Related Offices

Jessica Sandberg joined DKU in September 2018. As the Dean of International Enrollment Management, she leads international student recruitment, marketing, admissions, and financial aid initiatives for the university.

A seasoned leader in international education, Jessica’s career focus is shaping talented and diverse student populations. From 2012-2018, she served as the inaugural director of international admissions for Temple University where she led operations during a period of unprecedented growth. In 2016, she developed #YouAreWelcomeHere into a viral social media campaign to promote US Higher Education to prospective international students and later created a national scholarship program under the same name. These efforts earned her a place on the Chronicle of Higher Education’s "Influence List" in 2017 and Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best of” list in 2018. Earlier in her career, she held international admissions positions with Community College of Philadelphia and Vesalius College in Brussels, Belgium. Jessica is a frequent writer, presenter, and contributor for international education publications and associations including NAFSA, AIRC, NACAC, and AIEA. In 2017, she served as editor of the book Guide to International Student Recruitment (3rd edition) by NAFSA. 

Jessica holds a B.A. in Political Science from Moravian College and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Kent.

Alyson Lucas is a Global Recruitment Officer for the undergraduate program at DKU. Her main responsibilities are traveling to meet with students in South Asia and the southeast region of the United States to connect them with the amazing opportunity to earn a Duke education in China. 

Alyson received her degrees in International Relations and East Asian Studies from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and has lived and studied abroad in Nagoya, Japan. Previously before joining DKU, she worked as an international recruiter at Indiana Institute of Technology for international students coming to the US. When not connecting with students, Alyson also enjoys reading entire books in one sitting, hiking, and exploring all things food related in the Durham area and beyond.

Emily Grubbe is the Associate Director of International Enrollment for undergraduate programs at DKU with a focus on students and schools in the northeastern and midwestern United States, South America, and the Caribbean. Prior to coming to DKU, Emily worked with international students and scholars coming to study in the US, as well as domestic students studying abroad. She earned her M.S. in Higher Education (with a focus on international education) from the University of Kentucky and a B.A. in History from Clemson University. She enjoys traveling, attempting art projects, and reading. Emily studied abroad herself in both Italy and Chile, so she’s excited to introduce students to a truly global education at DKU.

Jennifer Koech joined DKU in October 2021 as the International Parent Engagement Coordinator with the International Student Services Office. Her main role is coordinating communication and fostering engagement with parents of DKU international undergraduate students. In her role she collaborates closely with the International Enrollment Management office and the Duke Office of DKU Relations. She has enjoyed working in international education and cultural exchange for over 15 years. Previously, she worked with New Oasis International Education in Greensboro, North Carolina, as a Global Program Coordinator where she supported international students in their study-abroad program. Before that she worked with the U.S. State Department’s premier professional exchange program, the International Visitor Leadership Program, as an International Visitor Liaison. Jennifer has a Bachelor's Degree in English Education from Pensacola Christian College. 

Lindsay Parker is a Global Recruitment Officer for the undergraduate program at DKU. She travels throughout North America to connect with adventurous students and promote the opportunity to get a Duke education in China. Previously, Lindsay has managed university programs and events for Duke University and Appalachian State University and has taught overseas in Japan and China. She holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies from the University of Colorado. In her free time, she enjoys yoga and horsebackriding. She is also enthusiastic about good eats in Durham, so don’t hesitate to ask her for restaurant recommendations. 

Megan Raley joined the DKU IEM team based in Durham, North Carolina in March 2023 as the Admissions Staff Assistant who supports the IEM team in a variety of administrative, operational, and financial roles. She is responsible for managing key admissions data in our Slate database, coordinating procurement and expenses, managing the production of recruitment materials, and overall support for the Duke-based IEM office. She received a Fulbright Honors BFA with a concentration in design from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Prior to DKU, she served as Operations Director for the retailer Vert & Vogue. She enjoys learning about garment construction and sewing.

Russell Davis joined DKU in the summer of 2017. Soon after, he relocated to China where he spent two years with his wife and two daughters living in the city of Suzhou, before returning to Durham in July of 2019. Prior to joining DKU, Russell was the Associate Director of Admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business where he worked for eleven years. His primary responsibilities included leading Fuqua’s MBA recruitment efforts across Asia. He began his career in education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he worked in the Kenen-Flagler Business School’s MBA International Programs Office.

The son of an ex-pat, Russell attended schools in Singapore, Tokyo, and eventually graduated from the American School in London. These cross-cultural experiences inspired him to pursue a career in international education. Russell particularly enjoys sharing his insights into the admissions process and has presented at various conferences including Executive MBA Council Conference and College Board’s Summer Institute, and regularly conducts workshops on the college application process. He has a passion for travel and experiencing different cultures, a passion he shares with anyone who is willing to listen! Outside of work and travel, Russell enjoys spending time outdoors with his family.

Originally from Houston, TX, Russell graduated from Trinity University with a B.A. in Psychology.

With her team in China and the US, Wendy Kuran is accountable for attracting philanthropic and other types of support from within and outside of China to build the brand and the ecosystem for Duke’s joint-venture independent research and liberal arts university that opened in fall 2014. Reporting jointly to Duke’s Provost and the VP for Development, and working closely with the Executive Vice Chancellor of DKU, Wendy has led the establishment and growth of the development, alumni relations, corporate relations and executive education functions at this start-up institution. These efforts have included the establishment a high-profile international advisory board and a legal foundation in China. Wendy speaks, teaches and writes about the development of philanthropy in China.

From 2007–2012, Wendy served as Associate Dean for Centers and Global Corporate Relations at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, accountable for the school’s industry-facing strategies and initiatives. She created and managed centers in entrepreneurship, leadership, international business, energy/environment, financial services, consulting, consumer goods and technology/entertainment/media.

Prior to that, she held a series of senior executive positions at UnitedHealthcare, PacifiCare Health Systems and St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. Wendy earned her A.B. in English Magna cum laude from Princeton University and her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Throughout her career, Wendy has been a board member and consultant for a broad array of nonprofit organizations. She has lived abroad and traveled extensively on six continents.

Lili Wang joined Duke in 2012, assisting with the cultivation of individual prospects and corporate relations for DKU. With her background in political science, she also researches and provides information on government entities, structures and regulations relevant to Duke’s China strategy, and advises on cultural and political nuances and sensitivities. Coming from a family of Chinese returnees from Germany, she has long strived to be working in a profession that bridges cultural and linguistic borders and is eager to absorb new languages such as Japanese.  She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English (Finance and Business) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, minoring in Animation and also holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Midwestern State University, Texas, where she studied the link between social media and popular discontent.