Dr. Jim Ellis Jr. – Consultant for International Partnerships and Study Abroad
International Consulting and Executive Director (2004-2019) Study Alabama (SA/CGEED). Specialty areas include but not limited to: professional work and living experiences abroad, education abroad program management & development, international partnership management & development, international travel risk management (health, safety & security including repatriation/evacuation), US immigration compliance, international visitor coordination, research export controls and restricted party screening, higher education linkages, institution/program peer reviews, business (local and FDI) engagement, and extensive working experience with US Commercial Service (nationally and Alabama) and local Chambers of Commerce (Alabama).
Education: PhD/MA University of Florida, BA Indiana University.
Professional experience: Establishment and administration of the non-profit Study Alabama Consortium for Global Engagement and Economic Development. Coordinated/hosted first SEUS regional EducationUSA Seminar on Recruiting and Hosting International Students (Sept.,
2019, at Alabama State University). Strong experience with national collaboration efforts across states and regions with higher education/commercial sector integration; co-manager SECUSS-L global listserv (10,000 members / 45+ countries) for the international education community;
translator for the Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau (MBVCB) World Leisure Congress 2014; board member, Mobile International Festival; lecturer Global Issues & Comparisons (university and business sector). Past senior institutional administrative experience as a Director of International Education, University of South Alabama and Auburn University, Alabama; Associate Director Int. Programs – Education Abroad at Washington State University; Assistant Director Overseas Studies and Int. Exchanges at the University of Florida. His experience also includes being the institutional USDHS Primary Designated or Responsible Officer as well as signature authority for all institutional US immigration compliance functions for both students and employment-based immigration.
Awards and Programs : Fulbright IEA Japan Program; NAFSA/DAAD Germany; PRC Ministry of Education Study Abroad Delegation Participant; Chair US DOS Alabama Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Peer Review Committee; Past VP, President and secretary Alabama Council for International Programs (ACIP); Lee County, Alabama, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) certification; Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication training, The Intercultural Communication Institute. Mediation and Conflict Resolution training, the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution. Fluent in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.
International and Language experience: Grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Work/consulting experience Belem, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, and USA. Program development site visits to Russia, England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Cuba, Costa Rica, China, Thailand, Japan; Quality Improvement Program Peer Reviewer for Forum on Education Abroad.