who we are
Global Cities, Inc. was founded in 2013 with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies. Led by founder Marjorie B. Tiven, our staff represent a unique mix of pedagogical, technological, and international expertise that drives the innovation at the heart of our program. Our board of trusted advisors helps support our vision for interactive, digital, global competency education.
meet the board
carol bellamy
Carol Bellamy has been Executive Director of UNICEF, (1995-2005), President and CEO of World Learning, Chair of the International Baccalaureate Board of Governors, and Chair the Global Partnership for Education. As an elected official, she served as President of the New York City Council (1977) and a member of the New York State Senate (1973-77). In the private sector, she was a Managing Director at Bear Stearns, a principal at Morgan Stanley and an associate at Cravath, Swaine and Moore. From 1993 to 1995 she was the director of the Peace Corps, appointed by President Bill Clinton and the first person to have been both a Peace Corps Volunteer and director.
jeanne brooks-gunn
Jeanne Brooks-Gunn is the Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Child Development at Columbia University’s Teachers College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons. She also co-directs the National Center for Children and Families, a center devoted to research, policy, and practice. Brooks-Gunn’s specialty is policy-oriented research focusing on family and community influences upon the development of children and youth. She also designs and evaluates interventions aimed at enhancing their lives. Jeanne has been the recipient of several honors, among them: the Harvard University Graduate School of Education Alumni Council Award, election into the National Academy of Education, election into the National Academy of Medicine; Distinguished Contributions to the Public Policy for Children Award from the Society for Research in Child Development; Margaret Mead Fellow Award by the American Academy of Political and Social Science; James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award from the American Psychological Society. Jeanne received her B.A in psychology at Connecticut College, an ED.M. in Human Learning and Development at Harvard University, and a Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in human learning and development.
ester fuchs
Ester R. Fuchs is Professor of International and Public Affairs and Political Science and Director of the Urban and Social Policy Program at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She served under New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg from 2001 to 2005 as Special Advisor for Governance and Strategic Planning to the Mayor and as chair of the 2005 NYC Charter Revision Commission. Ester is also Director of WhosOnTheBallot.org, an online voter engagement initiative and a board member of Columbia’s Data Science Institute and Smart Cities Center, American University’s Metropolitan Policy Center, and a Senior Fellow of the Global Cities Institute at the University of Toronto. Prof. Fuchs is appointed to the Committee on Economic Inclusion of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and is a member of the boards of the Fund for the City of New York, the Citizens Union, and the Museum at Eldridge Street. Ester received a B.A. from Queens College, CUNY; an M.A. from Brown University; and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Chicago.
charlynn goins
Charlynn Goins is Chairman Emerita of the New York Community Trust, where she served as chairman from 2009 through 2014. She continues to serve on its board. From 2008 through 2015, Charlynn served on the Board of Directors of Fannie Mae. From 2006 through 2012 she served on the Boards of Directors of AXA Financial, Inc. and its subsidiaries, and currently on the Advisory Board of All Star Code. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Century Association and the New York Women’s Forum. Charlynn began her career as a tax lawyer at Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn, and left the practice of law to join Integrated Resources, Inc. and then Prudential Mutual Funds and Annuities. Upon her retirement from Prudential, Charlynn served for two and a half years as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency. From 2004 to 2008, Charlynn was Chairperson of the Board of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. She received a B.A. from Barnard College and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.
thomas golden
Thomas H. Golden is a Senior Attorney for Bloomberg, L.P. Before joining Bloomberg, Thomas was a partner with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, where he served on the Executive Committee. He authored the chapter on United States law in the International Libel & Privacy Handbook (Bloomberg Press 2009). Thomas is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Inner-City Scholarship Fund, and of New York Law School's Innovation Center Advisory Board. He holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and a B.A. from College of the Holy Cross.
William “bill” gray
William “Bill” Gray is the retired Vice Chairman and Co - CEO of Ogilvy North America. He is currently a Senior Advisor to the Blackstone Group and a former Trustee of the Century Family of Funds of Mutual Funds, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, HealthMarkets Insurance Inc. and The New York Public Library. He is the prior Chairman of the Board of NY Red Cross. He also is an investor and advisor to a number of digital ventures primarily focused in the media area.
Christopher C. Morphew
Christopher C. Morphew has served as dean of Johns Hopkins University's School of Education since 2017. His research is focused on postsecondary education policy and has been published in dozens of journal articles in leading academic journals. He has presented his research in more than two dozen countries. His scholarship has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Lumina Foundation, the Research Council of Norway, and the Ford Foundation. He has held leadership positions in the Association for the Study of Higher Education and the American Educational Research Association, and written or edited four books. The most recent, Creating Safe, Healthy and Inclusive Schools, will be published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in November 2024. Prior to joining the School of Education, Christopher was professor and executive associate dean in the University of Iowa's College of Education. He also has held tenured positions at the University of Georgia and University of Kansas, and he served as the Leiv Eiriksson Scholar at the University of Oslo and a Fulbright Senior Specialist at Kazimierz Wielki University in Poland. He earned a Ph.D. in social sciences and education from Stanford University, as well as degrees from Harvard University and the University of Notre Dame.
robert orr
Robert Orr serves as University of Maryland School of Public Policy dean, UN Under Secretary-General, and special advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Change. Prior to joining the University of Maryland, Bob served as the Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Planning in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General from 2004 to 2014, and was the principal advisor to the Secretary-General on counter-terrorism, peace building, women’s and children’s health, sustainable energy, food and nutrition, institutional innovation, public-private partnership and climate change. Bob joined the UN from Harvard University where he served as the executive director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government. Prior to this, he served as director of the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C. Bob has served in senior posts in the government of the U.S., including deputy to the U.S. ambassador to the UN and director of global affairs at the National Security Council. He holds a Ph.D. and M.P.A. in international relations from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, and a bachelor’s degree from UCLA. He is fluent in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
fernando m. reimers
Fernando M. Reimers is the Ford Foundation Professor of the Practice of International Education and Director of the Global Education Innovation Initiative and of the International Education Policy Masters’ Program at Harvard University. An expert in the field of Global Education, his research and teaching focus on understanding how to educate children and youth so they can thrive in the 21st century. Recent books include Teaching and Learning for the 21st Century, Empowering Global Citizens, Empowering Students to Improve the World in Sixty Lessons. Version 1.0, Fifteen Letters on Education in Singapore, Empowering All Students at Scale, and One Student at a Time. Leading the Global Education Movement. In 2017, he received the Global Citizen Award from the Committee on Teaching about the United Nations.
michael rubenstein
Michael Rubenstein is President of AppNexus and a member of its Board of Directors, where he has been a chief architect of the company's growth from startup to global technology leader. In his role as President, he leads the global commercial, market development, marketing and communications functions and spearheads international expansion and strategic partnerships. Prior to joining AppNexus, Michael was a longstanding executive at DoubleClick, where he founded and served as General Manager of DoubleClick Ad Exchange, an instrumental component of the company's $3.2 billion sale to Google in 2007. Michael is on the Board of Directors of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and is a regular speaker at industry conferences including Cannes Lions, AdExchanger I/O and ExchangeWire, and at New York-area business forums and schools. Michael holds a BA from McGill University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
milbrey “missie” rennie Taylor
Milbrey “Missie” Rennie Taylor spent 30 years in television news, primarily at CBS as the executive producer of CBS News Sunday Morning and CBS Weekend News. She was Vice President of ThirdAge Media, an internet company partly owned by CBS, Inc. She is the recipient of eight Emmys and a George Foster Peabody Award. She is currently a strategic media consultant. Missie serves on the boards of Vassar College, Teachers College, USTA Foundation, The Asian Cultural Council, Trustee Emerita of The Asia Foundation and on the Board of Overseers of the International Rescue Committee. She is a member of the Board of Directors of The First National Bank of Long Island and previously served on the Board of The Breakthrough Collaborative. Missie was a recipient of the Luce Fellowship (worked in The Philippines) and a graduate of Miss Porter’s School where she served as Board Chair.
LaVerne Evans Srinivasan
LaVerne Evans Srinivasan is the vice president of Carnegie Corporation of New York’s National Program and Program Director for Education. At the Corporation she oversees grantmaking and amplifying activities aimed at engaging parents and communities, improving teaching and leadership for learning, advancing innovative learning environment designs, providing K–12 pathways to college and career success, and fostering integrated approaches to innovation and learning. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, LaVerne joined Carnegie Corporation in 2014, arriving with extensive experience in senior-level leadership roles in the areas of urban district change, nonprofit education reform, and educational technology. She served as a deputy chancellor of the New York City Department of Education (2003–2006), where, among other accomplishments, she designed and implemented Project Home Run, a strategically redesigned and streamlined system for recruiting, hiring, and placing teachers and school principals that greatly increased the teacher talent available to high-needs schools and which has been replicated nationwide.
marjorie b. tiven
Marjorie B. Tiven is the founder and president of Global Cities, Inc., a Program of Bloomberg Philanthropies, working with cities worldwide to support global awareness among the next generation through its cross-national interactive educational program, Global Scholars. Under Marjorie’s leadership, more than 116,000 students have participated in the program worldwide, all learning a common curriculum and communicating in a digital classroom. From 2002 through 2013, she served as New York City Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, representing the City on issues with foreign governments and the United States government. Marjorie also served as Treasurer and Managing Director of New York City Global Partners, Inc., which handled outreach from the Mayor’s Office to cities worldwide. She was the mayoral representative on the board of the New York Public Library and served on the boards of U.N. Democracy Fund and the U.N. Development Corporation. Currently, she is on the boards of the Citizens Union and the National Archives Foundation. Marjorie holds a B.A. from Antioch College and an M.S. from Columbia University School of Social Work. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She also serves on the Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP) External Advisory Committee at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
tony travers
Tony Travers is Director of British Government @ LSE, a programme at the London School of Economics. He is also a professor in the LSE’s Government Department and co-director of LSE London. His key research interests include public finance, local/regional government and London government. He has recently been an advisor to the House of Commons Education Select Committee and also the Communities and Local Government Select Committee. He has published a number of books on cities and government, including Failure in British Government, The Politics of the Poll Tax (with David Butler and Andrew Adonis), Paying for Health, Education and Housing: How does the Centre Pull the Purse Strings (with Howard Glennerster and John Hills) and The Politics of London: Governing the Ungovernable City.
meet our staff
ANISSA BAZARI
Anissa Bazari directs the Global Scholars virtual exchange program created and operated by Global Cities, Inc. Prior to joining Global Cities, Anissa worked as Program Director for Global Partners Junior, an international online exchange program connecting students in cities around the world based in New York City’s Mayor’s Office for International Affairs. Anissa previously taught creative writing at New York University and NYU Medical Center and high school English, Global Arts, and Theater at Bronx Theater High School and Discovery High School in the Bronx. Anissa holds an M.S. in English Education from Lehman College, an M.F.A in Creative Writing from New York University, and a B.A. in English with a concentration in Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University.
brandon borjon
Brandon Borjon works as an evaluation project manager for Global Cities, Inc. Prior to joining Global Cities, Brandon worked in France as part of the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) run by the French Ministry of Education. Brandon formerly worked as an English language instructor at schools throughout Taiwan as part of the World Passport English summer program. His cross-cultural experiences and passion for historical research led him to pursue a Master’s degree in World History at New York University. While a graduate student, Brandon interned with Global Cities for two years supporting the Global Scholars program. He holds an M.A. in History from New York University and a B.A. in History from Reed College.
Arielle Davis-Featherstone
Arielle Davis-Featherstone is part of the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Prior to joining Global Cities, Arielle developed curriculum aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, coached teachers, and designed professional development for adult learners as Instruction and Culture Director at Harlem Village Academies. She previously served as an Early Career Engagement Coach for Harvard Teaching Fellows and Extended Essay Coordinator and Theory of Knowledge teacher at Universal American School in Dubai. Arielle taught U.S and world history for seven years at district, charter, and private schools. She holds a New York State School Building Leader Certification, teaching licenses in Maryland and New York, an Ed.M. in School Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education, an MSEd. in Educational Studies from Johns Hopkins School of Education, and a B.A. in Sociology and Teaching from CUNY Brooklyn College.
CLAIRE DECHANT
Claire DeChant leads the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Prior to joining Global Cities, Claire worked as a science and math teacher at Uncommon Charter High School in Brooklyn and as a science teacher at Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter school in Philadelphia. At both schools, she led curriculum development for several courses, coached FIRST Robotics FTC teams, and supported the adoption of advanced pedagogical techniques in the science departments. Claire holds a B.S. in Psychology with emphases in Human Development and Social Psychology from Duke University and an M.S. in Urban Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
SETH EYRING
Seth Eyring is senior project manager at Global Cities, leading on media, communications, and events. Prior to joining Global Cities, Seth worked as an EFL teacher at the Taipei Japanese School in Taipei, Taiwan and as a teaching fellow at Anatolia College in Thessaloniki, Greece. After teaching, Seth returned to the United States to pursue a graduate degree in international education. While a graduate student, Seth joined Global Cities to support the Global Scholars program and supervise the intern team. Seth holds an M.A. in Comparative and International Education from Columbia University, Teachers College and a B.A. in Anthropology from Reed College.
COLLEEN KHACHATOURIANS
Colleen Khachatourians is part of the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Prior to joining Global Cities, Colleen was a Field Supervisor in the TESOL and Elementary Inclusive Education programs at Teachers’ College, Columbia University. Colleen was previously involved as a Project Coordinator at the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon. For 6 years, Colleen taught at 92nd Street Elementary School in Los Angeles where she received a USDA grant to lead a school-wide nutrition awareness program. Colleen received an M.Ed. and California Teaching Credential in K-8 education from UCLA and a B.A. in Creative Studies Literature from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Grace Kim
Grace Kim is part of the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Prior to joining Global Cities, Grace developed and taught high school English curricula, integrating global citizenship education and 21st century skills for a public school in Bergen County, New Jersey and an international school in São Paulo, Brazil. She previously worked as a research assistant and program manager at the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation and supported the implementation of development projects in partnership with international organizations such as UNESCO and the OECD. Grace holds an M.A. in International Education Development from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in Secondary Education from Arizona State University.
sandeep lally
Sandeep Lally provides project support to the Global Cities, Inc. team. Prior to joining Global Cities Sandeep worked for The Girl Scouts Inc. USA. Sandeep has worked in the fields of Consultancy and Finance in the UK and The Netherlands. Sandeep studied in the UK, she holds an BA Honors in Accounting & Finance from Kingston University, a MA in Information Technology from The University of Nottingham and an MBA from Cranfield University.
martin mintz
Martin Mintz is part of the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Prior to joining Global Cities, Martin was the Program Director at Generation Citizen New York. In this role, Martin managed the implementation, quality, and expansion of Generation Citizen’s Action Civics programming in school districts around New York. Prior to that, Martin taught 7th and 8th Grade Social Studies for seven years at a Middle School in The Bronx, NY. Martin received his M.Ed. in Social Studies Education from Fordham University and holds a B.A. in History from Washington University in St. Louis.
samantha rachmil
Samantha Rachmil is a Program Analyst at Global Cities, Inc where she assists in monitoring and assessing data related to the Global Scholars program. Prior to joining the team, she completed a monitoring and evaluation consulting project for a higher education global learning program where she developed an evaluation toolkit to assess programmatic impact. Samantha is also trained in mixed-methods research with over six years of experience conducting cross-cultural research projects. Most recently, she worked with the Center for Sustainable Futures on research related to international climate activism. While in graduate school, Samantha interned with Global Cities for two years to support the Global Scholars program and later managed the team of graduate student interns. She holds an M.A. in International Educational Development from Columbia University and a B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University.
grace snodgrass
Grace Snodgrass is part of the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Before joining Global Cities, Grace taught elementary, middle, and high school English and history in New York City and Los Angeles. She has extensive experience in k-12 language and literacy development and teacher development and coaching. Grace holds a dual B.A. in Journalism and Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park and an M.S. in Teaching from Pace University. She is an alumna of the Southern California Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs.
Marcia Sobers
Marcia Sobers is part of the professional team of educators translating and sharing Global Cities’ knowledge, curriculum resources, and professional development techniques with a global audience of K-12 educators. Prior to joining Global Cities, Marcia worked as a technical advisor in the U.S. education sector at FHI 360. She has also served as a director of professional learning supporting public and charter schools in New York and as an education advisor supporting a school transformation initiative in Malaysia. Marcia began her career as an educator in New York City as a teacher and later transitioned into the roles of instructional coach and assistant principal. She earned a B.A. in International Relations from American University, an M.S. in Elementary Education, and an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Hunter College. Marcia holds an Ed.D in International Education from Northcentral University.
nina sonenberg
Nina Sonenberg is director of communications at Global Cities, Inc. She oversees external communications including digital and social media, produces and edits video and conference presentations, and works with the Global Scholars professional team and schools internationally to showcase global virtual exchange as an important pathway to global citizenship. Prior to joining Global Cities, Nina was a communications officer at The Wallace Foundation. She draws on her academic training to present Global Cities research accurately; her experience as a scriptwriter for CBS News Productions to keep it fresh and fun; and her early experiences studying and working in France to know the magic of global education. Nina holds a B.A. from Harvard University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University, where she taught writing and American Literature.
stephanie strote
Stephanie Strote is part of the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Prior to joining Global Cities, Stephanie coached elementary and middle school literacy teachers and developed curriculum for NYC public schools. She also has nine years of experience teaching upper elementary grades in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area and a PhD in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in North Carolina, Stephanie served as field supervisor for aspiring teachers and helped train international graduate students as teachers in the U.S. university system. In addition to her PhD, Stephanie holds an MS in Education from Mercy College and a BA in English and American Literature from New York University.
megan wilhelm
Megan Wilhelm leads new initiatives to share best practices, research findings, and content for teaching global competency. She formerly led the professional team of educators that manages the Global Scholars virtual exchange program. Before joining Global Cities, Megan was the Global Citizenship Education Officer at the World Federation of United Nations Associations. In this role, she managed the implementation and expansion of a global citizenship education program in Armenia, India, and Singapore. Megan is a Teach For America alumna and taught in New Haven, Connecticut. She received a U.S. Fulbright grant in 2012 to conduct social psychology research in Cyprus. Megan holds an Ed.M. in International Education Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education, an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.A. in Psychology and Classics from Kenyon College.