Alliance welcomes newest Board of directors members
Dan Bullock
President, Partner, and Co-Founder
International Residence Hall
Dan Bullock is the President, Partner, and Co-Founder of International Residence Hall (IRH), the largest independent BridgeUSA housing provider in the United States. Since co-founding IRH, Dan has helped grow the organization to serve communities across Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Alabama. IRH focuses on providing safe, affordable housing designed specifically for Exchange Visitors, creating welcoming and inclusive environments that help participants thrive while living and working in the U.S.
In addition to his work with IRH, Dan serves as President of Holtz Companies, guiding a group of businesses in hospitality, construction, and workforce housing. His career spans leadership roles in several industries, teaching positions in higher education, and service with numerous community and nonprofit organizations.
A native of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in Administrative Management from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MBA with honors from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. He brings a lifelong commitment to hard work, community, and helping others succeed.
Lisa Choate
President & CEO
American Councils for International Education
Lisa Choate was appointed President and CEO of American Councils for International Education in February 2024. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Choate served as Executive Vice President of American Councils, a leadership role she has held since 2012. With 35 years’ experience managing and guiding the organization, Ms. Choate’s executive management and leadership responsibilities date back to 1987 when she opened the organization’s first office in Washington, DC.
Throughout her career, Ms. Choate has been a driving force in leading American Councils successful efforts with funders to develop and expand a number of flagship initiatives including the U.S. Department of State’s Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programs for secondary school students; the Congressional Office for International Leadership’s Open World program and other professional programs; as well as programs for Americans to study and teach critical languages such as the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) and Startalk programs. Under her direction, these programs, many of which started as pilot programs, have grown to become well-established, foundational programs that promote mutual understanding and support opportunities for promising individuals from different communities around the globe. Ms. Choate has also spearheaded efforts across the organization to develop and implement strategies, plans, and negotiations leading to the administration and evaluation of a wide range of international exchange programs.
Ms. Choate is an American Councils alumna, having studied for an academic year at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and Second Language Acquisition from Boston University and an A.B. from Bryn Mawr College in Russian Language and Literature.
Marcie Schneider
President
Intrax
Marcie Schneider has served as President of Intrax since 2014, bringing more than 30 years of leadership experience in international and cultural exchange. She oversees Intrax’s eight Domestic BridgeUSA programs and four international offices in the UK, Chile, Germany, Japan, and South Korea. Under her leadership, Intrax continues to strengthen its global reach and impact in fostering meaningful cross-cultural connections.
Marcie has long been a respected voice in the field. She previously served as Vice Chair of the Board of the Alliance for International Exchange and is honored to serve once again as a current member of the Alliance Board. In this role, she continues to advocate for policies and programs that expand opportunities for exchange and promote mutual understanding worldwide.
Passionate about both mission and growth, Marcie combines her commitment to connecting people and cultures with a strategic focus on revenue development, staff leadership, and program excellence. She firmly believes that the world becomes a better place when individuals from around the globe come together to share experiences and perspectives.
Marcie’s academic background spans the U.S. and abroad, with a B.A. and two Master’s degrees in Business, Psychology, and Literature. Having studied overseas, lived abroad, hosted exchange participants, and traveled to more than 80 countries, she embodies the spirit of cultural exchange both personally and professionally. For Marcie, cultural exchange is not just a career—it is a way of life.
Bradley Smith
President & CEO
PAX Laurasian Exchange
Bradley Smith’s entire career has supported U.S. public diplomacy efforts by “Creating Communities that Transcend Culture”– the explicit purpose of the not-for-profit operating foundation he co-founded in 1990 as The Laurasian Institution. Since 2012, he has also led PAX – Program of Academic Exchange.
While Laurasian focuses its work on cultural and educational interactions with Japan and East Asia, PAX facilitates inbound U.S. high school exchange experiences for students from 70+ countries to “Open doors. Embrace culture. Become family.”
In April of 2015, the boards of Laurasian and PAX joined together to enhance their missions under the umbrella of PAX Laurasian Exchange, which Bradley heads as President and CEO. In this capacity, he coordinates the efforts of staff located in offices in New York, Seattle, and Tokyo as well as remote staff throughout the United States.
Born in Lake County, Illinois, Bradley was brought up in a small town in the southeast corner of Iowa. During the Reagan administration, he caught the international bug while serving in a unit of the Attorney General’s office at the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. This unit was responsible for U.S. asylum policy and review of its implementation. He served under Attorneys General Meese and Thornburgh.
Bradley moved to Japan in 1989 to open a liberal arts college associated with his alma mater, Eureka College. He served two years as a Vice President there before creating The Laurasian Institution. Over the last 30 years he has served on numerous advisory bodies, boards, and mentoring programs. Traveling extensively, Bradley has visited 60+ countries and currently divides his time between New York and Tokyo where he lives with his wife, a Japanese national.
Robyn Walker
CEO
Cultural Exchange Network (Cenet)
Robyn Walker’s international journey began in 1987, when she studied abroad on the island of Malta. After completing her bachelor’s degree, Robyn moved to Tuscany, where she spent six months as an intern. She returned to Malta to complete her graduate degree in education, and then began teaching at Malta’s Verdala International School. Five years later, she relocated to Copenhagen, where she taught for the next 12 years, first at the International School and eventually at the bi-lingual Copenhagen Euro-School. Robyn joined Cenet in 2005 and has served as its Executive Director since 2008. She was appointed to the role of CEO in 2024. Robyn is almost fluent in Danish and frequently returns to Copenhagen, where she still maintains a home.
