Miriam is the Director of Academic Advising and Student Success at Northwestern University in Qatar. Before this role, she was the Senior Academic Adviser at the American University in Dubai, where she gained extensive experience in academic advising and academic and student affairs.

Throughout her career, Miriam has held various academic positions across Lebanon and the GCC, advising diverse students in engineering, business, international relations, and media studies. She has successfully led a team of advisors and contributed to numerous academic committees focused on curriculum and quality enhancement.

Miriam’s expertise lies in multitasking, mentoring, researching, and implementing best practices to create a culture of student engagement. She is skilled in developing student-centered strategies, conducting data analysis and reporting, enhancing student retention and success, and supporting first-year student experiences and accreditation processes.

In her teaching career, Miriam has instructed finance, management, accounting, and mathematics courses, and has published research papers on academic advising.

Her passion for data analysis led her to complete three certificates in data analysis and reporting in 2021. More recently, she has completed a postgraduate program in AI and Machine Learning at the California Institute of Technology, further expanding her knowledge and expertise in cutting-edge technologies.

Recognized for her dedication, she was nominated for NASPA’s Dedicated Professional Award in 2021.

Miriam earned her MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Banking and Finance with distinction from the Lebanese American University in 2002 and 2005, respectively.

She currently serves as the Communication Team Lead for MENASA NASPA, where she continues to contribute to the field of student affairs and higher education.

Dr. Brett Perozzi is Vice President for Student Affairs at Salt Lake Community College in Utah, USA. He previously served as Vice President for Student Affairs at Weber State University (WSU), Executive Director of Student Engagement at Arizona State University, and has worked at Colorado State, Indiana, and Texas Tech Universities.

 Dr. Perozzi holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University and a Master’s degree from the University of Arizona, both in Higher Education Administration; with a bachelor’s degree in Education from the State University of New York. He served as a faculty member in the higher education graduate programs at Indiana, Colorado State, and Arizona State, and is the cofounder of the Higher Education Leadership program at WSU. Brett has authored dozens of publications in journals, textbooks, monographs, and book chapters. He has published three books, two on the topic of international student affairs and services, and one on student employment during college.

 Dr. Perozzi is an active leader with NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, helping coordinate and shape their global agenda, by establishing a Global Advisory Board, culturally relevant educational programming abroad, and advancing intercultural understanding among those doing student affairs work globally. He has been invited to speak and present on higher education topics worldwide, and seeks to give back to the field through his speaking, writing, and research. Brett is a founding member of the International Association of Student Affairs and Services.

Dr Niamh Nestor (she/her) is the Director of the University College Dublin Student Advisory Service. Niamh manages a team of advisers whose work is focused on student support, mental health and wellbeing among approximately 38,000 UCD students. Niamh’s background is in sociolinguistics, migration and integration, and her doctoral research focused on Polish children and teenagers who had migrated to Ireland since Poland joined the European Union in 2004. For ten years before coming into her current role, Niamh was the Student Adviser in UCD Veterinary Sciences, providing pastoral support to veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing students.

Niamh is an active member of the community life of UCD. She runs UCD Purl Jam, the university’s craft/creative group. She co-founded the UCD Veterinary Community Garden. She is an active member of the UCD Community Choir. Niamh is involved in the implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives in UCD. She co-chairs the UCD LGBT+ committee as well as the UCD LGBTI Staff Network. She is an active member of Athena SWAN in UCD. She is deeply committed to challenging injustice, intolerance and bigotry and in achieving equality, diversity and inclusion for all. She believes in active allyship and she is passionate about fighting against complacency. The work of Athena SWAN is vital in this regard, and Niamh is particularly interested in empowering and supporting students to continue the fight for equality into the future. Outside of work, Niamh loves to garden, travel, and be creative, recently taking up sewing. She also volunteers for Dublin Lesbian Line.

Dr. Kerrie Montgomery Orozco boasts a 25-year career in higher education, specializing in international education, student programming, strategic planning, leadership, and teaching. She's held progressively responsible roles in academic advising, study abroad, and campus life at various institutions. Kerrie is also an accomplished writer, with publications in the peer-reviewed Journal of International Students. 

Kerrie has been an active member of NASPA for more than 20 years. She has held a number of volunteer leadership roles and currently serves as Professional Development Chair for the Global Division, Membership & Engagement Chair for the Mid-Level Administrators Steering Committee, and NASPA-FL Conference Chair. She is a past Chair for the International Symposium, and remains active on the planning committee for the 2024 International Symposium.

Kerrie holds a BA in Classical Studies, dual Masters degrees from the University of Florida in Art History and Higher Education, and a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Denver.