Get to know some of the Athena Study Abroad management staff! We enjoy working and getting to know our students, so please get to know more about us.

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STACY BENANDER, President and Founder

Stacy Benander enjoying Florence, with the Arno River in the background.

During her undergraduate degree, Stacy Benander studied abroad in Toledo, Spain, in order to solidify her fluency in the Spanish language.  The experience of study abroad was a life-changing experience, and this was a driving force that motivated her to create Athena Study Abroad.

Stacy founded Athena Study Abroad with the goal of providing personalized study abroad programs at small schools overseas. Athena aims to provide the opportunity for as many U.S. students as possible to study abroad, and by partnering with small schools abroad, Athena is able to guarantee true cultural immersion while also providing programs that will appeal to both small and large school students here in the US.

Stacy began working at an immigration law firm in Cleveland, becoming an expert in U.S. immigration procedures and policies, filing non-immigrant and immigrant petitions for executives and professionals around the country, and also serving as the firm’s Spanish language translator.

She then moved on to The Ohio State University to serve as an International Student and Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Education.  She advised many of the school’s 5,000+ international students on all aspects of immigration regulation and compliance, coordinated the university's international student orientation, and served as a DSO and ARO for SEVIS.

From there, Stacy served as the Director of the International Office at Ohio Dominican University where she oversaw all aspects of the university’s study abroad program creation and implementation, multicultural student services and programming, international student services, and international student admissions.

Stacy has been an involved member of NAFSA since 2002, including her most recent position as the Local Arrangements Chair for the Region VI conference in Columbus, Ohio. She was also chosen the recipient of the Experienced Professional Travel Grant in 2007. In 2010, Stacy was named one of Columbus' top forty business people under the age of 40 by Columbus Business First.

Stacy also gives back to her community through various volunteer positions. She currently serves as a Board Member for LEON (Latino Empowerment Outreach Network), which is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a healthy Latino community in Central Ohio through programs that educate and empower Latinos. Stacy has also served as a Board Member and Director of Volunteers at New Beginnings Animal Shelter, a non-profit animal rescue in the Columbus area.

Stacy earned her B.A. as a double-major in Spanish and Communications/Public Relations from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio.  She also earned her M.A. degree in Social and Cultural Foundations (Cultural Studies in Education) Summa Cum Laude from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to her study abroad experience in Toledo, Spain during her undergraduate degree, she has also participated in intensive Spanish language study in Seville, Spain and Bogotá, Colombia.

Stacy and her husband, John, have one child, a son.

“Tolerance is built through knowledge, and knowledge is gained most effectively through experience.  Study abroad teaches university students that knowledge has no borders.”
~ Stacy Benander, President and Founder

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JOHN BENANDER, Vice President of Marketing and Technology

John Benander stands on a bridge over a canal in Venice, Italy.

John Benander is from Richmond Heights, Ohio, an eastern suburb of Cleveland.  He graduated as a Computer Science major and Mathematics minor from John Carroll University in Cleveland, while also studying masters level Theology at Ohio Dominican University. John has also studied abroad in Seville, Spain.

John played baseball at John Carroll and parlayed his interest and passion for the sport into a career off the field.  He gained employment with Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), the online arm of Major League Baseball.  As a Web Manager, Web Producer and Marketing Producer at MLBAM, John gained excellent experience in marketing, writing, coding, graphics and project management.  In the fast-paced environment, John managed several teams' sites, including those of the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland A’s, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox.

John then moved on to work as a Producer with the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio’s oldest and premier newspaper.

When his wife Stacy founded Athena Study Abroad, John was excited to get involved in a venture in which he could blend his work skills with his hope for progress toward global unity.  By helping students experience and learn other cultures, John believes he is doing a small part in offering a practical way to narrow the gap of fear that remains a major obstacle to world peace. John directs the technical and marketing efforts of Athena.

John and his wife, Stacy, have one child, a son.

Along with directing the technical and marketing efforts of Athena, John is working on a Masters of Theology at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio.

“I truly believe in the importance of participating in the global community in order to spread awareness, understanding and compassion for people of all nations.”
~ John Benander, Vice President of Marketing and Technology

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ELISHA RANDALL, Manager of Academic Relations

Elisha Randall in the windy, cozy streets of Paros Island, Greece.

Elisha grew up on Lake Champlain in the small, rural town of Addison, Vermont. Although she loved the tight knit community there she always dreamed of seeing the world. Elisha decided to study abroad in Rome, Italy during her undergraduate career to expand her horizons and gain a new perspective. Her time spent in Rome was a life-changing experience to say the least and is the reason she is in the international education field today.

After pursuing a degree in Business Administration with an option in Marketing at the University of New Hampshire, Elisha began her international education career with Athena Study Abroad. She is passionate about the benefits gained from studying abroad and excited to help students realize the importance of expanding one’s perspective beyond American borders.

Elisha feels strongly about Athena’s mission and everything the organization stands for. She could not be happier to be a part of such a passionate group of people. Helping students open their eyes to new and different cultures and return from their time abroad as global citizens is exactly what she hopes to achieve.

Although family is an extremely large part of her life, Elisha is excited to explore her new city of Columbus, Ohio. Being given the opportunity to work for such an incredible organization is something she couldn't pass up and her family is thrilled to see her happy and spreading the word about the importance of studying abroad.

“Studying abroad is the journey of a lifetime and the perfect way for students to gain awareness and broaden their horizons. I believe that every individual should have this opportunity and I want nothing more than to help make this more than just a possibility.”
~ Elisha Randall, Manager of Academic Relations

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MICHELLE HENDRICKS, Office Manager

Michelle Hendricks in front of the Colosseum in Rome.

Michelle is from Canton, Ohio, which is where she attended Central Catholic High School. From there, she went on to graduate cum laude from John Carroll University, majoring in business marketing and logistics. Michelle is continuing her education, as she recently began her MBA program at Capital University.

Working her way through her undergraduate degree, Michelle completed internships with companies such as Nestle USA, Bestway Systems, and eWinWin. Upon graduating from John Carroll, she moved to Columbus to begin her career as an operations supervisor with Limited Brands. Michelle worked for Limited Brands for 9 years, holding positions related to supply chain management, financial reporting, budgeting, inventory management, product allocation, testing, and merchandise analysis.

Michelle and her husband Greg had their first baby in 2008. Nathan has been a wonderful addition to the family and keeps everyone on their toes! Michelle is very thankful for all of the people in her life, and she spends a lot of time with family and friends.

Michelle is very excited to join the talented team at Athena Study Abroad. She knows that it is a group of genuinely good people who are focused on the very noble mission of providing quality study abroad experiences. These experiences provide students with an elevated understanding of our global community, a greater acceptance of cultural differences, the self confidence gained from independent travel, and lifelong friendships. Athena also demonstrates its strong moral compass through its dedication to philanthropic efforts. Not only does Athena partner with its students to give back to the world through Athena's S.O.S. program, but the staff of Athena is committed to volunteering to assist local charitable organizations. 

“Working at Athena has been a very rewarding experience. It is very motivating to know that I am able to make a positive difference each day. I have a great deal of respect for Athena’s mission as well as the way we treat our business partners, our colleagues, our community, and most importantly, our students.”
~ Michelle Hendricks, Office Manager

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MICHAEL J. BOGDAN, Esq., Legal Consultant

Michael J. Bogdan

Mike is an attorney with the Northeast Ohio-based firm of Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co., L.P.A. A graduate of Central Catholic High School in Canton, Ohio, he received his undergraduate degree in history and political science from John Carroll University graduating magna cum laude. Michael earned his Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. In addition, Mike also received a Masters Degree in Educational Policy from The Ohio State University with a focus on school law and higher education.

While in law school, Mike was a member of the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, and was a recipient of the 2003-2004 Editor’s Award for Significant Contributions to the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, as well as serving as Symposium Editor. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys golfing as well as spending time with his nieces and nephews. Mike and his wife Ann have two children, both sons.

“It has been one of the great pleasures of my career to represent Athena Study Abroad since its inception.  The staff’s dedication to individual service and commitment to its student-clients is commendable."
~ Michael Bogdan, Legal Consultant