ISSO is closed on all University holidays.
Who We Are
Watch the video to learn about our team and click on the team member to get their phone and email.
Yajaira manages all administrative aspects of Riverside Drive and Nash building locations. She is responsible for the oversight of department finances including reporting, compliance reports, review of financial transactions such as processing invoices, expense reports and other payments through Accounts Payable.
She serves as primary Liaison with Central Human Resources and Office of General Counsel. She is responsible for managing the review and application of job description, applicant review as well as hiring and onboarding process.
Ximena is part of the office that provides documentation services for, and advisement to, the international community of students, faculty and scholars on the Columbia University Medical Campus (CUIMC).
- Email: [email protected]
Tomasz works for the American Language Program (ALP) of the School of Professional Studies.
He provides visa documentation services and advisement for students enrolled in courses for English as a Second Language. Tomasz coordinates with the Compliance team in the transition of students from ALP to academic programs at Columbia.
Stacey is part of the office that provides documentation services for, and advisement to, the international community of students, faculty and scholars on the Columbia University Medical Campus (CUIMC).
As a member of the Student Advising Team, Simone is part of the busy Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Shay is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists the very large number of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to employment, visas, enrollment and travel.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Seong Hwan is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Scott is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists the very large number of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to employment, visas, enrollment and travel.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Saundra is part of the Riverside Drive office that serves the large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
Samantha oversees the Student Advising team at the Riverside Drive location for the Morningside campus. She also serves as the main point of contact for academic departments.
The advising team assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including but not limited to, visas, employment, enrollment, travel, and tax-filing obligations.
The team provides information sessions at orientation programs and offers employment-related workshops throughout the academic year.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Regina is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists the very large number of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to employment, visas, enrollment and travel.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Noelle is part of the Riverside Drive office that serves the large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
As a member of the Compliance Team, Nikolas assists Associate Director Maria Reynoso in processing visa documents and database management. She works with colleagues on the Student Advising Team in other matters related to student compliance issues.
As a member of the Compliance Team Nadia assists Associate Director Maria Reynoso in processing visa documents and database management. She works with colleagues on the Student Advising Team in other matters related to student compliance issues.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Michelle is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists the very large number of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to employment, visas, enrollment and travel.
As a member of the Compliance Team, Mazaher assists Associate Director Maria Reynoso in processing student visa documents and database management. He works with colleagues on the Student Advising Team in other matters related to student compliance issues.
Maria directs the Compliance Team at the Nash Building location. They are responsible for the issuance of student visa documents, totaling more than 5000 just for incoming students for summer and fall term.
Working with the advising team, the compliance team helps students to maintain their status by following the regulations that govern their stay. They are also responsible for university compliance with federal regulations.
Marcia’s responsibilities are too numerous and varied to list and describe. She manages all administrative aspects of the Riverside Drive and Nash Building locations.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Marc is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
Lana is the Assistant Director for Information Technology. She's part of a team of two kept busy serving all the technology needs of our three locations.
Kathy directs the office that provides documentation services for, and advisement to, the international community of students, faculty and scholars on the Columbia University Medical Campus (CUIMC).
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Jordan is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
Jennifer is part of the Student Advising team. She serves as the main point of contact for academic departments on the Morningside campus.
The advising team assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including but not limited to, visas, employment, enrollment, travel, and tax-filing obligations.
The team provides information sessions at orientation programs and offers employment-related workshops throughout the academic year.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Jennifer is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists the very large number of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to employment, visas, enrollment and travel.
Jane leads the Scholar Advising Team, located in the Nash Building, that serves the Morningside and Manhattanville campus schools. They work with academic departments in bringing international faculty and researchers to the university and overseeing their stay.
The scholar team is responsible for the university's compliance with the J-1 Exchange Visitor program for researchers, professors and student interns, and files nonimmigrant petitions with USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration and Services) for other visa types used by our academic community.
They provide orientation programs for J-1 scholars and workshops and one-on-one training for department staff members with whom they work.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Phone: +1 212 854 6356Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
Hadija is part of the office that provides documentation services for, and advisement to, the international community of students, faculty and scholars on the Columbia University Medical Campus (CUIMC).
Gwyneth is part of the office that provides documentation services for, and advisement to, the international community of students, faculty and scholars on the Columbia University Medical Campus (CUIMC).
Gabriel is part of the Scholar Advising Team in the Nash Building providing services to Columbia’s Morningside and Manhattanville scholar communities. They work with academic departments in bringing international faculty and researchers to the university, provide orientation programs for J-1 scholars and workshops and one-on-one training for department staff members with whom they work.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Phone: +1 212-853-1749Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
As a member of the Compliance Team Evelyn assists Associate Director Maria Reynoso in processing visa documents and database management. She works with colleagues on the Student Advising Team in other matters related to student compliance issues.
Ellen is currently the Associate Director for Communications. She has worked at the International Students and Scholars Office in a variety of roles over many years.
She works closely with Assistant Director Ben Canning-Pereira, in keeping the international community who come to Columbia to study, teach and conduct research — and the university members who admit, appoint, employ, teach and work with them — informed through a variety of media. They update and maintain the ISSO website, which they launched in July, 2016.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Ella is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
Liz is responsible for the development, coordination, processing and delivery of advising and related support services for University-sponsored O-1 petitions and permanent residence for the Morningside, Manhattanville and CUIMC campuses. She serves as an expert resource for faculty, researchers, scholars and staff on a wide range of employment-based issues including how nonimmigrant visa status factors into the permanent residence process.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Phone: +1 212 853 -1414Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
As a member of the Compliance Team, Dawn assists Associate Director Maria Reynoso in processing visa documents and database management. She works with colleagues on the Student Advising Team in other matters related to student compliance issues.
David B. Austell, Ph.D. currently serves as Special Adviser to the ISSO following an eight -year tenure as Associate Provost and Executive Director of the International Students and Scholars Office at Columbia. He is also an Associate Professor of International Education in Teachers College-Columbia University (adjunct).
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Daniel is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
Colleen is part of the Scholar Advising Team in the Nash Building providing services to Columbia’s Morningside and Manhattanville scholar communities. They work with academic departments in bringing international faculty and researchers to the university, provide orientation programs for J-1 scholars and workshops and one-on-one training for department staff members with whom they work.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Phone: +1 212 853 1415Students -- please do not contact this number.
Contact your ISSO campus team for assistance: Morningside Students or CUIMC Students.
- Email: [email protected]Students -- please do not contact this number.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Clayton is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
As a member of the Compliance Team, Claire assists Associate Director Maria Reynoso in processing visa documents and database management. She works with colleagues on the Student Advising Team in other matters related to student compliance issues.
Ben Canning-Pereira’s primary role is to assist Ellen Cohen in maintaining all communications-related materials for the ISSO. His responsibilities include maintaining this website, as well as managing email marketing, user testing, and online communications. His job is to put the “user” first — this means the international community who come to Columbia to study, teach and conduct research — and the university members who admit, appoint, employ, teach and work with them!
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Amanda is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists our large population of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to visas, enrollment, employment, and travel.
As a member of the Morningside Student Advising Team, Alexis is part of the Riverside Drive office that assists the very large number of international students in matters relating to their immigration-related needs, providing advisory and documentation services and information on a host of issues, including, but not limited to employment, visas, enrollment and travel.