About Us

Mission

UCI’s excellence and impact are multiplied through valued international collaborations. The Office of Global Engagement supports UCI’s teaching, research and service around the world.

UCI Global Engagement:

Works with UC Irvine leadership to forge a strong global strategy.
Serves as a resource to UC Irvine divisions, schools and departments for planning their international academic strategies.
Assists departments, schools and centers with international program development, relationship building, negotiations, and agreement preparation and finalization.
Works with the university’s administrative leadership to ensure processes for international activities are effective and efficient.

Meet the team

Leadership Team

Victoria Jones, Ph.D.

Chief Global Affairs Officer

vljones@uci.edu
949-824-7209
949-824-0016 (fax)

Dr. Victoria Jones oversees global strategy, campus coordination and diplomacy. She holds a doctorate from Cornell University, an MA from the University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. She taught international marketing for 15 years and earned tenure in both Brazil and the US.
Mark Beirn

Global Risk Manager

mbeirn@uci.edu

Mark Beirn serves as the Global Risk Manager on the UC Irvine Study Abroad Center team. Mark has 20 years of experience in education abroad experience and has established international risk management protocols at Tulane University, Pomona College, Webster University and Washington University in St. Louis, where he is currently completing his Ph.D. in international urban history with a focus on critical urban infrastructure.
Jeanne d'Arc Gomis

Director of Study Abroad

jagomis@uci.edu
949-824-8658

Jeanne d’Arc Gomis is Director of Study Abroad. She brings over 18 years of experience working with partner universities and creating linkages for student mobility. She has held leadership positions at various institutions in the U.S and abroad. She has served as Director of Africa and the Middle East at ISEP, and most recently the Study Abroad Director at Arkansas State University.
Jeanne d’Arc speaks French, Spanish, Wolof, and other African languages.
Hye-Won Shin, Ph.D.

Director of Korea Engagement

hyewons@uci.edu
949-824-9550
949-824-0016 (fax)

Dr. Hye-Won Shin serves as the international liaison for Korean and Asia relations. She is involved in departmental, college, and university level initiatives that promote UCI’s vision of becoming a global leader in education and innovation. Her role is to facilitate collaborative relationships with educational, governmental, and private industrial entities in Korea and other Asian countries. As a biomedical scientist with a chemical engineering background and clinical translational science experience, Dr. Shin is responsible for connecting UCI's K-12 educational programs with public and private schools in Asia. In addition, Dr. Shin leads UCI’s Korean Alumni Chapter, the very first international alumni chapter at UCI.
Monica Hughes

International Agreements Officer

monicach@uci.edu
949-824-2119

Monica Hughes manages the development and execution of international agreements. She holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional. Monica has a background in international studies and over 15 years of experience as a legal professional, which includes working knowledge of UC policies. Monica previously managed international agreements for the UC Education Abroad Program and was instrumental in the development of its policy and data privacy compliance program.