YFU Global Office

YFU's Global Office exists to empower the YFU network in fulfilling its mission. It provides strategic leadership, essential services, and capacity-building opportunities to ensure YFU Member Organizations operate as strong, sustainable, and high-quality entities across the globe.

The Global Office is made up of two legally independent but closely aligned entities: Youth For Understanding International Educational Services (YFU IES) and European Educational Exchanges – Youth for Understanding (EEE-YFU). Together, they function as a unified structure through integrated governance, shared operations, and coordinated management - working as one efficient and effective global entity.

The Global Office delivers key support in several areas:
-  Global coordination and governance
-  Strategic leadership and operational services
-  Quality assurance and performance monitoring
-  Training, capacity-building, and knowledge sharing
-  Advocacy, fundraising, and public relations

It also serves as YFU’s outward-facing voice by engaging with partners such as international institutions, civil society organizations, funders, governments, universities, and the private sector to build partnerships, secure resources, and raise the profile of youth exchange.

At its core, the Global Office exists to ensure that every member of the YFU network is equipped, connected, and empowered to keep our shared mission strong, visible, and impactful.

Gregory Matheson

Secretary General

Gregory Matheson is the Secretary General of YFU's Global Office. Gregory is responsible for overseeing the work of the Global Staff and for implementing the Global Strategy of YFU. He holds a degree in Law and European history. Gregory has been involved with YFU since 2013, when he took over the management of YFU France. He has been involved with YFU as a Director, host father, volunteer and counselor and is fiercely committed to the values and projects of Youth For Understanding, recognising the power of its mission and its volunteer communities and the transformative value of it's work for individuals and for communities around the world.

KEA HOPPE

Deputy Secretary General & Director of Public Affairs

Kea Hoppe is the Deputy Secretary General of YFU’s Global Office and the Director of Public Affairs, located in Brussels, Belgium. In her current role, she is responsible for amplifying YFU's visibility and impact globally through public relations, partnerships, advocacy and fundraising. Kea holds a master's degree in psychology from the University of Göttingen, Germany, the country she is originally from. Having been a YFU exchange student herself, she loves working with passionate colleagues from around the globe for a cause she truly believes in. She has been involved with YFU as a staff member since 2006, first working for YFU Germany in different management positions before moving to the international level of YFU in January 2017. Until January 2019, she was the Director of EEE-YFU, the umbrella organization of YFU in Europe, making her even more a believer in active global citizenship than before.

BENT RICHTER

IT Director

Bent leads the Global IT department in order to build strong IT backbone operations for YFU member organizations worldwide. Starting out as a YFU exchange student he has been involved with YFU ever since - as volunteer, host parent as well as co-founder and long time Director of YFU in Austria. He values working for YFU because it is a place where professional work can make a true difference to people’s lives. Among other degrees he holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration.

JOANNE HALBARDIER

Director Membership & Governance

Joanne is the Membership & Governance Manager of Youth For Understanding’s (YFU) Global Office. She was born in New York, and raised and educated on the east coast of the US. Currently based in Washington, DC, she supports and coordinates YFU international governance functions, including International Board activities, the International Contingency and Development Fund and its grantee and trustee activities, international General Assembly functions, Member Organization processes and communications and Global Office operations.  Joanne has worked for YFU in a variety of capacities, including all aspects of program delivery for the YFU organization in the US. Previous to YFU, Joanne worked in the area of university programs - recruitment, promotion and administration. She volunteers her time to causes important to her – Alzheimer’s prevention, social justice and voting rights. Joanne is a global citizen who believes wholeheartedly in the mission of YFU and how it’s now more necessary than ever. She took part in a cultural exchange to the United Kingdom shortly after graduating from university. But it’s the people of YFU who keep her interest - she particularly loves working with a diversity of cultures and their different professional approaches. “There are not enough fingers on my hands to count the lifelong friends I’ve made because of and through YFU!”

HERMAN WIEDEMANN

Global Development & Compliance Director

Herman Wiedemann is the Global Development & Compliance Director of YFU’s Global Office. In his current role, he is responsible for monitoring member organizations’ performance and compliance, managing and implementing YFU’s QMS and all its components, conducting audits for recertifications, supporting together with Global Programs our members’ organizational development, assisting with YFU’s crisis and risk management and overseeing YFU’s Learning & Knowledge portfolio. Herman was a YFU exchange student to California, USA and as returnee became actively engaged first as a YFU volunteer, then as office staff for YFU Uruguay and later on intern for YFU Austria till he joined the former International Secretariat of YFU IES in Washington DC for 2 years. Before joining the Global Office in Brussels in 2019, he was the National Director for YFU Uruguay. In 2023 he relocated back to Uruguay with his family, now working from there. He holds a degree in Political Sciences and Economics from the University of the Republic of Uruguay. Herman has experienced living in 5 different countries and sees himself as a true citizen of the world!

MARZENA GAWENDA

Training & Knowledge Manager

Marzena is YFU's Training & Knowledge Manager. Her responsibilities include designing and implementing training courses and capacity-building projects for YFU volunteers and staff, obtaining funds and grant-writing for educational projects as well as managing the European Trainer Network. Originally from Poland, she has lived, worked and studied in Italy and Spain and is currently based in Belgium. Marzena is not only a trainer, coach and facilitator, but also an art therapist, deeply interested in body-mind-soul connection. She has extensive volunteer experience in NGOs, including AEGEE, SIETAR, First Light India, and Toastmasters.  Working with YFU makes it possible for her to be the witness of countless a-ha moments and transformations during training courses, international friendships being forged and exceptional ideas turning into sustainable projects. Marzena holds an MA in Ethnolinguistics and a post-master specialisation in Art Therapy, Forum Theatre and Vedic Art. She has over 15 years of practice in the Training Field and her work experience ranges from designing educational projects for NGOs to organising strategic retreats and teambuilding activities for businesses, to running transformative personal retreats for individuals.

HEATHER DORSEY

Global Travel Manager

Heather is the Travel Manager for the Global Office. Based in Washington, DC, she is responsible for arranging and managing the safe international travel of several hundred exchange students around the world every year. She also oversees the Airport Assistance Service, supervising a team of 30+ remote workers who meet students in airports across the USA, assisting students with making their flight connections, rebooking cancelled flights, and chaperoning overnight stays. Heather started with YFU USA as a volunteer, then Admissions Counselor in 1999, and was soon recruited to join its new Travel Department in 2001. She was Travel Director of YFU USA from 2015 before transferring to the Global Office in 2020. A native of the Washington, DC area, Heather has 20+ years of hospitality and customer service experience and is a frequent traveler herself. Her time as a host sister and exchange student in France, as well as her work and friendships made over the years with YFU, inspire her to continue sharing the mission and goals of cultural exchange with others.

LENKA KOVÁČOVÁ

Programs & Administrative Assistant

Lenka is the Programs and Administrative Assistant at the Global Office. In this role she supports member organizations with programs related tasks and questions, such as health insurance, system support and mediation between partners. She also supports the Global Office in administrative tasks such as finance and daily office management. Lenka comes from Czechia, has lived and studied in Germany and France and is currently based in Belgium. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography of Central Europe, EU and regional studies from UJEP, Czechia. Lenka has a long-time experience with Erasmus+ program as an exchange student, volunteer and finally an ESC volunteer which led her to join YFU at her current position. Lenka's hobbies include baking, rafting and all things sci-fi.

MAUD TALEB

Communications & Marketing Specialist

Maud, originally from France, is YFU’s Communications and Marketing Specialist. Having grown up and worked in Germany, she developed an early passion for intercultural exchange and multilingual communication. Maud holds a Master’s degree in International Business and Management, along with a Bachelor’s degree in English and German with a focus on international commerce. Before joining YFU, she gained professional experience across several European markets, working in marketing, product management, and communication roles in both France and Germany. Her own experiences abroad have shaped her global outlook as a teenager, having attended summer schools in Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami, and later having pursued a Spanish language course in Alicante to strengthen her linguistic and cultural fluency. These formative experiences mirror the spirit of YFU’s mission to promote understanding through international exchange. Her role at YFU is to ensure clear, engaging, and consistent communication across all YFU channels, increase our visibility globally.

ELISABETH MARKERT

Educational Projects Coordinator

Eli brings over a decade of experience in non-formal education and intercultural youth work to her role as Educational Projects Coordinator. A dedicated trainer and volunteer since 2011, she has facilitated numerous workshops on culture, intercultural communication, identity, values, diversity, and LGBTQ* topics, supporting young people and volunteers on their growth journey across national and international orientations and trainings. Eli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Russian and Japanese Studies and a Master’s degree in Conference Interpreting for German, Japanese, and English. Her academic path includes a YFU exchange year from Germany to Japan in 2010/11, a university exchange to Tokyo during her BA, a scholarship-funded Summer School in Vladivostok on International Politics in Northeast Asia, and an internship abroad during her MA, all of which deepened her commitment to intercultural understanding, global citizenship and human rights education. In her role, Eli supports the development and coordination of volunteer-driven educational projects, especially the YES, that foster the global YFU community, personal growth, and youth empowerment. She is passionate about creating inclusive learning environments and helping young people gain the skills and confidence to navigate today’s interconnected world, strengthening democratic societies.

NICK CIESLA

Junior Developer

Nick is a Software Developer that works as a part of Youth For Understanding’s Global IT department. Nick was born and raised in Michigan and is currently works from YFU USA’s regional office in Saginaw. Nick Joined the YFU team in 2023 and will be working on several projects that will shape the technological future of YFU. Nick holds a bachelor’s in computer science from Southern New Hampshire University. Nick has never been an exchange student himself. However, his high school hosted several exchange students every year. Interacting with these international students and forging lifelong friendships helped him to understand the value of the work that YFU does and inspired him to contribute to the effort.

Lívia Sabolčáková

Membership and Quality Intercultural Exchanges Assistant

Originally from Slovakia, Lívia joined the Global Office in May 2025 as Membership and Quality Intercultural Exchanges Assistant in the frame of the European Solidarity Corps. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and World History from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in International Tourism Management with Mandarin from Middlesex University, London. Having lived and studied in both the UK and China, Lívia brings firsthand experience of navigating diverse cultural environments, which has deepened her appreciation for intercultural education. She is passionate about fostering cross-cultural understanding and has a particular interest in East Asian cultures and international relations. Adaptable and curious by nature, Lívia thrives in dynamic, international settings and is committed to promoting global collaboration and meaningful cultural exchange. She continually seeks opportunities for professional growth while helping to build bridges between cultures.

NEDINA GJORGJIEVA

Communications & Advocacy Assistant

Nedina comes from North Macedonia and has been working at the Global Office as Communication and Advocacy Assistant in the frame of the European Solidarity Corps since November 2025. She holds a Master’s degree in European Studies from the University of Bucharest and a Bachelor’s degree in English and German language from Ovidius University in Constanța. Her studies also took her abroad through Erasmus programs in Austria and Germany, experiences that strengthened her intercultural competence and multilingual communication skills. Before joining the Global Office, Nedina has had the opportunity to support the office of a Member of the German Bundestag, assisting with research, communication, and policy work related to gender, education, scientific research and technology. She has also been involved in UN-related initiatives in North Macedonia, contributing to projects focused on gender equality. These experiences have strengthened her interest in the public and non-profit sectors, where she hopes to continue working for organizations that contribute directly to positive changes in society.