Meet the Team

Matt Smith developed a passion for cultural exchange by living, studying, and working abroad at a young age. An interest in facilitating immersive, international academic and professional programs, akin to what he experienced, led him to this industry more than 25 years ago.

Prior to his current role, Matt held key executive leadership positions at two of the world’s largest international exchange organizations. At EF Education (1996-2018), he held a variety of senior executive roles, domestically and internationally, with a focus on international high school exchange programs and J1/BridgeUSA programs. More recently, as Executive Vice President at CIEE (2018-2022), the largest U.S. Department of State designated sponsor of the Bridge USA / J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program, he led the team that brings more than 30,000 participants annually into the USA. He currently serves as president of Educatius USA.

A graduate with honors from Connecticut College, Matt has served as a Board Member on several of the leading industry associations including the Council on Standards in International Education Travel (CSIET), the Alliance for International Exchange, and the Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership.

Daniel Ebert is the President of Greenheart International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people and planet through the facilitation of cultural exchange programs, personal development opportunities, volunteer service initiatives, and environmental advocacy projects.  He is a mission-focused, visionary leader with deep interest in advancing public policy through the expansion of exchange programs, coalition-building and partnership development.

Daniel has been impacted by international cultural exchange programs since childhood.  He studied abroad both in Brazil and then later in Spain, making him nearly trilingual.  Daniel joined the organization in 1999 and has worked his way up to his current position of President, filling many roles along the way.  Under Daniel’s leadership, Greenheart has launched many new programs, including but not limited to J1 Teacher, J1 Intern, J1 Trainee, as well as many of the outbound programs that we promote under the Greenheart Travel branch.  He was pivotal in the creation and growth of our Greenheart Odyssey (grant) programming and is passionate about both developing youth to achieve their highest potential and diversifying Greenheart’s program stakeholders and offerings.

Daniel’s strengths include streamlining all functions of the organization as to ensure collaboration and efficiency, while fostering mutual respect and empowerment.  He is an eternal optimist; an active communicator and he embraces a mindset of progress and growth.  He is passionate about government relations and has served as one of the organization’s key diplomats for many years.  Daniel also plays a key role in building and maintaining partner relationships for Greenheart, both within the USA and abroad.  Daniel is highly involved with different industry associations, including serving on the Board of Directors, as well as various committees within the Alliance of International Exchange.

Maria Kiosses is the Vice President of Compliance and Program Support with Greenheart International. She oversees the Enrollment, Compliance, and Program Support departments for all inbound programs that Greenheart facilitates, as well as the Grant Programs. Maria started her career with Greenheart in 2011 and during her tenure, Maria has worked with several programs, including Summer Work Travel, Intern, and Trainee. She has played an integral role in developing and revising internal processes, designing new policies, and contributing to the overall strategies for responsible growth.

Versatile professional. Creative at setting big picture strategies. Skilled at efficient project management through diligent resource allocation. Specialize in taking a solution- based approach for meeting project requirements and exceeding customer expectations.

Her educational background includes, Conscious Leadership and Team Management course at The University of Chicago Graham School, MA Political Science: International Relations and Comparative Politics at Northern Illinois University, and Bachelors of Arts in Foreign Languages: Russian & English Translation and Communication at Northern Illinois University.

Marcelle Benedicta advances the educational value of international exchanges through her experience as a former exchange student, combined with her 20 years of professional and non-profit experience. Some of her strengths include marketing & communications, event planning, strategic development, program management, training and onboarding, and industry collaboration.

She started her career at Greenheart International as a host organization recruiter in 2010 and eventually became the Program Director for the Work & Travel Department and the Responsible Officer for the Department of State’s BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel designation. In 2018, she was promoted to Vice President and started overseeing three program departments with the following designations: Summer Work Travel, Intern, Trainee, Teacher. This is in addition to working with the Marketing and Communications department that focuses on marketing initiatives, public relations (including external relations), cultural outreach activities, and program enhancements for our Exchange Visitors. In her current role, Marcelle works with Greenheart’s Secondary School Student designation, the Department of State’s FLEX, YES, and Ambassador Scholarship Fund grant programs, and our non-DOS Short-Term Programs. Externally, she is active in the sponsor community and has been involved in various industry initiatives and committees, including with the Alliance for International Exchange and Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). She also conducts visits to sending partners, hosts, and Exchange Visitors.

Marcelle is passionate about cultural exchange, as she has directly benefited from various exchange programs. She is originally from Jakarta, Indonesia and was fortunate to start traveling since she was in kindergarten to various countries in Asia, Middle East, and Western Europe. During junior high school years, she did two back-to-back homestay programs in Perth, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. Marcelle has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, IL and a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Public Relations from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. She volunteers as the Co-Chair of the Altar Server Ministry at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago and loves to go boxing and do karaoke in her spare time.

In his capacity as Vice President of International Business Development & Operations, Jason and his team are responsible for implementing business development strategies to maintain and grow Greenheart’s cultural exchange business in countries around the world. His main duties include identifying suitable business partners, strengthening relationships with existing customers, executing operating agreements, and providing overarching support on a variety of matters throughout the contract period to ensure successful program implementation. Jason shares the passion of Greenheart’s international partners and is motivated to keep Greenheart as a premier organization in cultural exchange.

Prior to joining Greenheart in 2010, Jason served for two years (2007-2009) as a United States Peace Corps Youth Development Volunteer in Ukraine. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Jason wrote and administered a PEPFAR grant for an Ukrainian organization providing education on HIV/AIDS. Additionally, he taught English and computer literacy courses at a college where he wrote and administered grant funded projects. Outside of his primary host organizations, Jason co-organized several youth camps with other Peace Corps volunteers on topics of environmentalism, leadership, and democracy. Jason completed his undergraduate studies in Developmental Psychology and Anthropology at the University of Minnesota and his graduate studies in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management at the School for International Training in Vermont. During his undergraduate coursework, Jason studied for one semester at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. Since his first international travel experience as a college student, Jason has been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to many countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America for both business and pleasure.

Jess Kissell, Vice President of Professional Exchange Programs at Greenheart International, leads the BridgeUSA J-1 Intern/Trainee, Teacher, and Summer Work Travel programs. Her mission-driven approach combines strategic non-profit management with a focus on program and people management, relationship building with diverse stakeholders, and expertise in compliance, risk mitigation, and budgetary planning. With extensive experience in cultural exchange and a background that includes living abroad and volunteering in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, she views facilitating these programs as a privilege that fosters global understanding and peace.

Jess holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is also an artist who leverages creativity to support local non-profits in Maine as well as international organizations, helping them achieve their fundraising and outreach goals. Deeply committed to girls’ education, she dedicates time to volunteering in Tanzania, where she supports education and health initiatives aimed at empowering youth.

Throughout her career, Jess has worked on initiatives to support youth in underserved regions, mentored emerging professionals, and witnessed the growth and development of her team. Her dedication to cultural exchange and volunteerism is driven by a deep belief in their transformative power to address global inequalities and enrich lives. She is profoundly honored to engage in work that aligns with her passions and values, contributes to meaningful change, and fosters a more connected and equitable world.

Laura K. Rose is a passionate youth empowerment specialist who has dedicated her life to supporting budding global leaders through her work in cultural exchange, purpose work, mentoring, public speaking, and philanthropy. She is Co-founder and former CEO of Greenheart International and is Co-Founder of Purpose Earth, an organization dedicated to launching, funding and mentoring grassroots projects around the globe that provide creative solutions to their communities’ greatest challenges.

In 1995 she co-founded Fundacion por el Futuro  in Spain devoted to the creation of environmental and educational programs for American and Spanish youth, and has been a key supporter of the growth and mission of Casita Verde, an educational eco-center in Ibiza which showcases sustainable living and alternative energies and has been visited by thousands of students and adults from dozens of countries worldwide.

She is a member of  Evolutionary Leaders, an illustrious group of thought leaders from diverse disciplines who come together in synergy to support a global shift in consciousness, and a strong supporter and former board member of Empowerment Collective  dedicated to the eradication of modern-day slavery by giving marginalized women in Nepal & India, the skills they deserve to ensure self-sufficiency and dignity.  Laura also serves on the boards of She is the Universe, a girls empowerment platform giving voice to young women around the globe, Choose Love Movement promoting hope, healing and connection, and of Unity Earth, a global network whose mission is to accelerate the realization of unity and peace on Earth.

She is a mentor to several gifted women in Brazil, Ghana, Lebanon, the Dominican Republic, the U.S., and Afghanistan and believes they are her greatest teachers. As an experienced public speaker, she has facilitated public speaking workshops for youth, appeared on numerous podcasts, and been a panelist and keynote speaker in numerous forums.  While working closely with members of the U.S. Department of State, community leaders and international representatives to further the causes of public diplomacy and mutual understanding, she served as Vice Chair as well as on the Executive Committee to the Alliance for International Exchange in Washington, DC. and the Council on Standards for International Education.

Laura was recipient of the Visioneers Heroine of Humanity Award in 2023 and is co-recipient of the Unity Earth Keepers of the Flame Award and the Barbara Marx Hubbard Award for Innovation with her husband, Emanuel Kuntzelman.

Emanuel Kuntzelman is an entrepreneur, writer, philosopher, philanthropist and activist for social transformation. He began his adult life by traveling the world on a decade-long quest for his spiritual purpose before beginning his professional career as an editor/writer for Readers’ Digest, where he authored dozens of articles for international editions. 

Upon discovering his right livelihood in the realm of cultural exchange, he founded and managed numerous exchange organizations in Spain, the U.S. and the U.K.  Having created Greenheart International in 1985, he still serves as Senior Advisor to the organization. He is also the co-founder of Fundación por el Futuro in Madrid, Spain, and has been its President since 1995. His work in consciousness movements includes being a founding co-creator of the Global Purpose Movement and Purpose Earth, as well as his collaboration as a member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle.

Emanuel is a board member and/or advisor to numerous organizations in the conscious community.  He is co-editor of the anthology Purpose Rising (2017) and has contributed articles to a wide variety of publications.  He is also co-editor of the The Holomovement:  Embracing Our Collective Purpose to Unite Humanity (2023).  His vision of the Holomovement is a project he has been working on for over fifty years and is now the primary initiative of his work.  More information can be found at www.emanuelkuntzelman.com and www.holomovement.net