Meet the Team

Michelle Bopp-Smith is the Executive Assistant to the Vice Provost and Assistant for Global Engagement staff. She is responsible for managing program elements for all aspects of official, high-level foreign delegation visits to the University and for senior-level University delegations abroad. This includes generating ideas for meetings, coordinating logistics, and composing and generating relevant materials for each visit. Much of this work involves intricate coordination with stakeholders spanning various time zones, continents, and cultures. With considerable latitude for independent judgment, she prepares correspondence, memos, briefs, and documents. Additionally, she serves as a liaison on behalf of the Vice Provost for Global Engagement, managing correspondence and conducting thorough research to analyze complex information for generating reports, briefings, and presentations.

Bopp-Smith is a Rochester native who earned a B.S degree in Elementary Education from St. John Fisher College in 2005 and an M.A. degree in Literary and Cultural Studies from Carnegie Mellon University in the spring of 2008. Upon return to Rochester, she continued her involvement in higher education by teaching at Monroe Community College. After teaching Advanced Composition and Literature courses for eight years, Bopp-Smith joined the Office for Global Engagement in March, 2016.

Megan Bennett-Spears serves as the Associate Director of International Partnerships in the Office for Global Engagement.

With a decade of experience in international education, Megan leads and manages the University’s international partnership activities. Megan is instrumental in advancing the institution’s global objectives by initiating and managing new international initiatives and fostering robust relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

Megan enhances the University’s global presence by developing high-impact partnerships that align with institutional goals. Her work involves close collaboration with faculty, staff, and administration across the University, including the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). Megan works in partnership with the Vice Provost for Global Engagement and the Center for Education Abroad to ensure the strategic growth and alignment of international partnerships, international processes, and policy improvement. Through these efforts, Megan contributes significantly to the University’s mission of global engagement and institutional success.

Megan holds a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from the Warner School of Education.

Joe Doyle serves as the Global Operations Director in the Office for Global Engagement. In this role, he provides leadership, strategy, and consultation on activities that may involve a University presence outside the United States.

Joe works with senior leaders, faculty members, and other stakeholders to facilitate the University’s global operations, with a particular focus on compliance issues. He regularly consults directly with University stakeholders and works collaboratively with other functional units on global operations matters.

Joe also serves as the Research Security Officer for the University, reporting into Vice President of Research.

Prior to his current roles, Joe served as Senior Counsel in the Office of Counsel at the University, where he advised the University on a wide range of legal matters, including those relating to international collaborations. He has also worked as an attorney in private practice.

Ruth Levenkron serves as the Director for the Office for Global Engagement (Global) at the University of Rochester. In this role, she acts as the primary advisor and chief of staff to the Vice Provost for Global Engagement and is responsible for coordinating staff, day-to-day office administration, and operations. More specifically, her tasks include managing and maintaining tabs on a diverse array of high-level projects, tracking progress, and ensuring alignment with the University’s global engagement priorities.

Ruth facilitates collaboration within sub-teams around these key priorities, ensuring awareness and clarity across units and helping to uncover synergies between them. She brings a strategic lens to projects, actively engaging in issue-spotting, raising awareness of possible obstacles, and proactively working to address them. She also plays a pivotal role in pinpointing emerging opportunities within the University’s global framework, providing high-level support in driving strategic initiatives. Overall, her role is more facilitative than managerial, as she focuses on helping teams collaborate effectively and stay aligned with global engagement goals.

Previously, Ruth worked for an international development contracting firm in Washington, D.C., where she supported multi-million dollar projects funded by the U.S. government. These projects were aimed at economic development and political stability across Asia. Ruth’s extensive international experience includes studying and working abroad. She has also contributed to refugee assistance efforts in New York City through an international aid organization and worked for a non-governmental organization in South Africa. Ruth holds a B.A. in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College and an M.A. in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University.

Lee Shannon serves as the Global Program Manager, with a focus on the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), reporting to the Associate Director of International Partnerships.

With over fifteen years of experience in international project management within higher education, Lee brings expertise in managing existing projects and spearheading new initiatives in international programs, student exchanges, and research collaborations.

By fostering strong relationships and bridging needs between internal partners and external collaborators, Lee drives the growth and success of international endeavors at URMC.