Meet Our Staff
Dr. Jennifer Fernandez-Villa, Director
Dr. Jennifer Fernandez-Villa has served as the director of the Office of International Students & Scholars for nearly two decades. Prior to joining UNCW, Jennifer worked at the Center for International Faculty & Student Services at Rutgers University.
Jennifer has served on the NAFSA Region VII board, served as chair of the North Carolina Association of International Educators, and enjoys giving presentations and trainings at conferences. Jennifer earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from UNCW, a Master's in Global Affairs from Rutgers, and a Bachelor's in Spanish from New York University. While attending NYU, Jennifer studied in Madrid, Spain for a year and Florence, Italy for a summer.
Jennifer was born in Athens, Greece to an American father and English mother and is married to a Spaniard, with whom she has three children. Jennifer feels privileged to work towards expanding UNCW's global footprint and loves getting to know students and scholars from around the world as they settle into their new life in the USA.
Contact Dr. Fernandez-Villa
Amy Stello Lekeu, Assistant Director (J-1 Student Advisor)
Amy Stello Lekeu serves J-1 exchange students and scholars as the Assistant Director of the Office of International Students & Scholars. Amy earned her Master’s degree in International Education Policy from the University of Maryland and her Bachelor’s degree in English-Philosophy from Christopher Newport University.
During her undergraduate program, Amy studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic. After graduation, she spent a year volunteering with the Service Protestant de la Jeunesse in Belgium and continues to experience the importance of service-learning.
Amy lives in Wilmington with her Belgian husband and infant daughter. She loves reading about innovative ideas and design, gardening, cooking, and traveling. As an educator, Amy is strongly committed to fair treatment of all students and listening across differences. She also believes in serving local and global communities on campus.
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Franziska Neumann, Assistant Director (H-1B, LPR & J-1 Scholar Advisor)
Originally from Italy, Franziska (Franzi) Neumann relocated to Wilmington three years ago to further her career and build a life here. Franzi graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA, with a degree in Human Services. She later attended Suffolk University Law School and focused on working in the nonprofit sector. Balancing her professional aspirations and personal life, she is also a dedicated parent to her daughter, Mia. Franzi comes from a family of educators and is eager to bring her expertise in immigration law to a new role where she can continue to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals and families navigating the complexities of immigration.
Contact Franziska
Audrey Richardson, Assistant Director (F-1 Advisor)
Audrey Richardson serves degree-seeking F-1 students as the Assistant Director of the Office of International Students & Scholars. Audrey earned her Master’s degree in Linguistics from Boğaziçi University (Istanbul, Turkey) and her Bachelor’s in University Scholars from Baylor University. Before joining UNCW, Audrey served as a DSO and ARO at the University of Texas at Tyler.
Audrey has previously lived, studied, and worked in several countries: she met her husband in India, attended grad school in Turkey, and taught SAT prep in South Korea. She enjoys experiencing new cultures, learning languages, and tasting all the curries the world has to offer.
After moving back home to the United States, Audrey was quickly drawn to the field of international education, where she feels fortunate to connect with students from around the world each day and support them as they navigate academic programs, visa regulations, and life in a new country.
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Riley Brooks, Assistant Director of International Admissions
Riley Brooks serves prospective international students and applicants as the Assistant Director of International Admissions. Riley earned her Master’s degree in Leadership and Management from Notre Dame of Maryland University and her Bachelor’s degree in Human Services from Towson University.
During her undergraduate program, Riley studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland. After graduation, Riley moved back to Ireland where she worked for an international marketing company. After returning to the States, Riley pursued a career in higher education where she has worked in international, undergraduate, graduate, and law school admissions.
Riley returned to her North Carolina roots to work with international students interested in an education at UNCW. Riley believes in the power of a diversified higher education and enjoys working with a wide range of student populations to help pursue their academic goals.
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Jana Carver, Program Coordinator
Jana Carver first came to UNCW as an undergraduate student and has considered Wilmington and the university a home ever since. After graduating with a BA in English (Literature) and a BFA in Creative Writing, she returned for her MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in fiction. While in graduate school, Jana joined UNCW’s Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) as a graduate assistant and subsequently fell in love with the international community on and off campus. Her passion for international education has only grown as she’s formed deep connections with students from around the globe and learned more about their cultures. Her primary goal as the new Program Coordinator of OISS is to listen to the students, learn what they want from their time in the US, and collaborate with them to create meaningful experiences.
Contact Jana
