Valeria Ortega is the Communications and Social Media Assistant at the University of Florida International Center (UFIC). She plays a key role in developing UFIC’s weekly newsletter and managing its social media presence across 10 platforms. Valeria began as a part-time student assistant in 2022, quickly excelling in her role while embracing UFIC’s mission of campus internationalization. She focuses her efforts on enhancing, updating, and maintaining UFIC’s digital engagement.

Maya joined the International Center in March 2024. She oversees the accounting and administration processes for Study Abroad Services. A Louisiana native, Maya holds a B.A.

Tesha has worked at the University of Florida since 2003 and is currently UFIC’s Accounting Specialist. In this role, she processes invoices for Study Abroad Services, daily deposits, reconciliations, and other related accounting duties. She loves spending time with her family, enjoying the beach, and traveling.  Tesha has traveled to the Bahamas, Jamaica, Aruba, France, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico.  

Dr. Wayne is a professor of Biology, specializing in the evolution & ecology of infectious disease and evolutionary genetics. Wayne’s research has taken her to México to work with a collaborator studying the monarch butterfly migration and to spend a sabbatical with a collaborator in Canada working on infectious disease. Wayne’s international engagement began when, as a postdoc, she participated in a trinational young investigators’ workshop (Germany, Japan, and the US) sponsored by the international scientific organization, Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution (SMBE).

Sara, a Gainesville native, holds a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources, both from St. Leo University. She has been with UF since 2016 and joined the International Center in September 2021. In collaboration with unit supervisors, Sara manages all HR transactions including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, onboarding, payroll, records management, and employee relations.