Meet Our Students

Environmental Policy and Management

Libby Mohn

Libby is a 2nd year Environmental Policy and Management student specializing in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. That gets a bit wordy, so she often tells people she studies “international ocean policy.” Libby completed her undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University, majoring in History and minoring in Biology, International Relations, and Environmental Studies. When the pandemic hit, Libby flew to Taiwan where she taught English under the Fulbright program to Taiwanese students and learned a bit of Mandarin. MIIS offered the perfect intersection of her interests: ocean conservation, international focus, cross-cultural communication, and sustainability management. From key connections at MIIS, Libby has been working with the IUCN on a report to inform high seas marine protected areas. On campus, she teaches yoga to students, is the Aquatics Club co-president, and works for the Center for the Blue Economy. Outside of class, Libby enjoys getting coffee with friends, SCUBA diving and snorkeling, reading at the beach, and exploring around Big Sur. Sign up to chat.

Online International Education Management

Andi Regalbuto

Andi Regalbuto is second semester online student in the joint Master of Public Administration and international education management program, with a specialization in French. She just finished her grant year as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at the University of Belgrade in Serbia. Originally from Michigan, she ventured across Lake Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to complete her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Interdisciplinary Peace Studies. Since then, she has worked in various jobs that help promote access to education and continued learning, and she has experience teaching English in mainland France and Reunion Island. Andi loves any outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and skiing as well as meeting friends out for coffee. She’s looking forward to speaking about all things IEM! Sign up to chat.

International Policy and Development

Landry Dohou Bi (He, Him, His)

Originally from Cote d’Ivoire, Landry lived in Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for 7 months before moving to Monterey. He is a Fulbright grantee pursuing a MA in IPD focusing on International Migration, Human Rights, and Security to contribute to solving issues of migrants with disabilities and to work on emergency programs management. He holds a Master’s in Private Law, and he is an alumnus of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) program from the US Dept of State. He has been in the nonprofit field for 6 years now, working with several NGOs at a national and international level like Special Olympics and the Danish Deaf Association. 

At MIIS, he co-leads two student clubs. One is for environmental protection called Blue and the other one is for the United Nations Association Monterey chapter. He is also a member of the Institute’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advisory committee. You will not find his apartment address in the Michelin guide, but if you stop by, he can cook for you some delicious dishes from West Africa, France, Italy, and the Middle East, which he has learned from his mother who is a chef. Sign up to chat.

International Trade

MacKenzie Van Meter

Originally from Houston, Texas, MacKenzie is a student of International Trade and a Conflict Transformation Fellow at MIIS. After graduating from Washington and Lee University with a B.A. in Philosophy and French in May of 2022, she moved to Paris, France to participate in a teaching assistant fellowship (TAPIF) through which she has the opportunity to continue to cultivate her French language skills and intercultural competence (as well as to enjoy the art and food, of course). During this time, she began her studies at MIIS virtually. This fall, MacKenzie has moved to the Monterey area to begin attending her MIIS classes in person and has already fallen in love with the area and the MIIS community. A former dancer, rugby, and water polo player, MacKenzie loves to stay active and try new things. Her personal library—both literary and musical—is her pride and joy and she loves discussing ideas and music with others. Sign up to chat.

Master of Public Administration

Felix Naim  

Originally from the SF Bay Area, Felix is a Joint ITED/MPA student with a planned specialization in Financial Crime Management. Felix earned his BA from the Chinese Flagship Program at San Francisco State University, during which he also studied abroad in Taiwan in 2018 and 2021-22. Felix has some work experience in the retail banking industry, and has also served as an intern at a nonprofit where he conducted educational policy research. Felix decided to study at MIIS after hearing about the trade program from one of his former classmates, and feels that MIIS offers a unique curriculum that builds on all of his past experiences and future career interests.

On campus, Felix is the Co-President of the Financial Crime Management club, and also assists Student Services. In his free time, Felix likes to cook, practice calligraphy, and sing karaoke. He ran his first charity marathon in 2023. Sign up to chat.

Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies

Ian Driscoll

Ian is a second-semester NPTS student pursuing a specialization in Financial Crime Management. Ian completed his undergraduate studies at Middlebury College in Vermont, majoring in International & Global Studies with a focus on East Asia and a minor in history. With research experience from studying abroad in both China and Taiwan, Ian is passionate about financial crime in East Asia and is a recipient of the Gard’ n’ Wall Foundation Scholarship. He is earning a certification in Financial Crime Prevention and researching for a podcast he plans to create on Altaf Khanani, a notorious money launderer for Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Ian is currently a graduate assistant for the Immersive Learning Program and the Vice President’s Office. He was also selected as a Virtual Federal Student Intern for Homeland Security, where he is tracking Chinese criminal organizations responsible for money laundering in the Pacific region. On campus, Ian is president of QAAAM (Queers & Allies @ MIIS) and the Tennis Club’s vice president. Ian enjoys exploring Monterey with his friends when he is not in class. Sign up to chat.

TESOL and Teaching Foreign Language

Elizabeth Ampthor

Originally from Ohio, Elisabeth earned a BA in International Affairs from the University of Cincinnati. After graduation, she made her way first to Istanbul, where she earned a certificate in TEFL, then to Copenhagen, where she became a regular volunteer at a community center for refugees and asylum seekers. Those experiences fueled her interest in both language teaching and immigration law. In 2014 Elisabeth moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to work as a paralegal at immigration law firms. Her decision to return to language education finally led her to Monterey and MIIS, where she is pursuing an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with a specialization in Language Program Administration. Elisabeth is a co-leader of the student clubs Queers and Allies at MIIS (QAAAM) and Beyond yoUrself In Language Development (BUILD). She is passionate about community building and fills her free time walking her dog, birdwatching, and reading. Sign up to chat.

Translation; Translation and Interpretation; Conference Interpretation

Yifan Jia

Originally from China, Yifan is now pursuing his MA in Translation and Interpretation (Chinese and English). His journey began with a bachelor’s degree in International Economics and Trade, but he quickly realized that his heart was not in the world of business (let’s just skip the part about the animosity towards math). He kept an open mind and was lucky enough to discover where his true passion lies—translation and interpretation. Despite being a complete novice, he was welcomed by MIIS with open arms. With his experience in the world of economics and trade and a passion for helping people communicate, he is now determined to become a professional interpreter. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, hitting the gym, and spending time with his friends. He is proud about his impressive drumming skills, and he also plays video games, although he admits that his skills in that area are a little less polished. Sign up to chat.

Translation and Localization Management

Melissa Svenningsen

Melissa is currently pursuing a master’s in Translation and Localization Management with a focus in Russian-English/German-English translation. She graduated from George Washington University with a BA in Russian Language and Literature. She taught English in Moscow, Russia, and worked in hospitality prior to starting at the Middlebury Institute. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking bread and hiking with her dog. Sign up to chat.

Online Translation and Localization Management

Eunji Hamnett

Eunji is a 2nd year online advanced entry student majoring in Translation and Localization Management, remotely joining from Seattle, Washington. She is from Korea but her life and work have spanned the globe. With more than ten years of IT & Technology global PR/communication experience, she has evolved from account/project manager roles early in her career to more linguistic-oriented fields in recent years. Eunji has been working her entire career in the client-serving sector, which consisted of account management, global communication, content development, and translation. She managed local and international accounts while working with various tech firms and has led multicultural and multilingual teams from 30+ countries across the globe. She is passionate about marketing and communication and, at MIIS, she has been volunteering as a marketing advisor to help and guide ROAR (student-run localization-related Podcast and online magazine) to establish its brand and grow further. Outside of work, Eunji enjoys being in nature, and anything and everything active! Some of her hobbies are Pilates, running, hiking, and SCUBA. Sign up to chat.