Dr. Patricia Harrison

As Divisional Vice President of Professional Exchanges at World Learning, Dr. Patricia Harrison has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, intercultural programming, and adult education. She oversees nine grants and programs valued at $55M, including the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), Alumni TIES, the U.S. Speaker Program, the Professional Fellows Program, and World Learning’s privately funded Professional Exchanges. Dr. Harrison came to World Learning with extensive experience collaborating with donor agencies, local and international organizations, and private-sector partners. Before moving to Washington, DC, she was the first executive director of Upstate International, a nonprofit devoted to intercultural understanding and immigrant integration in Greenville, South Carolina. In this role she worked together with multinational companies, local nonprofits, and a diverse group of community leaders to promote international and cultural diversity. With proven administrative, personnel, and project management skills, Dr. Harrison has designed effective programs grounded in experiential learning and adult learning styles, led program implementation with a focus on systems improvement, and incorporated new technologies to enhance the impact of exchange programs. Previous experience has included university-level teaching and freelance writing and academic editing. Dr. Harrison has a B.A. degree from Stanford University, M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an Executive Certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University. Dr. Harrison currently serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors of Global Ties U.S.

Expertise: professional exchanges; international education; event management; grants management; virtual programming; project management