Forum Council Welcomes New Chair, Vanessa Nichol-Peters, as Joy Phaphouvaninh Concludes Term

6/30/2025

The Forum on Education Abroad announces a leadership transition within its Forum Council, as Joy Phaphouvaninh, Director of Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, concludes her term as Chair and completes her service as a Council member.

Elected to The Forum Council in 2019 and named Chair in 2022, Joy has been a thoughtful, values-driven leader whose contributions have meaningfully shaped member engagement and experience over the past three years—during a period of unprecedented change. Under her leadership, the Council piloted Communities of Practice (CoP) to address members’ desire for deeper engagement through networking, learning, and peer exchange among professionals, educators, and scholars. The Council also saw a record number of nominations—more diverse than ever before—for the 2025 Council election cycle. In addition to her role as Chair, Joy contributed to the online asynchronous course Making Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion the Standard and served on the 2024-25 Wollitzer Award Committee.

“Joy’s leadership has left an indelible mark on The Forum,” said Marissa Lombardi, Vice President and Chief Learning Officer at The Forum. “Her insight, care, and commitment to our members have helped advance our mission in lasting ways. We are deeply grateful for her service.”

Effective on Tuesday, July 1, Vanessa Nichol-Peters, Dean for International Programs at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City will serve as elected Forum Chair. With more than two decades of experience in education abroad, Vanessa brings deep expertise in international program management, cross-cultural education, and global learning strategy.

She began her career as a program coordinator in Zimbabwe with the School for International Training (SIT) and has since held leadership positions in the United States, South Africa, and most recently, serving as Director of Marist University’s Programs in Italy for 13 years. Vanessa was elected to The Forum Council in 2023.

“As we welcome Vanessa into this role, I’m excited for the energy, global perspective, and thoughtful leadership she brings,” said Lombardi. “The Council is in excellent hands.”

The Forum extends its sincere thanks to Joy for her exemplary service and looks forward to collaborating with Vanessa as she and the Council begin this new chapter of leadership.

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Forum Council Welcomes New Chair, Vanessa Nichol-Peters, as Joy Phaphouvaninh Concludes Term

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