Susanne Thomas, Ph.D.

Susanne1234@bellsouth.net (404) 202-5960 www.linkedin.com/pub/susanne-thomas-phd-relocating-to-new-england/16/a80/b2a/

Profile
Academic leader, seeking to add value, institutional capacity, and expertise to international educational and training programs/projects and study abroad (14 yrs.) Multiple university degrees in foreign languages with expertise in international communications. Fluent French speaker with formal cross-cultural training, living and working experience in Quebec, France, North Africa and Middle East (4+ yrs.) and working experience with sub-Saharan nationals (Gabon, Cameroon). Interests and talents focused on program management in an international context. Experienced in soliciting program hosts and fellowship/student sponsors. Excel in bilateral communications with overseas centers and universities. Have an in-depth knowledge of program operations from insurance and safety issues, to strategic planning, outcomes assessment, and budget creation. Professionally and diplomatically present information to a variety of groups including government officials, both U.S. State Department and foreign government officials (Tunisia, Egypt), peer organizations, and program participants. Polished presenter at meetings, conferences, workshops, and study abroad orientation. Experienced in leading faculty development programs abroad. Well-read across disciplines, talented in assimilating program-specific terminology and new knowledge areas. Excellent writer and editor of reports, newsletters, and promotional material. Certified grant writer with $3 million+ grant portfolio.

Selected Areas of Expertise

Strategic planning & outcomes Program concept and development Establishing & monitoring program budgets Student recruitment Logistics and operations Participant monitoring and advising Program troubleshooting French (fluent), Italian and Spanish (intermediate) Arabic/Tunisian dialect Modern Standard Arabic (some notions, currently studying) Relevant computer skills Site visits, international travel logistics Student orientation and visa issues

Education Traditional Academic

Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 1988 Ph.D., Romance Languages 1982 M.A., Romance Languages Emmanuel College, Boston, Massachusetts 1975 A.B., French Graduation with distinction in field of concentration Loyola University of Montreal Summers of 1969 and 1970 Intensive language study in French

Certificate Programs
Emory University Professional Certificate Program 2009 Grant Writing The United States Peace Corps Training School, La Marsa, Tunisia 1990 Intensive study in TEFL (200 hours) Intensive study in Tunisian Arabic (200 hours) Cross-cultural Training (40 hours)

Business Studies
Georgia State University, MBA Studies (degree not completed) 1978 1980 Economics, Business Management, Accounting

Work Experience Highlights

Emory University |Atlanta, Georgia (5/15/2012-10/02/2013) Director, Emeritus College Had primary responsibility for building the capacity of Emory's retired faculty organization and encouraging its substantial involvement with a wide range of intellectual activities at the university and volunteer service beyond

Susanne Thomas, Ph.D.

Assisted in the process to position Emory as a national leader among institutions of higher education that offer new models of intellectual engagement for their faculty Designed and managed 16 programs in the Emeritus College (which serves faculty from Emory's nine academic units) and devised strategies for assessing and documenting its impact Oversaw the staff in the Emeritus College and worked monthly with the 9-member Executive Committee

Thomas Writing Services (formerly Atlanta Grants)| Atlanta, Georgia Independent Writer 2009 20111 Established profitable grant writing, academic writing, editing, and creative non-fiction writing business.

The American Research Center in Egypt, Inc. (ARCE) an Emory 501 (c) 3 affiliate organization | Atlanta, Georgia Associate Director 1999 2006 Directed the ARCE cornerstone fellowship program for pre- and post-doctoral fellows: advised doctoral applicants on form and content of proposals; wrote orientation manual and championed material needs of graduate students; supported American fellows in Egypt and Egyptian fellows in the U.S. with academics, housing, stipends, frequent cultural adjustment issues; represented fellows interests to Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Managed special study abroad and bi-national programs and developed programs at the request of the U.S. Department of State. Successfully wrote over $3 million in federal and foundation grants in support of fellowships, language training, library resources, and computers for fellows. Official representative of ARCE to the University Administration; represented ARCE to the public and at national meetings of the Middle East Studies Association; represented ARCE on behalf of the President and Director at ceremonies and speaking engagements. Served on the ARCE Executive Committee; in cooperation with the President and Executive Committee, chaired the Fellowship and Annual Meeting committees; served on the By-Laws Committee and Archeological Expeditions committee. Hired and trained staff.

I had been working for seven years for an Emory affiliate, The American Research Center in Egypt, located on the Briarcliff campus, when the organization announced that it would restructure and move to San Antonio. Almost simultaneously, I was gravely injured in a car accident. By the time I had recovered in the spring of 2009, the country was in full economic crisis and Emory could not place me in another position. Thus, I started my own writing business until I could find another appropriate position at Emory.

Susanne Thomas, Ph.D.

Reported twice yearly to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Recipient of ARCE 2007 distinguished service award.

Graduate Division of Religion |Emory University Assistant Director 1995 1999 In charge of the academic well-being of 135 doctoral students in seven programs, interacting on their behalf with all levels of University Administration. Organized fellowship selection process and triage of proposals. Shared responsibility with the Associate Director for student/professor conflict resolution. Generally supported doctoral students (visa issues, mortgage applications, other practical issues). Developed computerized tracking system for student academic progress and subsequently rendered system accessible to individual faculty from desktops. Volunteer Instructor, French for Reading Theology, two years. Highly involved in development of progressive multicultural publicity brochure for the divisions seven programs.

Other Work Experience

The University of Tunis | Tunis, Tunisia Associate Professor (Matre Assistant) of English Greene, and Henry James. Designed and taught The Bible as Literature. Served as advisor to one doctoral student. The United States Peace Corps |Sousse, Tunisia LEcole normale suprieure Education Volunteer 1990 Taught 19th Century British poetry, phonetics, and conversational English. The University System of Georgia |Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia State University) International Intercultural Studies Program Administrative Coordinator 1988-1989 1991-1994

Taught Survey of American Literature, Seminars in Steinbeck, Graham

Susanne Thomas, Ph.D.

Developed, promoted, executed, and evaluated 21 study abroad programs in business, the humanities, humanistic social sciences, computer science, and medicine. Identified and worked with faculty, deans, vice-presidents, and presidents to host study abroad programs. Publicized programs through recruitment presentations at campuses throughout the state; wrote promotional brochure copy. Designed cross-cultural orientation sessions for program leaders and students. Conducted site visits to evaluate program operations. Emory University | Atlanta, Georgia Department of Modern Languages & Classics; Emory Summer Program in Paris Teaching Assistant 1978-1981

Governance and Committee Service

Member of the Board and Conference Committee of the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE) Ongoing 2012-present Member ex officio of the Center for Faculty Development Executive Committee, Clerk and Officer of the Corporation (ARCE By-Laws Committee (ARCE) Chair of Fellowship Committee and Annual Meeting Committee (ARCE) Member of the Board of Directors, Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) Member of the Board of Directors, The Asian Studies Consortium of Georgia (University System of Georgia)

Miscellaneous Presentations
8 Presentations on faculty retirement issues, Emory Emeritus College Host for the Lunch Colloquium Series and other academic and social university functions, Emory Emeritus College Presenter, Access to Research in Egypt in Todays Political Climate, meeting of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, November 2003, Anchorage, Alaska.

Susanne Thomas, Ph.D.

Panel Chair and Presenter, Research Opportunities in the Middle East, meeting of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, November 2001, San Francisco, California. Numerous presentations to The National Endowment for the Humanities. Five presentations on fellowship research to the academic and general membership at the ARCE annual meetings (New York, Tucson, San Francisco, Baltimore, and Atlanta).

References and writing samples furnished upon request