Each Semester at Sea voyage is led by the Voyage Leadership Team (VoLT), a dynamic group of academic, student affairs, international education, and medical professionals committed to guiding voyagers toward academic, social, and personal success. Let’s meet the team leading the Voyage 137 journey!
Kenn Gaither
Executive Dean
T. Kenn Gaither is dean of Elon University School of Communications and professor of strategic communications. At Elon, he held the A.J. Fletcher Endowed Professorship. He is former president and chief executive officer of ISE (Semester at Sea) when the program was based at the University of Virginia. He has written or co-authored three books on international public relations and published numerous scholarly articles and book chapters. Gaither also has more than nine years of public relations agency experience. He has lived or taught in Turkey, Brazil, Ghana, and China and sailed on nine voyages of Semester at Sea. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Park Doctoral Fellow and M.F.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.
Bob Kling
Academic Dean
Bob Kling is a micro and environmental economist with a passion for international education and experiential travel. His first SAS voyage was Fall 1998, with spouse and kids. He served as Academic Dean for the Spring 2017, Spring 2022, and Spring 2024 voyages, and as SAS Senior Academic Officer, 2017-22.
At CSU, Bob has held many teaching and administration roles. Partnering with Vietnam’s Foreign Trade University, he directed the CSU-FTU Vietnam Economics Curriculum Program, 2008-17. His research has focused on the economics of land management, valuation of historic resources, and regulatory strategy. Bob retired in 2022 and remains engaged with both CSU and SAS.
Sonja Daniels
Dean of Student Life
Dr. Daniels currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Identity and Belonging in the Division of Student Affairs at Cal State Fullerton. In this role, she oversees a wide range of programs and centers dedicated to empowering students, student success in several identity and student support centers, support for first generation student initiatives, Black student success initiatives and programs supporting CSUF’s HSI designation.
She has worked at other CSU campuses including San Jose State University, CSU Dominguez Hills, Northridge and East Bay, where she focused on supporting, developing and delivering innovative, student-centered programming, student success and DEI initiatives, facility management, and international student programs.
Jody Donovan
Assistant Executive Dean
Jody Donovan, PhD (she/her, hers) serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at Colorado State University. She also teaches and advises graduate students in the Student Affairs in Higher Education master’s program and the Higher Education Leadership doctoral program. In every position, the highlight of her day is working directly with students. Sailing as Dean of Student Life on the SP17 voyage was a profound experience leading to applying to the SP26 voyage as the Associate Executive Dean. Together with her partner, Nate Donovan, they have two sons (Matthew and Patrick) and a daughter-in-law (Rae), and an obnoxious boxer dog (Piper).
Jennifer Buchfink
Academic Advisor/Registrar
Jenn is a dedicated professional at the CSU Office of the Registrar, where they have worked since November 2011. Starting in Customer Service, Jennifer progressed to become the Special Programs Coordinator and is now a School Certifying Official, supporting students in utilizing their VA Education Benefits. Passionate about promoting international education, Jenn advocates for study abroad experiences, inspired by their own adventures, including volunteering with Amigos de las Américas on a community sanitation project and studying in Australia. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys walking, paddleboarding, and dancing. They dream of a retirement career as a tour guide for iconic locations like the Colosseum. They will fondly miss their super cute dog during travels.
Melissa Carlson
Assistant Dean of Student Life
I share my life with my amazing partner, Rachel, and our wild pup, Bazzy. I’m all about living life to the fullest, whether it’s training for triathlons, diving into a great book, or mastering my next board game strategy. I’m also on a mission to become fluent in Spanish and can’t get enough of the Dungeons and Dragons podcast, Not Another D & D Podcast.
Traveling is my passion, and I embark on at least two international adventures every year. Among all my travels, my first voyage with Semester at Sea holds a special place in my heart. With over a decade in Student Affairs, I’ve had the joy of supporting hundreds of students through their collegiate journeys, including on board the M.S.S. Odyssey. I’m thrilled to meet you all on my second Semester at Sea voyage!
Erica Jorgenson
Field Director
Erica Jorgenson is an international education professional with experience in study abroad and adventure travel. She served as the Assistant Director in the study abroad office at the University of Denver and as a Study Abroad Coordinator at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Beyond higher education, Erica has a strong background in experiential learning and adventure tourism. She lived in Medellín, Colombia, teaching English to adults, and has led global adventures for women in Peru, the Galápagos, and Bhutan with WHOA Travel. Her experience includes working in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry, leading outdoor education programs for Outward Bound, and managing international programs for EF Education First.
Ashley Yong
Care Team Director
Ashley Yong is a student affairs professional dedicated to holistic student well-being, intercultural education, conflict resolution, and violence prevention. She most recently served as the Senior Executive of Residential Education and Dispute Resolution at Yale-NUS College in Singapore where she supported students from 30+ countries on the Care Team, oversaw conduct processes, and led sexual wellness programming. A seasoned traveler and educator, she has facilitated student leadership and service programs in Guatemala, Qatar, Vietnam, and South Korea (where she is currently based). Ashley can’t wait to set sail on her first voyage and join the SAS family in Spring 2026.
