ISSO Staff

ISSO staff
Jodi Hanelt
Jodi Hanelt
Executive Director
781-736-3480

Jodi began leading the ISSO at Brandeis in the fall of 2015. Before Brandeis, Jodi worked in the international offices of Tufts University and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, at Harvard’s LASPAU, and has consulted at other Boston-area institutions such as MIT and UMass Medical School.

During her career, Jodi has served on the NAFSA Region XI Team as the central/western state representative (2015), as the secretary for NAFSA’s Prevailing Wage Working Group (2012-2015), as a member of NAFSA Trainer Corps, and completed the NAFSA Academy (2008). As a member of NAFSA Trainer Corps, Jodi has served as a trainer for NAFSA Workshops on F-1 and J-1 visas at regional NAFSA conferences.  Jodi often presents at NAFSA conferences, including topics such as Update on Department of Labor Issues (Worcester, Massachusetts, 2019), Mental Health Awareness (Portland, Maine, 2018), Prevailing Wage Step by Step (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2018), Immigration Jeopardy! (Mount Washington, New Hampshire, 2017), Creating and Maintaining Public Access Files for H-1B Employees (Denver, Colorado, 2016), and has served as a regional mentor for professionals new to the field of international student and scholar advising.

Currently, Jodi serves as a member of the Government Relations Advisory Committee for NAFSA Region XI. Jodi is proud to witness at Brandeis the formation of meaningful relationships among the international students and scholars that create a foundation for the exchange of ideas over a lifetime. A graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Tufts University, Jodi is originally from Massachusetts, and enjoys tennis, traveling, the beach and spending time with her family and friends.

Adrea Papadopoulos
Adrea Papadopoulos
Associate Director
Advisor for Students with Last Names J-L
781-736-3480

Adrea Papadopoulos joined the ISSO in April 2019 and has over 10 years of experience in the higher education field. 
Before joining Brandeis University, she worked at Boston University in its International Students and Scholars Office. Adrea is originally from Texas where she earned her Master of Science in student affairs administration and higher education from Texas A&M University (TAMU). While pursuing her degree, she was an international student advisor in the International Student Services Office and served as an academic advisor for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at TAMU before relocating to the Boston area.

Adrea received training as a Designated School Official/Alternate Responsible Officer by completing several of the training sessions through NAFSA. She was part of the NAFSA Academy Class IX for International Education which provided a wide range of international education training in the areas of education abroad, international admissions, and international student and scholar services. Adrea has attended and presented at numerous national and regional NAFSA conferences including being a trainer for the F-1 Student Advising for Beginners Workshop. Adrea is a member of the NAFSA Trainer Corps team which helps to deliver and maintain the NAFSA Core Education Program (CEP) curriculum.

She has always been interested in diverse cultures and enjoys meeting people from all over the world. Through her studies, she participated in several study abroad programs in Australia, England, Italy and China. In her free time, she loves traveling, being outdoors, running, cooking and spending time with her family.

Jingwen Yan
Jingwen Yan
Associate Director
Advisor for Students with Last Names A-C
781-736-3480

Jingwen is originally from Jilin, China. Before she joined Brandeis in December 2016, Jingwen worked as a student success coach in the First Year Experience Office at Salem State University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Beijing's Jiaotong University, a Master of Arts in English literature and a Master of Education in higher education in student affairs from Salem State University.

As a former international student herself, Jingwen is drawn to the dialogues and conversations with international students and scholars, and she is eager to serve and support the international community on campus. Jingwen has presented multiple times at NAFSA Region XI conferences, with topics including international student orientation, student identity development, and advising for community integration. She has completed training in F-1 and J-1 advising through NAFSA’s workshop. She has also attended the Winter Institute for Intercultural Communication to expand her skills in facilitating cross-cultural communication and community integration.

In her free time, she loves to read, do yoga, and spend time with her family and her dog Sophie.

Rachel Benjamin
Rachel Benjamin
Assistant Director of Immigration Technology Systems
Advisor for Students with Last Names M-P
781-736-3480

Rachel joined the ISSO in August 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University where she majored in Spanish, participated in a six-month study abroad program in Seville, Spain, and completed minors in international relations and feminist, gender and sexuality studies. She is currently pursuing a joint MA in sociology and women's, gender, and sexuality studies at Brandeis.

Since beginning her work at Brandeis, she has attended several conferences and trainings to expand her knowledge of the international education field, including NAFSA regional and annual conferences, NAFSA trainings in F-1 and J-1 Advising, TDU Global conferences, and the Massachusetts Council for International Education (MaCIE) Fall Conference. She has presented at the International Office Connection conference on ISSS Practices and Technology. She also attended the Brandeis Student Affairs Conference on Social Identities, Privilege and Oppression to develop skills and frameworks for serving a diverse student population.

Before joining the ISSO, she worked as a retention specialist at Commonwealth Care Alliance assisting members with MassHealth eligibility, many of whom were recent immigrants. Rachel is originally from Ipswich, Massachusetts, and spends her free time singing in a chorus, playing the ukulele, going to the beach and traveling.

Karen Pabon
Karen Zuffante Pabon
International Student Advisor
Advisor for Students with Last Names Q-W
781-736-3480

Karen Zuffante Pabon has been involved in the fields of international education and immigration for over 35 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish literature from Colby College and a master’s degree in Latin American development from Georgetown University.

She has studied abroad and worked in Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Japan and the Philippines. Her professional experience ranges from teaching English as a second language, to intercultural consulting, immigration legal assistance, and international student and scholar advising. She has worked as an advisor to international students and scholars at Georgetown University, MIT and the University of Texas at Austin, Yale University, Teikyo Post University, Babson College, Wellesley College, and the University of California San Diego.

Karen has served as a member of the NAFSA Association of International Educators Region XI Team, a NAFSA trainer corp member, and the chair of the Region XI Government Regulatory Advisory Committee (GRAC). She is also served on the leadership team of the International Careers Consortium (ICC.)

She is originally from the Boston area and enjoys traveling, making art and learning new languages. Throughout her life, Karen has been devoted to increasing intercultural understanding and bridging cultural gaps.

Daniela Periolska
Daniela Periolska
International Student & Scholar Advisor
Advisor for Students with Last Names D-I

Daniela Periolska joined Brandeis University, ISSO as an international student and scholar advisor in May 2022. She is originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, and came to the Unites States for the first time on a student exchange program, so she knows from first-hand experience what foreign nationals are going through during the visa process. She brings over six years of extensive experience as a Designated School Office (DSO) and Alternative Responsible Office (ARO) advising international students and scholars from Northeastern University as well as experience as an immigration paralegal at a local law firm.

She also worked for a variety of agencies in the United States and Bulgaria helping international students with different exchange programs. She loves traveling and has lived in Bulgaria, Spain and the U.S. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from a university in Bulgaria and took master classes during her time at Northeastern. During the weekends you can find her hiking, biking, skiing or doing yoga with her kids. She is excited to join the ISSO and assist Brandeis University’s students and scholars.

Ian Metivier
Ian Metivier
International Student Advisor
Advisor for Students with Last Names X-Z

Ian joined the ISSO in March 2020. Before starting at Brandeis, he worked at Boston City Hall and Northeastern University. Having participated in a variety of study abroad and international internship programs in Argentina, Spain, and the United Kingdom, Ian developed a keen interest in working with and supporting international students and their studies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology and Spanish from Northeastern University. Ian is originally from Texas and enjoys tennis, visiting national parks, board games and international travel.

Headshot of Catherine Zamarro
Catherine Zamarro
Department Coordinator
781-736-3480

Catherine joined the ISSO team in November 2022. Before starting her position at Brandeis, she spent three years teaching English as a second language in Valencia, Spain. During this experience, she was able to fully immerse herself in the Spanish language and culture. Having her own experience abroad inspired her to pursue a role in an international education setting. She is excited to be working with international students and scholars attending Brandeis and supporting them during their experience here.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in public health and a minor in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Catherine is originally from Massachusetts and enjoys doing yoga, hiking, painting and traveling to new places with her friends and family.