Meet Our Team
Amine Mechaal is the Director of Global Engagement at Teachers College, where he shapes the College's international strategy and leads its global partnerships to enhance educational offerings. With over 12 years of experience in international education, Amine has developed and led transformative cultural exchange, study abroad, and scholarly mobility programs that connect global communities and foster cross-cultural collaboration.
A proven leader in strategic planning, team management, and high-impact initiatives, Amine has successfully secured funding, written and co-written grant proposals, and built strong partnerships with governments, donors, and international organizations. His work focuses on advancing global educational opportunities and strengthening international collaborations that leave a lasting impact on the field.
In addition to his role at Teachers College, Amine has served as adjunct faculty at several U.S. institutions, including CUNY, Syracuse University, and IES Abroad. Prior to joining TC, he was the Customized and Faculty-led Program Manager at IES, where he developed over 120 programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America for 65 U.S. universities. He also served as Assistant Director for Academics and Customized Programming at IES Abroad Rabat, where he oversaw academic governance, led strategic planning, and managed faculty-led programs.
Amine Mechaal is the Director of Global Engagement at Teachers College, where he shapes the College's international strategy and leads its global partnerships to enhance educational offerings. With over 12 years of experience in international education, Amine has developed and led transformative cultural exchange, study abroad, and scholarly mobility programs that connect global communities and foster cross-cultural collaboration.
A proven leader in strategic planning, team management, and high-impact initiatives, Amine has successfully secured funding, written and co-written grant proposals, and built strong partnerships with governments, donors, and international organizations. His work focuses on advancing global educational opportunities and strengthening international collaborations that leave a lasting impact on the field.
In addition to his role at Teachers College, Amine has served as adjunct faculty at several U.S. institutions, including CUNY, Syracuse University, and IES Abroad. Prior to joining TC, he was the Customized and Faculty-led Program Manager at IES, where he developed over 120 programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America for 65 U.S. universities. He also served as Assistant Director for Academics and Customized Programming at IES Abroad Rabat, where he oversaw academic governance, led strategic planning, and managed faculty-led programs.
Jazmin Guardado is an International Education young professional passionate about cross cultural engagement and educational exchange. As the International Projects and Partnerships Manager at Teachers College, Columbia University, Jazmin is responsible for establishing and fostering strategic partnerships as well as managing current and new international projects in the Office of Global Engagement.
Prior to joining TC, Jazmin worked as the Global Leadership and Internship Program Manager for Pepperdine University’s Washington DC Campus. In this capacity, Jazmin managed a robust undergraduate program focused on building professional and intercultural skills to cultivate future global leaders. In addition, Jazmin facilitated the partnership with international organizations to lead delegations abroad to provide learning opportunities for students on topics such as foreign policy, service leadership, and intercultural communication in countries including Spain, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Dominican Republic. Jazmin also worked as the Los Angeles Parent School Partnership Director for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in order to promote educational equity across Los Angeles public schools and advocate for more substantial resources to underserved communities and schools in the Los Angeles area.
Jazmin holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Pepperdine University. She received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grant to Brazil in 2019. Currently, Jazmin is pursuing her Master’s degree in International Education Development at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Jazmin’s areas of interest include experiential learning, curriculum design, comparative and international education, human rights, peacebuilding, international governance organizations, education policy, international affairs, and diplomacy.
Jazmin Guardado is an International Education young professional passionate about cross cultural engagement and educational exchange. As the International Projects and Partnerships Manager at Teachers College, Columbia University, Jazmin is responsible for establishing and fostering strategic partnerships as well as managing current and new international projects in the Office of Global Engagement.
Prior to joining TC, Jazmin worked as the Global Leadership and Internship Program Manager for Pepperdine University’s Washington DC Campus. In this capacity, Jazmin managed a robust undergraduate program focused on building professional and intercultural skills to cultivate future global leaders. In addition, Jazmin facilitated the partnership with international organizations to lead delegations abroad to provide learning opportunities for students on topics such as foreign policy, service leadership, and intercultural communication in countries including Spain, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Dominican Republic. Jazmin also worked as the Los Angeles Parent School Partnership Director for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in order to promote educational equity across Los Angeles public schools and advocate for more substantial resources to underserved communities and schools in the Los Angeles area.
Jazmin holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Pepperdine University. She received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grant to Brazil in 2019. Currently, Jazmin is pursuing her Master’s degree in International Education Development at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Jazmin’s areas of interest include experiential learning, curriculum design, comparative and international education, human rights, peacebuilding, international governance organizations, education policy, international affairs, and diplomacy.
Lauren is the International Program Coordinator for the Office of Global Engagement. She received her B.A. in international studies from Kenyon College. Prior to Teachers College, she spent a combined total of three years living and working abroad—most recently, for the Spanish Ministry of Education. She is passionate about international education and the ways in which intercultural experiences can foster better global citizens.
Lauren is the International Program Coordinator for the Office of Global Engagement. She received her B.A. in international studies from Kenyon College. Prior to Teachers College, she spent a combined total of three years living and working abroad—most recently, for the Spanish Ministry of Education. She is passionate about international education and the ways in which intercultural experiences can foster better global citizens.
Vince Upang Moua is a queer son of Hmong refugees who was born and raised in Merced, California. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity with a concentration in Education and Health Disparities from Stanford University. He is currently a second-year Master’s student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Vince has extensive national and international work experience in K-12 teaching, college counseling, career guidance, DEI recruitment, and highly selective global undergraduate admissions. His academic area of interest explores the intersection of multilingual/plurilingual education, linguistic acquisition, identity formation, and the use of creative praxis by students to transform spaces of marginalization into communal places of belonging. Vince’s interest in education stems from his unwavering commitment to ensuring that students see themselves represented in community leaders who are unafraid of validating and advocating for their rights to flourish at and beyond any classroom setting, learning environment, and/or place of work. Whether guiding folks through their understandings of self and systems or pushing for the inclusion of student voices in program development, he has always prioritized centering lived human experiences. This intentional approach — an uplifting of resilience and power — has profoundly grounded his dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging, especially in student success and mentorship.
Vince Upang Moua is a queer son of Hmong refugees who was born and raised in Merced, California. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity with a concentration in Education and Health Disparities from Stanford University. He is currently a second-year Master’s student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Vince has extensive national and international work experience in K-12 teaching, college counseling, career guidance, DEI recruitment, and highly selective global undergraduate admissions. His academic area of interest explores the intersection of multilingual/plurilingual education, linguistic acquisition, identity formation, and the use of creative praxis by students to transform spaces of marginalization into communal places of belonging. Vince’s interest in education stems from his unwavering commitment to ensuring that students see themselves represented in community leaders who are unafraid of validating and advocating for their rights to flourish at and beyond any classroom setting, learning environment, and/or place of work. Whether guiding folks through their understandings of self and systems or pushing for the inclusion of student voices in program development, he has always prioritized centering lived human experiences. This intentional approach — an uplifting of resilience and power — has profoundly grounded his dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging, especially in student success and mentorship.
Isaac Guzman is a first year Master’s student in the Neuroscience and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he serves as the Global Operations Coordinator for the Office of Global Engagement. Before attending TC, Isaac received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Syracuse University, where he had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain in the summer of 2017. In 2024 Isaac returned from Kaohsiung, Taiwan where he spent a year and a half as an ESL teacher. He spent six of these months attending Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages doing an intensive study of Chinese. Isaac is passionate about expanding global neuroscience research opportunities, aiming to build connections that advance the study of the brain and human behavior worldwide. Outside of the Office of Global Engagement, Isaac is a research assistant in the Neurocognition of Language Lab and an editor for The Blotter, the blog of the Teachers College Interdisciplinary Psychedelics Society (TCIPS).
Isaac Guzman is a first year Master’s student in the Neuroscience and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he serves as the Global Operations Coordinator for the Office of Global Engagement. Before attending TC, Isaac received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Syracuse University, where he had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain in the summer of 2017. In 2024 Isaac returned from Kaohsiung, Taiwan where he spent a year and a half as an ESL teacher. He spent six of these months attending Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages doing an intensive study of Chinese. Isaac is passionate about expanding global neuroscience research opportunities, aiming to build connections that advance the study of the brain and human behavior worldwide. Outside of the Office of Global Engagement, Isaac is a research assistant in the Neurocognition of Language Lab and an editor for The Blotter, the blog of the Teachers College Interdisciplinary Psychedelics Society (TCIPS).