ACU INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS TEAM
ACU International Programs Leadership Team
Mark studied abroad in Heidelberg, Germany, in 2001. Since that time, he has lived and worked in Mito, Japan, New York City, and Lausanne, Switzerland. He returned to the U.S. in 2023 to lead international education efforts at ACU.
Mark’s research interests explore the intersection of culture, faith, and spiritual formation in study abroad.
Mark Barneche, MA
Executive Director for International Education and Study Abroad
Contact Mark Barneche
Meet with Mark Barneche
Darya Bontempo, MIS, MSW Director of Study Abroad Operations
Darya studied abroad in Florence, Italy, and eastern China. She has supported short-term exchanges, faculty-led programs, international student orientation, and academic advising. In Fall 2025, she also served as part of the family-in-residence at ACU Oxford.
Contact Darya Bontempo
Meet with Darya Bontempo
Tessa Leach
Assistant Director, ACU Leipzig
Tessa studied abroad with ACU in Oxford, England, in 2020. Tessa relocated to Leipzig, Germany, in December 2024 to lead ACU’s study abroad program. As a German-American, she enjoys helping students build confidence, embrace new cultures, and discover the transformative impact of living and learning abroad.
Contact Tessa Leach
Meet with Tessa Leach
Jacqueline studied abroad in Oxford, UK in 2001 and has lived in the United Kingdom since 2003, becoming Director of the Oxford program in 2012. She loves teaching and walking alongside students as they are captivated by this fascinating city.
Jacqueline Morrison, MA
Director, ACU Oxford
Contact Jacque Morrison
Meet with Jacque Morrison
TJ McCloud, MA
Director, ACU Valencia
TJ McCloud serves as Program Director of ACU Valencia. A 2003 ACU graduate, he brings nearly two decades of international leadership experience spanning higher education, international development, nonprofit leadership, and healthcare administration. His professional interests include cross-cultural learning, organizational leadership, and the role of faith in engaging communities and cultures.
Contact TJ McCloud
Meet with TJ McCloud
Global Campus Faculty
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Professor Anne Kauer
German, ACU Leipzig
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Professor Nadin Moser
German, ACU Leipzig
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Professor Anthony Williams
Global Studies, ACU Leipzig
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Dr. Edison Jakurti
Economics, ACU Leipzig
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Rev. Dr. Robert Moore
German, ACU Leipzig
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Dr. Sarah Sabotta
Psychology, ACU Leipzig
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Sabine Barrel
Counselor, ACU Leipzig
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Dr. Stephen Herring
Biblical Studies, ACU Oxford
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Dr. Muriel Patrick
English Literature, ACU Oxford
Dr. Oliver Wright
Biblical Studies, ACU Oxford
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Dr. Serena Massino
Economics, ACU Oxford
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Dr. Kieron Winn
Poetry, ACU Oxford
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Prof. Melena Caballero
Spanish, ACU Valencia
ACU IP Operations Team
Abraham Rutherford (Oxford Fall ’25), Marketing Team
Abraham is a junior Civil Engineering major from Benbrook, TX. His favorite memory from study abroad is spending fall break at the Amalfi Coast, Italy. He and his friends had fun hiking and swimming in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Cadence Smith (Leipzig Fall ’25), Administrative Team
Cadence is a junior Government and Psychology major with a concentration in international relations from Murrieta, CA. Her favorite memory from living abroad was hiking in the Italian Dolomites and seeing Normandy with her twin. (Surfing in Spain was a close second, though.)
Martha Aaron (Oxford Fall ’25), Administrative Team
Martha is a junior Accounting and Finance major from Sugar Land, TX. Her favorite memory from study abroad is taking a day to wander through the countryside and coast of Ireland.
Lauren Sims (Oxford Fall ’25), Administrative Team
Lauren is a junior Kinesiology major from Southlake, TX. Her favorite memory from her study abroad was running the Oxford Half Marathon. She enjoyed the opportunity to run alongside friends and explore different cities on foot while training, including running along the Seine in Paris during sunrise.
ACU IP Ambassador Team
Peyton Marchand (Leipzig Fall ’25), Program Ambassador
Peyton is a senior Biochemistry Pre-Med major from Holliday, TX. His favorite memory from studying abroad was dog sledding at the North Pole under the Northern Lights in Norway.
Bella Jaimez (Leipzig Fall ’25), Program Ambassador
Bella is a senior Biochemistry Pre-Pharmacy major with a minor in mathematics from Liberty Hill, TX. Her favorite travel memory was flying to Tromsø, Norway. She got to dog sled, visit fjords, see the northern lights, and the Arctic Cathedral with her friends.
Rachel Noble (Oxford Fall ’25), Program Ambassador
Rachel is a junior Vocational Missions major with a minor in English and History from Flower Mound, TX. Her favorite memory abroad was spending the perfect day in Paris with friends, visiting cafes, seeing the Crown Jewels in the Louvre (before they were stolen!), getting crepes outside the Eiffel tower, and running through the Metro to try and see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night.
Taylor Harrison (Valencia Summer ’26), Program Ambassador
Taylor is a sophomore Journalism and Spanish major from Lubbock, TX. Her favorite memory abroad was spending a day exploring Barcelona with friends, during which she got to row a boat in Park Güell and see the newly completed Sagrada Familia.
Aubrey White (Valencia Summer ’26), Program Ambassador
Aubrey is a sophomore Biomedical Science major with a minor in Entrepreneurship from Lubbock, TX. Her favorite memory from studying abroad was paragliding through the Dolomite Mountains and then celebrating the adventure with handmade Italian pizza in the valley below.