About

Established in 1999, Teachers Council is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization based in Annapolis, Maryland. Our small and flexible organization is focused on providing visa services to international teachers teaching at K-12 schools throughout the US and occupational trainee participants. Teachers Council’s Core Values are: Integrity, Diplomacy, Accountability, and Kindness.

Teachers Council brings teachers and trainees from diverse cultures, professions, and backgrounds to the realm of United States education and occupational training categories. Our exchange program provides teachers with an opportunity to live and work in the United States while meeting an important need of their specific host school. Testimonies from our member schools note that the positive changes made by the teachers in our program often last long after their work is done. Additionally, domestic students from multicultural backgrounds occasionally meet representatives of their heritage culture for the first time.

Many of the full-time staff at Teacher Exchange were immigrants themselves. This composition of the senior leadership of Teachers Council allows our staff to truly understand the needs of participating foreign national teachers. Our consultants listen to the individual needs of each participating teacher, trainee and host organization. Finally, Teachers Council offers a competitive pricing model that offers significant discounts from the prices of similar services available through private law firms. Teachers Council offers turnkey services for foreign national teachers and member schools. Services include visa sponsorship, document preparation, and procurement of paralegal services and legal representation.

In just two decades of existence, Teacher Council is proud to have clients in over 30 states. Review our website to learn more about Teachers Council and the benefits that cross cultural exchange can make for your school, career, and/or personal experience.

Visa Services Team

Nick Spagnolo

President

Nick is originally from New York City, with a childhood dream career of becoming a Math teacher. In adulthood, he took opportunities to work and travel extensively, where he gained a deep appreciation and love for learning about different people and cultures. Nick joined Teachers Council in 2017 and has held the president position since October 2020.

Kenneth Suhr

Senior Program Specialist

Kenneth is originally from South Korea, and moved to the states in 1990. With a passion for English and law, Kenneth began working as a paralegal and hasn’t looked back, and is now the longest-standing Teachers Council staff member, managing teacher immigrant and nonimmigrant cases since 2004. As an immigrant himself, Kenneth is intimately familiar with the struggles and uncertainties of going through immigration proceedings – as well as the beauty and soaring hopes of achieving those dreams. He is driven and passionate about helping as many people as possible to achieve their goals. He finds joy in life when his skills are being utilized to solve others’ problems. Kenneth is the vice president of Teachers Council.

Yoshiko Kamiyama

H-1B Case Manager

Originally from Japan, Yoshiko grew up in Westchester, New York. Yoshiko worked at the International Leadership Training Program, engaging with young people from all around the world. A homeopath by profession, she volunteered at Homeopathy for Health in Africa in Tanzania and did her own volunteer work helping to bring healthcare into the very rural areas of Paraguay. Also a mother of four, she envisions a world full of love and connection.

Diana Grechukhina

Visa Services Specialist

Diana’s multicultural background (Kazakhstan, Russia, the United States) and her passion for the English language prompted her to move to the United States, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a minor in Political Science. Diana has experience in immigration law, state politics as well as small business. Diana believes in the Golden Rule and strives to help other people.

Ruth Gabor

Visa Services Specialist

Ruth is from Long Island, New York. She earned her Ph.D. in History from American University. Her dissertation explored Soviet fashion and its role in East-West cultural exchange during the Cold War, and she conducted her research in both the U.S. and Russia. She has experience in K-12 and higher education. Ruth holds an M.A. in History from American University and a B.A. in International Relations and Russian from Bucknell University. Ruth joined Teachers Council in 2023.

Lorena Gonzalez Penayo

Office Assistant

Lorena is originally from Colombia. She moved to the US in 2019 as an au-pair with the J-1 visa program with the dream of becoming bilingual and having a multicultural exchange experience living with an American family. She became a customer service representative at a pediatrician clinic where she had the opportunity to gain experience, new skills, and serve as a translator for Hispanic speakers. She earned a certificate from George Washington University as a Digital Marketing Specialist. She is a very creative person, passionate about helping people, and is very social. She loves meeting people from different cultures, learning their traditions etc. She joined Teachers Council in 2023.

J-1 BridgeUSA Program Team

Chrissie Friedrichsen

J-1 Program Director and Responsible Officer

A Maryland native, Chrissie joined Teachers Council in 2019 with a background in hospitality, small business, and international exchange programs. Combining personal experience living abroad with professional experience managing exchange programs, Chrissie brings her combination of industriousness and charisma to everyone she works with. Chrissie is a skilled problem solver and finds methods of creating pathways that are aligned with the goals of all parties. Her passion for international and cultural experiences, along with helping others, drives her every day. Chrissie is an Officer of Teachers Council.

Christina Victoria Rivas

J-1 Program Deputy Director and Alternate Responsible Officer

Christina is from Rincón, Puerto Rico. She was the recipient of a scholarship from the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association-Scholarship Foundation and pursued a Master’s Degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University. She brings a vast amount of experience and international knowledge to the Teachers Council team given her lifelong history of service in the Caribbean, US and South America. Christina’s integrity and love of people radiates through every interaction, and her care and experience are evident with each person and program she touches. Christina joined Teachers Council in 2021.

Judy Co

J-1 Program Manager & Alternate Responsible Officer

Judy exemplifies wisdom, compassion, and capability. She earned a Masters In Education Degree in New York and was thrilled when an opportunity to live abroad arose. Judy raised her family throughout Asia, with the longest stay of 13 years in the Philippines. While overseas, she passionately engaged in community-building efforts and youth non-profit organizations with local and international communities. Returning to the US, Judy worked in Seattle-area schools and then for a non-profit organization in service of individuals with Down syndrome in Annapolis, before joining Teachers Council in 2022.

Anna Latta

J-1 Program Manager & Alternate Responsible Officer

Anna moved from the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada to the plains of Nebraska in the early 2000s. She’s since lived all around the United States and found that she loves exploring and adapting to new places. Her background is in journalism, digital content creation and project management. She recently spent a year living abroad in both Spain and Australia. While both places were amazing, she especially loved Spain because the experience of living in a country and speaking a different language was an extremely rewarding experience. Anna looks forward to helping others have positive and fulfilling experiences here in the United States.

Robbin Turco

J-1 Alternate Responsible Officer

Robbin is a native Marylander and joined the J-1 Team at Teachers Council in November 2023. She has a background in small business and banking. She obtained her Bachelors Degree in Business Management with a minor in Economics from Towson University. She is excited and eager to assist international professionals with the opportunity to teach in the United States.

Sydney Chanmugam

J-1 Alternate Responsible Officer

Sydney is a native Marylander whose diverse background drew her to join Teachers Council in 2023. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law, with a foundation in immigration law, and a B.A. from Towson University in English and Spanish. Sydney brings lived experience as an international teacher, as she recently spent a school year in Jaén, Spain teaching English at a primary school. She also has experience in publishing, hospitality, environmental work, and the arts. Sydney is passionate about building connections worldwide and exploring new cultures, and she is excited to help people accomplish their goals.