Staff & Interns
Amy Alice Chastain
Executive Director​
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Amy Alice Chastain's teaching and learning have taken her to France, China, the Middle East, and beyond. Having previously served as an Associate Professor of
Instruction in the University of Iowa’s Department of Linguistics, she is proud to use her professional experience there and abroad in her work with global exchange as the Executive Director of Global Ties Iowa. Upon discovering this organization and the International Visitor Leadership Program, Amy knew she had found her people—her community—and could continue to maintain an international connection while living and working in eastern Iowa. Because of the profound impact her time abroad had on her academic and professional development, Amy Alice's driving vision is to build diplomacy one relationship at a time. ​
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Leila Assadi
Communications Coordinator
Leila Assadi is a junior at the University of Iowa majoring in Political Science and Economics with a minor in International Relations on
the pre-law track. Originally from Bettendorf, Iowa, Leila enjoys reading, thrifting, and listening to music. On campus, Leila is co-President and co-founder of Ethics Bowl and a member of the Middle Eastern and North African Student Association. She also worked as a research assistant for the Disasters, Migration, and Violence Lab in the Department of Political Science, and is currently a Peer Mentor for the Tippie Direct Admit Seminar. Leila spent the Spring 2025 semester studying at Korea University is Seoul, South Korea and, in the future, hopes to attend law school with a focus in international law.
Brenda Gao
Communications and Social Media Fellow
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Brenda Gao graduated from the University of Iowa where she majored in Psychology with a minor in Japanese. In her free time, she enjoys historical fiction,
spending time with family and friends, and hanging out with her cat. Brenda recently returned from the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program in Okayama, Japan.
Zach Hemmen
Operations Support​
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Zach is a graduate from the University of Iowa who majored in International Relations and Political Science with Certificates in Human Rights and Political Risk Analysis. He is now
pursuing his masters in Political Science at the University of Iowa.
Anna O'Connor
Program Coordinator
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Anna is a junior at the University of Iowa from Dubuque, Iowa. She is pursuing a double major in International Studies and Social Work, with a minor in Spanish. At the
University of Iowa, Anna has been involved in numerous extracurriculars on campus, namely Dance Marathon, SWSA, and the Undergraduate Student Government. In her free time, Anna enjoys spending time with her family and friends, singing, musicals, watching sports, and traveling. She also loves music, especially Harry Styles. Most recently, Anna studied abroad in Argentina.​
Peyton Pangburn
Program and Development Fellow
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Learn more about Peyton soon!
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