Executive Director
Liz Willis is a Global Studies and Political Science major with a Hispanic Studies minor from Polk County, NC. She joined S4Si because she believes that education is a right and that everyone, regardless of their gender, financial situation or location, should have access to the same opportunities that she has had. She also loves the international relationships that she has been able to build with the scholars and with the incredible women who mentor and support our scholars in Zanzibar. They have been an inspiration to her, and she would love to go back to Zanzibar after graduation to see them all again.
Operations Director
Anna Bobrow (Director of Operations) is a junior Political Science major and French minor from Charlotte, NC. She is responsible for preparing the annual report, preparing official University recognition documents, membership recruitment and retention, communicating S4Si announcements with members, planning S4Si member socials, and advising the Executive Director. Anna has previously served as Director of Outreach and on the 2011 S4Si Delegation to Zanzibar. She is inspired by the S4Si Scholars’ drive to strengthen themselves and their community, and she is proud to be able to represent them on the Executive Board.
Events Directors
Amelia Ahern is a junior Psychology and Geography double major from Durham, NC. She got involved with S4Si my freshman as an events committee member, and she has loved every second of it! She is passionate about S4Si because it gives our peers across the continent a fighting chance at following their dreams and going on to shape a safer and healthier community to live in. Outside of S4Si, she spends her time figure skating, tutoring, and participating in various events with Phi Beta Chi.
Madiha Bhatti is a junior from High Point, North Carolina serving her first year on S4Si’s executive board. She is double-majoring in English and Biology and minoring in Women’s studies. She hopes it will prepare her for a career in medicine, with a focus in women’s health (the English major is so she can write eloquent prescriptions.) She believes, with all her heart in soul, in the S4SI mission of educating, enriching and empowering youth in developing nations, and hopes to travel to Tanzania and Zanzibar one day to see the incredible Scholars in action. Beyond S4Si, Madiha is a member of the Muslim Students Association, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Best Buddies through the Campus Y.
Hillary Stroud is a sophomore American Studies major from Wake Forest, North Carolina. She loves learning and is a firm believer in the ability of education to empower and enrich individuals and their communities; her work with S4Si reflects this passion. Hillary devotes much of her time to her goals of improving education on a local, national, and global scale, through organizations including the Tar Heel Outreach Program in addition to her work with S4Si.
Communications Directors
Caroline Leland is a sophomore journalism major from Tarboro, N.C. Reading Half the Sky (Kristof and WuDunn) in high school exposed Caroline to the tragic reality of the oppression of women around the world as well as the incredible antidote of women’s education. Firmly believing that keeping girls in school combats and prevents many of the world’s problems, Caroline deliberately sought S4Si at FallFest her freshman year. She now enthusiastically serves S4Si as co-director of the communications committee.
Noam Soker is a Junior majoring in Communication Studies with a focus on interpersonal and organizational communications. She is from Greensboro, North Carolina. Noam is one of the co-director of communications. She joined Students for Students International as a first year. She loves S4Si and all the wonderful opportunities it creates. Noam firmly believes that education is the key to success and is so proud to be part of an organization that strives to provide education.
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Scholarships Directors
Safiyah Ismail (Co-Director of Scholarships) is a sophomore from Cary, North Carolina. She is planning on pursuing a major in Environmental Health Science and Engineering with minors in Arabic and Speech and Hearing Sciences. She served as Co-Director of Outreach during spring semester of her first-year at Carolina and loved learning about S4Si’s mission and scholars. Last summer she interned with the Foundation for Sustainable Development in Masaya, Nicaragua, empowering women and families in planning, developing, and actually building eco-friendly cookstoves to prevent future cases of respiratory illnesses due to indoor air pollution. She also volunteers as a doula with the UNC Doula Program at the UNC Women’s Hospital. In her free time she enjoys running half-marathons, writing parodies to popular pop songs, and practicing sign language.
April Pullium is a senior English and Political Science major from Garner, NC. After graduation, she plans to attend law school and pursue a career in public interest or human rights law–two interests which S4Si has helped to inspire. April has been involved with S4Si since her first year at Carolina and loves working with the organization. April travelled to Zanzibar with the 2012 S4Si delegation, where she had the rewarding and life-changing experience of meeting S4Si’s scholars. In addition to working with S4Si, April is the Assistant Editor of the UNC Undergraduate Law Journal.
Outreach Director
Devika Chawla is a senior at Carolina majoring in psychology and biology, and she has been involved with S4Si since her first year at Carolina. She feels very fortunate to attend an amazing academic institution like UNC, and strongly believes that education is a powerful and transformative tool for society. Learning about the challenges the scholars face and their academic success despite these setbacks always humbles her and keeps her driven to work for S4Si. She also loves traveling and has studied abroad twice in college – first in Singapore, then in Hong Kong. A few of her favorite things include cute babies, Bollywood movies, yoga, engaging conversation, and baking interesting desserts.
Finance Directors
Bailey Jones is a Junior from Raleigh, NC, majoring in American Studies and Information Science. She has served as S4Si’s finance director since January 2011. She went on delegation this summer and had an awesome time meeting the scholars and selecting next year’s class. She also enjoys theatre and has acted in several productions with LAB! theatre, UNC’s undergraduate theatre company. She is planning to study abroad next semester, but she is confident that the position will be left in good hands!
Katie Marriner is a journalism and mass communication major with a minor in music from Wilmington, NC. This is her second year with S4Si and first serving on the exec board. She believes that an education is the key to unlocking so many other doors in life. As someone who receives aid for her own education, she realizes the impact a scholarship can have on one’s education. That is why she is so passionate about what S4Si stands for. In addition to S4Si, she is a member of the Marching Tar Heels and enjoys graphic design.
Grants Director
Jasmine Kreig (Director of Grants) is a junior, majoring in Environmental Science and Art History, with a minor in Math. This is her third year with S4Si and she is very excited about continuing her work with the organization. Jasmine believes that education enriches lives and empowers individuals, which is one of the reasons she believes so strongly in the organization. She is also very concerned with women’s empowerment. In her free time, Jasmine enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the piano.
Alumni Relations Director
Krishna Patel is a senior, double majoring in Nutrition and Sociology, at UNC. As a student in the Gillings School of Public Health and a proud member of S4SI, she believes and supports the notion that education is a vital pathway to securing a better quality life, community, and world in general. As the director of Alumni Relations, she wishes to maintain a constant relationship with the alumni, promote their participation in S4SI events/fundraisers, and ensure their continued support for our mission. Beyond S4Si, she is President of UNC-CH HOSA, a national student led organization for future health professionals, and a Research Assistant at the Carolina Population Center. In her free time, she likes to spend time with family/friends, watch movies, learn about other cultures, cook, and eat ice cream. Upon graduating college, Krishna wishes to get her MPH (Master’s in Public Health) and eventually work with UNICEF or WHO to lessen health disparities and promote health equity around the world.
IT Director
Markus Le is a third year Environmental Science and Biology major with a minor in Hispanic Studies from Raleigh, North Carolina. He has been with S4Si since his freshman year, involved mostly with the Communications Committee, and now serves as the IT director for the organization. Though his majors are not directly related to education, Markus believes strongly in the value and power of education and the benefits it can bring to everyone, and is therefore also involved with other education-related organizations on campus like the Communiversity Youth Program. When he finds time, he also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and several environmental action clubs around campus.