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Past International Projects
| Development Staff
Employers included Fokker Aircraft Ltd, Amsterdam, Holland and Medecins sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (medical relief group - two years based in Maputo, Mozambique coordinating medical relief projects, two years based in Toronto, Canada to set up the Canadian branch of this international organization, and two years based in Amsterdam, Holland, as a member of the management team as Director of Human Resources and Training). During these years Jos lived, worked and traveled in more than 40 countries. He joined Niagara College in 1995, coordinating international education development projects and stimulating the "internationalization process" of Niagara College. A creative and visionary leader, Jos specializes in starting new projects and programs, networking in order to bring the best people together to effect change, and working with budgets, auditors and funding agencies to provide sound financial management. He is an out-of-the-box thinker who is particularly passionate about providing access programs for non-traditional learners and short term practical vocational training programs for people with limited access to formal education. Dr. Mary Kilmer-Tchalekian manages international development projects in Latin America. Working with international educators and partners, Mary facilitates workshops on competency-based education/training, active teaching methodologies and results-based management. She also collaborates in the design of short-term training courses for the tourism sector. Among other international development work, she coordinates the Entry Points for Tourism Work project in Arequipa, Peru and manages a tourism consultancy project in Copiapó, Chile. Educated in the United States, Spain, Colombia and Canada, Mary has a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Spanish (University of Texas at Austin), a B.A. in Romance Languages (Elmira College), and a diploma in Spanish American Literature from the Instituto Caro y Cuervo (Bogotá, Colombia). Lesley holds a Degree in International Development and (African) History from the University of Guelph and is currently enrolled in a Masters of organizational Leadership degree. She brings extensive amount of international travel and experience to this team. Lesley leads the development and roll out of various international education contracts, proposal submissions and international development projects. In addition Lesley coordinates the Young Professionals Going Global International Internship program and the Ontario International Education Opportunities fund, managed through the International Department of Niagara College. Sue Hunwicks, our International Project Specialist for the China projects, has spent the last 34 years in post secondary education. Prior to starting with Niagara, Sue spent four years in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as the Director of Student Services for Zayed University. Sue has worked at the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Humber College and Sheridan College in various areas and degrees of responsibility in Student Services. Sue has her Masters of Art in Education specializing in Community College.
Kyla is an adult educator and facilitator with considerable experience in training project management teams and international development professionals in gender planning and participatory project management. Kyla uses a transformative learning approach to training and education, relying on project-based approaches to engage learners. Her teaching/research interests are rural tourism development, community based tourism, feminist methodologies, and social justice. Kyla currently manages Niagara College's international development projects in Africa focusing on HIV/AIDS, gender-sensitive dialogue, and community-based tourism development. During her tenure, Kyla has created a Niagara College "gender tool kit" which is a resource to support project managers in gender strategy development, gender analysis & planning, gender monitoring and gender sensitivity & awareness training. Contact Information Niagara College, International Education and Development Division |
Jos Nolle, Director of International Development
Dr. Mary Kilmer-Tchalekian, Manager, International Projects
Lesley Calvin, International Project Specialist 
Susan Hunwicks, International Project Specialist 
Kyla Pennie, Project Specialist