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Contact Us

Faculty and Staff

Rene Leal, Ph.D., Academic Director
Rene Leal received his BA from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia, and his BA Honours and PhD from the same institution. He has taught at the University of Wollongong, the Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano in Santiago, the Universidad Alberto Hurtado (Santiago), and the Universidad de Villanova based at the Catholic University in Valparaiso. Dr. Leal's main areas of research include race and ethnic studies, political sociology, sociology of education, gender studies, and Latin American social and political thought. Dr. Leal specializes in studies on gender, class, and state formation in Chile and Mapuchemapu, covering the historical period from the 15th to the 20th century. Dr. Leal also directed an Advanced Field Research program for SIT Study Abroad in past summers.

As academic director, Dr. Leal oversees all administrative and academic aspects of the SIT Chile program. In addition to giving lectures, advising students, and coordinating academic seminars, Dr. Leal also plans the program’s educational excursions and works to ensure that students’ academic needs are met. In his role, Dr. Leal draws on the wide range of contacts he maintains throughout the country as well as his own extensive research and teaching background.

Rossanna Zurita, Program Assistant
Program assistant Rossanna Zurita assists Dr. Leal in various aspects of the Chile program. She is currently writing her thesis on education at the Universidad Católica de Valparaiso.

Elena Olivares, Homestay Coordinator
As homestay coordinator, Elena Olivares supervises the Santiago homestay and acts as an intermediary between students and host families. In addition to her work with SIT Study Abroad, Ms. Olivares is a primary school teacher at the Universidad de Playa Ancha and a family mediator.

Juan Antonio Painecura Antinao, Homestay Coordinator
As program coordinator in the indigenous Mapuche territory, Juan Antonio Painecura Antinao coordinates and supervises students’ educational excursions to the Mapuche area. Within his community, Mr. Painecura works as the retrafe, or Mapuche silversmith, and serves as the Mapuche program coordinator for two other SIT Study Abroad programs. He has collaborated with SIT Study Abroad since 1996.

Claudio Donoso, Program Coordinator
In his role as program coordinator in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Claudio Donoso arranges and oversees students’ educational excursions to the city. In addition to his work with SIT Study Abroad, Mr. Donoso works as a journalist.