MEET OUR TEAM
Matt Meltzer
Founder & CEO
Matt founded Sage Corps in 2013 and continues to lead the team, finding innovative ways to give college students meaningful global experience. He has traveled abroad to all of the Sage Corps locations and enjoys meeting with Sage Corps interns and partner startups whenever possible. He is passionate about the company’s mission to build the next generation global workforce. When he isn’t working Matt enjoys spending time with his family in Chicago.
Bucket List Location: South Africa
Fun Fact: My kids tell me I do a solid Mickey Mouse impression.
Yanbing (Ice) Chen
Digital Analytics Wizard
Yanbing (Ice) grew up in China and holds her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Zhejiang University of Technology. She moved to the United States to pursue her Master’s degree in Marketing Analytics & Communication from Illinois Tech. This experience expanded her vision of seeing and working with numbers and led her to working with Sage Corps. She spends her time extracting valuable information in order to provide the best path of success for Sage Corps students – they make her so proud!
Bucket List Location: Czech Republic
Fun Fact: I’ve been to 21 different countries and regions from where I’ve collected more than 300 various kinds of teddy bears.
Hannah DeMilta
Head of Community
Hannah studied abroad in Australia as an undergraduate student and was inspired to move to Sydney after graduation. While living abroad she worked both agency-side and for multiple early stage startups. Four years later she returned to the U.S. and has spent the last 9+ years in the International Education industry. Hannah is a graduate of Otterbein University where she majored in Public Relations. In her spare time she loves taking care of her house plants, playing tennis and is a volunteer organizer of Lessons from Abroad Chicago, a conference for students who have gone abroad.
Bucket List Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fun Fact: I have a rooftop garden in Brooklyn that’s almost as big as my apartment.
Lindsay Pomazal
Admissions Lead & Program Coordinator
Obsessed with maps and atlases as a child, Lindsay has always been fascinated by the world. A Michigan native, she was bitten by the “travel bug” while on study abroad in Japan and hasn’t been able to shake it since. She has a passion for expanding horizons and building relationships. After graduating from Michigan State University, Lindsay spent three years teaching English abroad on the JET Program in rural Miyazaki (the surf capital of Japan). A teacher and advisor at heart, her mission is to connect Sage Corps students with transformational global experiences.
Bucket List Location: The Galapagos Islands
Fun Fact: I’m an avid collector of shark teeth and postcards.
Katherine Nevills
Senior Program Manager
Katherine is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. Her interest in international education was sparked during her first trip to France and Italy in 2009. After graduating from East Carolina University, she pursued her M.Ed. in Higher Education and International Programming. During graduate school, she had the opportunity to study abroad in France and intern in Cambridge, England. Katherine’s internship abroad helped her land her first job in international education. Now she is dedicated to assisting students in having the same fantastic opportunity.
Bucket List Location: Seoul, South Korea
Fun Fact: I have stood approximately 10 feet away from Queen Elizabeth II.
Kristina Okan
Marketing & Community Manager
Kristina was born and raised in the Visayas region of the Philippines. As an only child, she learned how to be outgoing and had several friends growing up, where she discovered her great way of communicating with people. She graduated from the University of San Carlos, majoring in Fashion Design. Kristina has traveled to many beaches in the Philippines and loves going to the mountains to relax. In her free time, Kristina goes to the gym and does kickboxing to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Bucket List Location: Thailand
Fun Fact: I love going to the beach and taking beautiful pictures.
Shannon Diegel
Program Manager
While studying Finance and Human Resource Management at Loyola University of Chicago, Shannon studied abroad and the experience changed her global perspective. After graduation, she taught English in Bangkok, Thailand and loved every minute of it. With her Master’s Degree in International Education, she has dedicated her career to helping students open up their minds and challenge their view of the world. She currently lives in Chicago and when she isn’t traveling, she is on the quest to make the world’s best chocolate chip cookie.
Bucket List Location: New Zealand
Fun Fact: I’m a dual citizen with the US and the Republic of Ireland – Sláinte!
Rose Takas
Program Assistant
Rose has a passion for traveling and immersing herself in different cultures. She was born in the Visayas region of the Philippines and has worked for multiple international companies. Rose studied Chemical Engineering at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines before being awarded a scholarship which allowed her to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology with a focus on Cellular Molecular Basis of Health and Disease at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In her free time, Rose trains for swim meets and different contests in swimming.
Bucket List Location: Amsterdam & Finland
Fun Fact: She reads one book per week.
Tisha Del Rosario
Admissions Lead
Tisha was born in the Philippines but left at a young age and grew up in Indonesia and Hong Kong. She studied in the US and graduated with a degree in Business Communications from Arizona State University. A year after graduation, Tisha moved back to Hong Kong and began her career in education working for an international school. She has more than 10 years of experience in admissions and loves to help students experience living and working abroad, like she has done. In her spare time, Tisha loves to cook for friends and family and will spend as much time as she can in the pool or at a beach whenever possible.
Bucket List Location: Croatia
Fun Fact: I love playing darts.
Alex Smith
Program Manager
Alex is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but has lived in Madrid for more than 5 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Spanish from the University of Kentucky and later completed her master’s degree in Bilingual Education at the Universidad de Alcalá in Madrid. Alex first traveled abroad when she was 19 to Delhi, India, with a group called Writers without Borders. The experience sparked a hunger for more knowledge, and the following year she went on to study for a semester in Granada, Spain. Alex is committed to helping students broaden their horizons and meet their professional goals through international experience.
Bucket List Location: Turkey
Fun Fact: Alex is an avid crocheter and flamenco dancer, while also dabbling in photography.
Daniela Perera
Admissions & Marketing Coordinator
Dani was born and raised in Costa Rica. She holds a degree in Public Relations from the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica. After graduation Dani embarked on a solo adventure to Vietnam, volunteering for three months in a youth development NGO. This experience ignited her passion for meeting new people and exploring new cultures and cuisines. She previously worked in marketing and public relations and enjoys authentically showcasing companies online and connecting them with their ideal audience. When she’s not traveling, Dani is trying new recipes in her kitchen or exploring paradise beaches around Costa Rica in the company of her beloved Cocker Spaniel, Luna.
Bucket List Location: Sri Lanka, Japan & Perú
Fun Fact: I can make a very delicious meal with whatever ingredients I find
