IRIS NRC
Institute for Regional and International Studies National Resource Center

Career Resources

In partnership with the International Studies major, the IRIS NRC offers career events each semester to connect undergraduate and graduate students with professionals working in different areas of International Studies careers. 

The goal for each event is to provide students with: 

  • career advice and ways to network
  • recommendations for skills development
  • a place to ask career questions to those working in the field

UW-Madison Career Resources

Events & Resources Archive

2025 LCTL Career Fair (July-August 2025)

Speakers: 

  • Vladka Shikova, Senior Program Manager for American Councils for International Education
  • Irakli Saralidze, Program Manager for American Councils for International Education
  • Keynote Address: Dr. L. J. Randolph Jr., Assistant Professor of World Language Education, UW-Madison

And more!

2024 LCTL Career Fair (July 2024)

Speakers: 

  • Matthew Geisler, Associate Director for New Programs and Enrollment, International Academic Programs, UW-Madison International Division
  • Parwat Regmi, Interpreter/Translator/Trainer, Cultural & Linguistic Services, UW-Madison
  • Madeline Ruid, Research Analyst, Global X ETFs
  • Brenda Yang, Assistant Director of Career Communities, SuccessWorks, UW-Madison; Dane County Board Supervisor-District 19; City of Madison’s Language Access Consultant
  • Keynote Address:  Frances Vavrus, Vice Provost and Dean, UW-Madison International Division

And more!

2023 LCTL Career Fair (July 2023)

Speakers: 

  • Lydia Greve, Resource Mobilization and Grant Manager at the World Organisation for Animal Health
  • Isabelle McRae, 
  • Charlie Minard, US Manager at Merama
  • Katy Sinnott, Vice President of Global Trade & Investment at Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
  • Keynote Address: Lachlyn Soper, Diplomat, U.S. Department of State

And more!

2022 LCTL Career Fair (July 2022)

Speakers: 

  • Felecia Lucht, Director, Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes (WISLI), UW-Madison
  • Laura Hammond, Director, Language Program Office (LPO), UW-Madison
  • Csanád Siklós, Associate Director, Institute for Regional and International Studies National Resource Center (IRIS-NRC), UW-Madison
  • Keynote Address: Alfred M. Boll, Director, Office of American Spaces, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State

And more!

2021 LCTL Career Fair (July 2021)

Speakers: 

  • Felecia Lucht, Director, Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes (WISLI), UW-Madison
  • Laura Hammond, Director, Language Program Office (LPO), UW-Madison
  • Csanád Siklós, Associate Director, Institute for Regional and International Studies National Resource Center (IRIS-NRC), UW-Madison
  • Keynote Address: Sachin Tuli, Director, International Business Major and Faculty Associate, International Business and Marketing, UW-Madison

And more!

Resources

Careers in International Business (April 2021) 

Speakers: 

  • Jay P. Nash, Founder and Principal of Nash Global Trade Services (NGTS), a consultancy specializing in U.S. and non-U.S. export compliance, including trade controls and compliance for countries in the Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Nash also serves as the President of the Madison International Trade Association (MITA).
  • Tanja Nitschke, a UW-Madison alum, Vice-President for Global HR, Talent Management & Total Rewards at Eventbrite. Nitschke has 10+ years of strategic HR and HR leadership experience with Funding Circle, Twitter, Groupon, and CUNA Mutual.

Resources

Careers in International Education (March 2021)

Speakers: 

  • Anne Smiley: IRC’s Deputy Project Director of Research for the LEGO Foundation-funded PlayMatters project, an education program for refugee children in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda. Previously served as Associate Director of Research and Evaluation with FHI 360’s Global Education, Employment and Engagement unit.
  • Emily Hall: Community Engagement Coordinator for the U.S. Department of State funded English Language Programs at the Center for Intercultural Education and Development (CIED) at Georgetown University (GU).

Careers in Global Security (February 2021)

Speakers: 

  • Lili Dalton: Program Manager (Africa) Programs, Partnerships, and Policy Team Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), Bureau of Diplomatic Security U.S. Department of State
  • Tristan Tafolla: Director of International Risk Management at Columbia University

Careers in Law (October 2020) 

Speakers: 

  • Shabnam Lotfi: Graduate of UW Law School and founder of Lotfi Legal LLC, a Madison law firm exclusively focused on immigration law and immigration litigation.
  • Anthony Sparks: Advising Fellow in the UW Law School Center for Pre-Law Advising & a veteran of the US Air Force interested in military, administrative, and corporate law.

Non-profits and NGOs (September 2020) 

Speakers: 

  • Gabriela Cristobal: IS Major Alumna and Director of Programs and Strategic Engagement at the United State of Women, Washington DC. 
  • Emmeline Prattke: Career Advisor for the Government, Politics, Policy, International Affairs and Law Career Community, UW-Madison Successworks.

2020 LCTL Career Fair (July 2020) 

Speakers: 

  • Laura Hammond, Director, UW Language Program Office and Administrative Director, South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI)
  • Guido Podestá, Vice Provost and Dean, International Division
  • Lesley Bartlett, Faculty Director, Institute for Regional and International Studies International Division (IRIS)
  • Keynote Address: Cheryl Gibbs, Senior Director, International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE), U.S. Department of Education

And more!