Ashlei studied abroad in Argentina during college. She has worked as a reporter for the Delaware County Daily Times and in marketing communications at her alma mater and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond honing her writing, editing, and branding skills. Ashlei saw a career with CCS as a perfect combination of her skills and interests, and she has volunteered on CCS programs in Peru, Costa Rica, and South Africa.

Zulay Olivo is a New York City native and graduate of Syracuse University with a B.S. in computer and information sciences. She worked for several years in marketing, technology, and client support roles on the interactive platform of iMentor, a NYC-based non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of young people from underserved communities. She is a member of LATISM (Latinos in Social Media) and the multicultural sorority Mu Sigma Upsilon. She has volunteered locally for three years as a mentor in New York City, and plans to volunteer abroad in 2011.

Paul Cassetti is from Ridgewood, NJ. He graduated from Siena College with a B.B.A. in accounting. Paul began his career 23 years ago and became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) specializing in Not-for-Profit accounting. He left public accounting to become Controller and eventually Budget Director for an agency serving people with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. During his career, he also became a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Paul uses his knowledge and experience to ensure that the Finance Department complies with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and that efficient, effective policies and procedures are consistently applied.

Luis worked for over 25 years in the transportation business as a cash manager. At CCS, he works closely with vendors to support our U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia offices. The focus of his work is to ensure timely payments, accuracy of billing, and reconciling of outgoing funds in U.S. and Canadian dollars, and Great British pounds. His work also supports the overarching goal of the Finance Department, which is compliance with all financial procedures and solid accounting practices.

Volodymyr Zharyy received his bachelor’s degree in information technology in 1994, and has over 15 years of IT experience from a variety of professional settings. Volodymyr is instrumental in setting the organization’s IT strategy and overseeing its implementation. He serves as Administrator for our CRM, CMS, and financial applications, and works closely with professionals and consultants to manage our web development and telecommunications needs. Volodymyr and his team also provide general desktop support for hundreds of CCS staff worldwide.

Adam is originally from the Greater Washington, D.C. area, but has been a New Yorker for the past 15 years. He graduated from the University of Hartford and has over 15 years of experience in information technology and network administration. A Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), Adam is responsible for maintaining the overall infrastructure of CCS-HQ, including support of in-country staff; management of the CCS servers, telecommunication system, audio-visual equipment, building security, and daily desktop support. Adam has always enjoyed adventure sports and volunteering — he has participated in motorcycle rides for local charities, a Bronx river clean-up in his kayak, and on a CCS Guatemala City program. He joined CCS because he wanted to use his expertise to help build its technology and infrastructure from the ground up.

Damien Bamberg was born and raised in the ethnically diverse borough of the Bronx in New York. Damien has experience in business operations management having worked for several large service organizations. His experience extended to the non-profit sector as well working with organizations such as AFS. Damien continues his service at CCS overseeing all aspects of mail and facilities management. Damien volunteered in Bahia, Brazil in 2008.

Jessica Fraser was raised in Bronxville, NY and attended Concordia College, a Mecca for international students. While completing her Bachelor of Science in social work and business she traveled to New Zealand and Brazil. She has volunteered locally with numerous non-profits, including The LIVE Foundation Inc., which serves individuals and families in Stamford, CT dealing with the impacts of HIV, AIDS Walk, and Amnesty International’s Day of the Dead Alternate Vigil. She was inspired to join CCS because her international travels, local volunteer experience, and studies align well with the vision, mission, and values. She has also volunteered in Peru, and traveled with her mother to Guatemala to volunteer as a family on CCS programs.