Meet Our New Teammates
Jacob Waddell is joining the Global UGRAD Program working with students from East Asia and Pacific and South Asia. He is originally from St. Louis, Missouri but now lives in Washington, DC and is studying for an MA in International Affairs at American University. Prior to joining World Learning, Jacob taught English in Hiroshima, Japan from 2016-2018 and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zunyi, China from 2018-2020. In his free time, Jacob enjoys reading, listening to music, hiking, and cooking Chinese food.
Fifi Wang is joining the Global UGRAD team as the Program Officer for the South and Central Asia regions, as well as Fulbright Commissions throughout Asia. Prior to this, she helped implement the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Fifi is passionate about citizen diplomacy and international exchanges, in part due to her experiences living, studying, and working in Jordan, Egypt, China, and the United Kingdom. Born and raised in Northern Virginia (where she lives to this day), Fifi did venture outside of the D.C. area to obtain a master’s degree in international relations from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Alabama. Outside of work, she enjoys running, reading, and watching all kinds of sports.
Keegan Povlsen is joining the Global UGRAD team as the Program Associate for the Europe and Africa regions. Originally from Boise, Idaho, he is now based in Northern Virginia where he recently graduated with a degree in Global Affairs from George Mason University (GMU). During his time at GMU he served as the university’s International Student Mentor for incoming students from Russia and Central Asia. He also completed a year of study at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, where he coordinated cultural exchange events with the local Erasmus Student Network. Outside of work, Keegan is an avid concertgoer, and has recently taken up cooking, especially Central European cuisine.