We believe in what we do.

Cultural Vistas brings together a wealth of talent, diverse backgrounds, and an array of experience to every project.

We believe that a commitment to cultural understanding is the key to sustained success in today’s global society. Collectively, our staff speaks more than 20 different languages. For many of us, it has been the impact of our own personal and professional experiences abroad that have led us to careers in international exchange.

We aim to share with others the experience of traveling to another country and absorbing its culture. We believe deeply in the value of international education and the meaningful impact of intercultural exchange. This is central to what we do every day.

Linda Boughton
Acting President + CEO

Linda is currently the Acting President + CEO of Cultural Vistas, a nonprofit exchange organization promoting global understanding and collaboration among individuals and institutions.

Linda’s previous roles at Cultural Vistas have included Chief Operating Officer, as well as a five-year stint as Executive Vice President and CFO. In these capacities she has provided strategic business planning, finance and operations management. Her leadership has helped to facilitate doubling the size and scope of the organization within six years, to approximately 100 employees serving close to 6,000 participants from 130 countries annually.

Previously, for 20+ years, Linda served CDS International (which merged together with the Association of International Practical Training in 2011) as Deputy Executive Director and CFO, leading and directing human resources, finance and administration. Prior to joining CDS International, Linda worked at The American-Scandinavian Foundation on their Exchange Visitor Intern and Trainee Programs.

Her passion to facilitate international exchange opportunities for others started with a year of studying abroad at The Philipp University of Marburg, Germany. She also spent a post-graduate internship year in London, England.

Linda holds an MPA Certification from Rutgers School of Public Affairs and a BA in International Studies and German from Juniata College. A longtime member of NAFSA and SHRM, she also serves on several boards and committees, including the Alliance for International Exchange, an association of 90 NGOs that provides public policy voice for the international exchange community.

Megan Bah
Chief Financial Officer

Megan serves as the Chief Financial Officer at Cultural Vistas.

She joined Cultural Vistas (then CDS International) in 2007 where she started working part time in accounting and part time doing program work. Working on the programmatic side gave her a greater understanding of the value of international exchange. During her tenure, she has since worked her way through the finance department in various roles from Accounting Manager, Accounting Director, Controller, and now CFO. Through her time spent at Cultural Vistas she has grown passionate about non-profit accounting and reporting.

Megan is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Accountancy in Governmental Accounting at Rutgers Business School in New Brunswick, NJ. She also has a certificate in Not-For-Profit Accounting and Governmental Reporting from NYU-SPS. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Rowan University in New Jersey.

Dan Ewert
Vice President, Program Research, Partnerships + Innovation

Dan serves as the Vice President for Program Research, Partnerships and Innovation, and the National Secretary of the United States affiliate of the International Association of the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE).

He has been with the organization (as AIPT) since 1994, including stints as Director of Career Development Exchanges, Director of Program Development and Vice President of Programs and Sales.Previously, Dan served as the Director of Internships for The Washington Center, where he managed the organization’s business, economics, health and science placements, and was a teaching associate for its foreign policy seminars. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member for the organization since 1991, co-leading a college-level course on research methodology and writing.Additionally, Dan has been a student advisor at the University of Washington in Seattle, and Director of Personnel for Federal Business Centers in Edison, New Jersey.

Dan also currently acts as the Treasurer and founding member of the Board of Directors of the Global Pathways Project, a non-profit organization that helps expose inner-city Baltimore youth to international events and opportunities.

He has presented at a number of national conferences of NAFSA, the American Society of Experiential Education, the Clean Energy Workforce Education Council, the American Academy of Science, the Cooperative Education International Association, the Chilean-American Chamber of Commerce, AMCHAM Brazil, AMCHAM Vietnam, the National Career Conference and the Intercultural Management Institute.

Dan holds a masters degree in geography from the University of Washington in Seattle, and a bachelor’s degree in international studies and Asian studies from American University in Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth Kumbhari
Vice President, Professional Exchange Programs

Elizabeth joined Cultural Vistas in May 2015 and serves as the Vice President of Professional Exchanges.

In this role, she oversees the organization’s Train USA J-1 intern and trainee exchanges, Client Relations, Korea WEST, International Visitor Leadership Program and the Edmund S. Muskie Internship Program.

Prior to this position, Elizabeth served as the Director of International Admissions at Long Island University where she oversaw immigration, recruitment, and admissions for LIU Post, LIU Brooklyn, and Global College.

She also held various positions at Northern Kentucky University, including serving as the Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars. Elizabeth was a member of the American International Recruitment Council’s Founding Standards Committee.

Elizabeth holds a J.D. from Northern Kentucky University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Capital University. Elizabeth was a CBYX high school exchange student, and later participated in an internship/educational exchange to Austria. She holds a legal license and was a pro bono attorney for the Volunteer Lawyers Project of Cincinnati. She is very active with NAFSA, currently serving as the national Travel Subcommittee Chair.

Anna Oberle-Brill
Vice President, International Programs + Fellowships

Anna serves as the Vice President of International Programs and Fellowships at Cultural Vistas.

She has extensive expertise in the field of cultural exchange with more than 15 years of experience, including nearly a decade serving as the Senior Program Director of the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, a Department of State-funded, U.S.-German reciprocal exchange program.

Anna has been an integral part of this organization (formerly CDS International) since 2000, most recently in the role of directing the American side of the CBYX for Young Professionals program. In this position, she has overseen the annual tripartite placement (college, host family, internship) of 75 German students in communities across the United States. She has also maintained responsibilities for recruiting, selecting, and preparing the contingent of 75 American participants for spending a year abroad in Germany.

Anna possesses an expertise in cross-cultural training, grant management and writing, and program development that has shown through in the 12-plus years of successfully administering the CBYX program, including previous stints as an Assistant Program Officer and Program Assistant. She has also presented on such topics at a number of national conferences including NAFSA.Anna herself participated in several exchange programs throughout high school and college including travels to United States, England, France, and Switzerland. She is a passionate advocate for international exchange and looks forward to leading our efforts to provide more opportunities for Americans to gain professional experience abroad.

Anna earned her master’s degree in history, political science, and North American studies from Freie Universität Berlin in 2000.

A diverse and dynamic board.

Cultural Vistas’ board of directors guides the overall philosophy and direction of the organization and reflects the global reach of our programs and initiatives. Our diverse and accomplished board includes former ambassadors, leaders of the NGO and business communities, university administrators and professionals who closely monitor government relations, organizational policy, finance and programs.

Cultural Vistas’ board members are committed to the common goal of enhancing careers and building cultural understanding through life-changing exchange experiences.

Program Teams

Support Teams