Study Abroad Contact
Get in Touch With Global Programs
Location
Global Programs
Wisconsin School of Business
3295 Grainger Hall
975 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706-1323
Phone and Email
Phone: (608) 265-5017
Email: global@wsb.wisc.edu
Emergency*: +1-608-516-9440
Appointments
Make an appointment with the Global Programs team to learn more about studying abroad.
Meet the Global Programs Staff
Our professional staff works closely with overseas partners. These staff also advise students on study abroad programs, process course equivalencies, and maintain smooth operations of our office.

Kallan Picha
Kallan joined Wisconsin School of Business in 2022 and brings with her more than a decade of progressive experience in international higher education along with a deep commitment to student service, program development, and establishing collaborative partnerships. She was first bitten by the international education bug during her sophomore year and studied abroad seven times between undergrad and grad school.
Kallan comes to WSB Global Programs with experience on both the university and provider sides of international education, most recently as the Director of Enrollment and University Relations for the Institute for Shipboard Education/Semester at Sea. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Studies Abroad at the University of Portland, the Director of Global Programs at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, and in several positions at her graduate school alma mater, Indiana University. She earned an MPA from the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, an MA from the IU Institute for European Studies, and a BA in International Business from Hastings College.

Bianca Cusimano Danner
Bianca joined the Wisconsin School of Business in 2018 and works with Global Programs for both undergraduate and part-time MBA students. Prior to joining the Global Programs team at WSB she worked at Texas A&M University in their campus-wide study abroad programs office.
Bianca earned her BSBA in international business and marketing at Saint Louis University. As an undergraduate, she had the opportunity to study abroad in China and Panama. After completing her degree, she worked in sales in St. Louis before returning to school at the University of Texas at Austin where she received a M.Ed. in higher education administration.

Brianna Cacchione
Brianna joined the Wisconsin School of Business as an Global Programs Manager in 2018. Before coming to the School, Brianna was an assistant director at International Student Services (ISS) here on campus. In 2013, she came to UW–Madison with nine years of international education experience from working at Centralia College in Washington state, Madison ESL School (MESLS), and in Japan with the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program (JET).
As a proud Badger alumna, she earned her B.A. in Portuguese and completed a certificate in women’s studies. She studied abroad in London, Brazil, and Portugal. Several years later, she earned her M.S. Ed. through the student affairs administration program at UW-La Crosse. She currently resides in New Glarus, America’s Little Switzerland, along with her husband and two boys.

Jacob Borst
Jacob works as a Global Programs Manager advising students for several of our semester study abroad programs. He has worked with Global Programs since August 2019 when he joined as a graduate student staff member working to advise our incoming international exchange students and UW students interested in studying abroad.
Before joining Global Programs, Jacob earned his BA in 2019 in international affairs and French from Eastern Michigan University. As an undergraduate student, he interned several times at U.S. Department of State-related organizations in Washington D.C. and competed in Model United Nations at the University of Toronto, most notably on the francophone committee. The highlight of his undergraduate years was his study abroad (a 6-week language-intensive summer program in Brest, France). Jacob then began the Professional French Master’s Program at UW–Madison, earning his master’s in French studies with a concentration in business in May 2021.

Mark Hagen
Mark (he/him/his/él) is one of the newest members of the Global Programs team at the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison where he serves as a Global Programs Manager. Mark had a 15-year career in banking before finding his “dream” career in international education 17 years ago. He is passionate about study abroad and helping students find their own opportunities. Prior to joining the WSB, Mark worked at the Alamo Colleges in San Antonio and most recently as the Assistant Director of Education Abroad at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina where he primarily oversaw faculty-led programming.
Mark grew up in Milwaukee and completed his undergraduate studies in Spanish and Economics at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He studied abroad in San Luis Potosí, México, and since this life-changing experience, he has acquired near-native fluency in Spanish. Mark holds a master’s degree in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management (now a unit of Arizona State University) and will soon complete an MA in Romance Languages–Spanish College Teaching at Appalachian State University.
Mark loves to travel and has visited 25 of Mexico’s 32 states, along with 14 other countries — mostly in Latin America — including Peru, Cuba, and Brazil. Some of his fondest travel experiences include leading 14 faculty on a 31-day Fulbright-Hays Group Project throughout Mexico and a recent backpacking trip to Chiapas in Southern Mexico and to Guatemala. In his move to Madison, Mark is looking forward to spending more time with his family in Milwaukee, especially his three grandchildren, and getting reacquainted with his home state.

Derek Schmidt
Derek (he/him/his) is happy to be joining the Wisconsin School of Business as a Global Programs Manager. Throughout his professional career, Derek has had the privilege of advising students with diverse backgrounds, personalities, and academic goals. Prior to working with the Global Programs team, he served as an International Student Advisor at South Dakota State University. He earned his B.S. in Consumer Affairs at SDSU and completed a minor in Global Studies. During his time as an undergraduate student, he had the opportunity to study abroad in India. This life-changing experience sparked his interest in pursuing a career in international education. He later went on to earn a M.Ed. in Counseling and Human Development with a specialization in Administration of Student Affairs at SDSU. As a graduate student, he studied abroad in Germany, Czech Republic, and Poland. He also advised students interested in studying abroad while serving as the Graduate Intern with the International Programs Office at Augustana University.
Outside of traveling, Derek’s interests include reading, exercising, and exploring creative outlets. He recently purchased a Fujifilm camera and is hoping to sharpen my skills as a photographer. His passion for international education stems from a desire to help cultivate positive and memorable experiences for students. Derek is looking forward to channeling this passion and helping students within the Wisconsin School of Business achieve their goals of studying abroad!

Han Sol Meinig
Han Sol (she/her/hers) joins from Cross-College Advising Service where she worked as an academic advisor. Before that, she served as a program advisor from Wisconsin Union Directorate. Han Sol is originally from South Korea and moved to US when she was 14. Han Sol holds an undergraduate degree from UW-Madison with majors in Psychology and Japanese and a Certificate in Criminal Justice and a Masters of Counseling Psychology also from UW-Madison. For fun, since Han Sol is an indoor cat (not a typo, she is like an indoor cat where she loves playing at home), she enjoys reading, baking, skyping with her family in South Korea, and watching movies and dramas with her lovely husband, AJ.
Peer Advisors
Our student staff peer advisors are all former WSB study abroad program participants. They advise students during drop-in hours, manage the front desk, and assist with office operations.

Lily Buehler
I am excited to be a global programs peer advisor because I wanted the chance to share my accumulated knowledge from my experience with students and help them find their home abroad. My favorite thing about studying abroad was all the people I met from different countries, as well as the travel I was able to do. Being in Vienna was an amazing experience filled with so many different cultures, and I am so happy I was able to have the opportunity for personal growth through these interactions. I will continue studying marketing and international business at UW-Madison and plan on graduating in the spring of 2024 with hopes of moving abroad after graduation.

Emily Chin
I decided to become a peer advisor because I love planning trips abroad and cannot wait to help students plan their study abroad. I love traveling and being able to create new experiences and meet so many new people! I will be continuing my undergraduate studies as a Finance and Communications major on the pre-law track.

Phoebe Vanna
I chose to be a global programs peer advisor because I am passionate about exploring and learning through travel. I look forward to studying abroad during my college career so I can share my insights with other students who also share this passion.

Isabelle Fawcett
I am happy to be a Global Programs Peer Advisor because I want to share my abroad experience with prospective students. Having completed both a short-term faculty-led program (Supply Chain Management in Germany) and a semester-long program (Rome), I am excited to help my peers plan their own trips and share the knowledge I gained throughout my time abroad. My favorite part about studying abroad was traveling to new countries and learning about their different cultures from the perspectives of people we met. I will graduate from UW-Madison in the spring of 2024 with a degree in Supply Chain Management, Marketing, and OTM.

Kaitlyn Cassidy
I am a global programs peer advisor because I hope to help others feel ready and excited to study abroad. The process to study abroad can be overwhelming but can also lead to tons of personal growth and learning. I studied abroad in Barcelona and loved practicing Spanish and learning more about the culture in Catalonia and Spain. I am studying Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management and will graduate in May 2024.