With guidance from the Vice Provost for Academic Planning & Senior International Officer, GEO serves as a global affairs support to the Chancellor and Provost's Office, Cabinet, and other executive leadership.
Ashley Prather Spinelli (she/her), Director, Global Engagement Office
Ashley has been with GEO since 2018 and provides strategic advising and support to UC Berkeley senior leadership, faculty, staff and current and prospective partner institutions on international partnerships and academic collaborations, and supports the GEO team. Prior to joining UC Berkeley, she managed program development and institutional relations for a study abroad provider, served as a Program Officer for Fulbright research exchanges with the Institute of International Education (IIE), and worked with various non-profits at the intersection of education and social impact in New York City. Ashley has supported international partnerships, research exchanges, and study abroad programs globally. She holds an M.A. in International Educational Development from Columbia University and a B.A. in Global Studies and Italian Studies from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is certified in Teaching English as a Second Language. She enjoys collaborating with faculty, staff, and senior administration to strengthen Berkeley's international ecosystem and operations.
Currently hiring, Global Engagement Officer
Chris Reed, Global Engagement Coordinator
c.reed@berkeley.edu; geo@berkeley.edu
Chris started as the Global Engagement Coordinator in 2022, where he is excited to continue his long-term commitment to supporting research and transnational ties in the field of higher education. He previously worked for the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, a funding agency affiliated with the government of Japan which has an office in downtown Berkeley. Before that he worked for the Asahi Shimbun of Japan, a daily newspaper, where he covered tech and business. He has also spent time working as a Japanese to English translator. He holds an M.A. in Political Science from Waseda University, and a B.A. in Japanese Studies from UC Davis.