Faculty & Staff

Nancy Hartley spent thirty plus years in higher education with her last 20+ years at Colorado State University as a faculty member, Director of the School of Education, and Dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences (now the College of Health and Human Sciences). Nancy was the Semester at Sea Spring 2018 Academic Dean!

During her career in higher education Nancy received numerous honors and special awards including: Health and Human Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award, Colorado State University Community Service Award, Poudre Valley Health System Meritorious Service Award, University Council of Workforce and Human Resource Education; Colorado State University Oliver P. Pennock Distinguished Service Award, and was a Finalist for the Unique Woman of Colorado Award.  She attended the Colorado Institute for Women in Management and has been actively involved in supporting/mentoring women in higher education.

Jon is thrilled to set sail on his first voyage with Semester at Sea! He’s psyched to be a part of this special community, experience new cultures, make new friends, and ensure the participants have a safe, life-changing, and positive learning and sailing experience. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself and grab an opportunity to meet up with Jon. You’ll see him, his wife (Gretchen), and children (Yale, Neve, and Birdie) all over the ship.

Outside of serving as the Dean of Student Life for the Spring 2023 Voyage, Jon works as the Executive Director of Career Services for Colorado State University, supervising a team of 70 to rock career services for the institution. His professional experiences have centered on higher education administration, including extensive work in residence life, academic advising, leadership and volunteer programs, and now career services. Jon holds a PhD from Colorado State University, a master’s degree from Michigan State University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Kristin Sykes is excited to once again sail with Semester at Sea.  She has had the privilege of sailing on the Spring 1996 voyage as a Resident Director and Fall 1999 and Summer 2014 as Assistant Executive Dean.  She was inspired each time by the growth and transformation of the voyagers and can’t wait to support students, faculty and staff as Assistant Executive Dean on the Spring 2023 voyage.

Kristin has a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas where she worked in Residential Life for numerous years.  She was then in the role of a community college counselor for four years before switching into administration in order to make positive changes within systems.  She is currently the Dean of Students at Century College, the largest community and technical college in Minnesota, where she leads committed staff in providing equitable services and opportunities to a diverse student population.  Departments that she supervises include Student Life, Records, Transfer Student Services, Athletics, Disability Services, the Resource and Support Center, Federal Grants, Tutoring, Title IX, and the Student Health Clinic.

Kristin jumps into opportunities to learn and grow especially through experiential learning opportunities both locally and globally.  In addition to her love for travel, Kristin enjoys camping, biking, hiking, finding great food to make or eat, planning adventures for friends and family, hanging out on a Minnesota lake, and performing in local theater productions alongside her husband and two children.

One of Kristin’s favorite quotes summarizes the transformational journey that is  Semester at Sea:  “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”  ― Marcel Proust.

Jenni is thrilled to sail on the Spring 2023 voyage as the Assistant Dean of Student Life. She sailed in 2016 as a Resident Director and can’t wait to return to ship life.

Jenni has worked through her career in Housing/Residence Life at various colleges around the country, most recently calling Salt Lake City, Utah home. Outside of work she loves getting out into nature to camp and hike. In addition to traveling, Jenni also loves creating art, listening to 80s music, and snuggling with her kitties, Henry and Gus.

Koty Erdmann started at ISE in late 2015. After serving three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia and attending graduate school in Vermont, Koty merged a love of geography, cultures, and spreadsheets(!) into a position with the Field Programs department. When not making arrangements with tour operators, building out Field Programs in the registration portal, or chatting with prospective voyagers to help them decide what to see and do in country, Koty bounces between a variety of different hobbies. These have included experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, volunteering doing trail work or eco restoration activities, authentic relating, archery, ‘trying’ to read for pleasure, and learning to play the mandolin.

Marianna Walsh (she/her) is currently the Student Information Systems Manager for the Office of the Registrar at Colorado State University where she leads a team to manage university information systems, support students, faculty, and staff in managing student data, and collaboratively support student success initiatives. Marianna is thrilled to be returning to the MV World Odyssey as Academic Advisor/Registrar, having sailed in the role in Spring 2018.

Marianna has been at Colorado State University in some capacity since 2008, earning a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies, and a Master’s in Management Practice with a focus on multimodal communication methods. Marianna enjoys being able to use this transdisciplinary experience to apply strengths-based leadership and advocacy to support learning and growth.

Marianna is also passionate about centering diversity, equity, and inclusion in her work to improve her community. She currently serves as co-chair of the campus-wide Disaggregating Identity Data workgroup, and is a Safe Zone facilitator. In 2019, Marianna was honored to be the recipient of the Rainbow Inspiration Faculty/Staff Award, presented by the Pride Resource Center recognizing a CSU faculty or staff member based on their contribution to, involvement in, and impact on the local LGBTQIA+ community.

In her free time, Marianna enjoys spending time outside camping, hiking, and generally appreciating nature. She is excited to continue exploring the world with her partner, Adam, as they learn about new places, people, and foods.

Dr. Scott Smith is a Board-Certified Family Physician who will be joining his first Semester at Sea voyage from Santa Fe, NM.  Scott received his undergraduate degree from Ursinus College, his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College and completed his Family Medicine residency in York, PA.  He spent 6 years as a National Health Service Corps Scholar providing full scope family medicine and rural emergency care to the Dine (Navajo) people of Ganado, AZ. It was here that he first experienced the challenge and rewards of a medical practice in remote underserved areas. While practicing Family Medicine in Vermont, he participated in several medical brigades to Peru and Panama and was a longtime medical volunteer of a local free clinic providing care to uninsured and the large migrant dairy worker community. Most recently he has worked in several urgent care clinics while continuing to provide emergency/urgent care to the local residents and commercial fishing industry on the remote island of Unalaska (Dutch Harbor), AK.

Scott will be traveling with his wife Leanne who is a retired pharmacist. Both are excited by the opportunity to support and grow with the staculty, life long-learners, students and crew of Semester at Sea community.

Dr. Lori Barker is a licensed clinical psychologist and a Qualified Medical Evaluator with the State of California, Division of Workers Compensation. She has a private practice in Riverside, California, called The Center for Individual, Family, and Community Wellness. As a therapist, she specializes in providing culturally inclusive, sensitive, and responsive therapy. Dr. Lori Barker is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Sociology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona).

Two of Dr. Lori Barker’s favorite things are travel and teaching, so when she heard about Semester at Sea, she knew it was a perfect fit. Spring 2023 will be her third voyage.