Our Staff

JAMES N. FALK

President & CEO

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Since August 2001, Jim Falk has been president and CEO of the nonprofit, non-partisan World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, which strives to create a more informed citizenry on matters of national and international significance and to supports the region’s international trade and economic growth. In 2003, the World Affairs Council founded Dallas Protocol, a unique public/private partnership with the City of Dallas, which is responsible for coordinating the city’s international outreach and relations with the Diplomatic Corps.

Jim earned a BA degree in Political Science from Washington and Lee University and his MA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in international law and organization and Middle Eastern studies. He has a French Baccalaureate from the Academy of Grenoble in France. From 1992 to 1999, Jim was Director/Southern Region of the Institute of International Education in Houston. Early in his career, he was director of education and media outreach at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. and worked for ten years as an energy banker in Houston, TX (First City National Bank of Texas).

Jim serves on the board of the Greater Dallas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, where he served as president in 2010. He served as a national board member and as treasurer of the World Affairs Councils of America and is currently on the advisory board of the North Texas Commission and the Asia Society of Texas. Jim is also adjunct professor of international relations at the University of North Texas.

Jim is the moderator of the Council’s webcast “Global I.Q. with Jim Falk” and he can be heard weekly on FunAsia 104.9 FM. His commentaries have appeared on the editorial page of The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and on KERA 90.1 FM.

Jim’s wife, Terrell, is chief operating officer of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and they have two adult children and one granddaughter.

BETH SABO HUDDLESTON

EVP, Chief of Protocol

Beth Huddleston is the executive vice president of the World Affairs Council of Dallasd/Fort Worth. She serves as chief of protocol for the city of Dallas through a partnership program between the City and the Council. She supervises the Council’s International Visitors Program, the International Education Initiative and Dallas Sister Cities.

Prior to assuming this position, Beth was the founding director of the International Small Business Development Center, an international trade assistance program of the Dallas County Community Colleges which served 49 counties of northeast Texas. Under her leadership, this organization was awarded the prestigious President’s “E’ Award for Excellence in Export Service.

Beth was recently elected to the board of the National Council for International Visitors, a national network of program agencies and 95 community-based organizations that offer professional programs, cultural activities and home hospitality to international leaders hosted by the US Department of State.

Beth is an active member of numerous organizations in the region and she is a past chair of the North Texas District Export Council, a position appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. Through this affiliation, she has been involved in an on-going effort to internationalize the education standards in our Texas public school system. She is on the board of the Friends of the Katy Trail and serves as co-chair for the Better & Best Friends Committee. She is also an active member of Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association where she receives yearly international training in the art of protocol.

Beth earned a B.A. in Spanish and English Literature from Vanderbilt University and a M.A. in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University. She speaks Spanish and has a working knowledge of French and German.

Ms. Huddleston is a native of Dallas. Her daughter Audrey is a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, TN and her sons, Rex and Riker attend Highland Park High School.

HASSAN TAHAT

Vice President of Finance

Hassan Tahat joined the World Affairs Council in April 2002 as an accountant. Today he manages the accounting department, budget preparation and audit functions; provides documentation and analysis to the chief executive officer, audit committee, finance committee and board of directors for financial decision making. Mr. Tahat, a native of Amman, Jordan, holds master's of business administration (MBA) with a focus in international finance from the University of Dallas. He is a lifetime member of Sigma Iota Epsilon, the national honorary and professional management fraternity.

JENNIFER BOWDEN

Executive Director, Int'l Education Program

Jennifer Bowden joined the Council in July of 2007 from the Lewisville ISD, where she was a World Cultures teacher. She has traveled extensively, led teacher workshops, mentored student teachers, worked on a district curriculum alignment team, written several teaching articles, and directed numerous student programs impacting more than 100,000 students. In 2001, she was awarded a month long study in Japan through a Fulbright Memorial Fund Fellowship and from 2002-2004, she was an area representative for the Center for Cultural Interchange’s area exchange students. In 2002 she led a group of students overseas with People to People and in 2009 she was awarded the Outstanding Support for Geography Education Award by the National Council for Geographic Education. She received her degree cum laude from the University of North Texas after studying in Melbourne, Australia, and is currently working towards a Masters in Global Studies in Education through the University of Illinois. Along with WAC partner organizations, HEB ISD and Richland College, she will lead 17 DFW educators to India in 2011 as the community outreach coordinator on a Fulbright Hays GPA grant.

REBECCA COWLE

Development Associate

Rebecca Cowle joined the Council in 2013 as a Development Associate. Previously, she worked for the International Programs department of the World Food Logistics Organization, the non-profit arm of the Global Cold Chain Alliance in Washington, D.C. There, she honed her grant writing and project management skills with USAID, USTDA, and USDA grants. She also worked closely with GCCA’s Indian office to restructure their membership levels and benefits, and conducted a needs assessment aimed at reconciling management and culture between the India and U.S. offices. She taught English proficiency classes to professionals wishing to advance their careers through a mastery of the English language in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. She graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M University with a degree in International Politics and Diplomacy in December of 2011, 1.5 years ahead of schedule with full university honors. She is a Phi Beta Kappa honor society member and speaks both French and Spanish.

DOUG FIELDER

International Visitor, Volunteer & Special Projects Coordinator

Doug graduated from Loyola University Chicago with degrees in Political Science and International Studies. He hopes to make a career working with the international community and would someday like to be heading a refugee resettlement program. He joined the Council part time after his Fall 2011 Council internship ended, and became a full time staffer in January 2013.

LARA HARRISON

Membership & Development Associate

Lara graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.A. in Psychology and minor in Art plus completed a Masters in Education. She was heavily involved with volunteer efforts, chairing and bringing many projects to SMU including their first Habitat for Humanity build. This enthusiasm for outreach has continued to this day with her active involvement in the Dallas community. She became a Texas Montessori certified teacher which led to founding her Professional Organizing company but her involvement with Non-profit organizations started to take the majority of her time. Joining the Council as a member in 2007, becoming a volunteer in 2011 and being hired in 2012 as a Development and Member Services Associate, Lara brings her experience as a volunteer, teacher, business owner, grant reviewer, and active committee member with local organizations to work in Donor Relations for the Council.

JOCELYN LANCASTER

Program Manager and Meridian Young Professionals Coordinator

Jocelyn joined the Council in July 2010. In her current role, she is responsible for general logistics of the Council’s many programs, including speaker events, Great Decisions discussion groups and Global I.Q. with the Economist audiocasts. She also organizes the dynamic Meridian: Global Young Professionals program and enjoys connecting with members throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth community. Following her graduation from Southern Methodist University in 2008, Jocelyn spent 13 months in Ecuador working in community development with Manna Project International. She loves traveling, speaking Spanglish, and learning about different cultures.

CHELSEA MARSHALL

Program Assistant - International Visitor/ Education

Chelsea Marshall is the Program Coordinator for the International Visitor Program and International Education Program. She graduated from Southwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2009. Her studies led her to Madrid, Spain for a summer session and Muscat, Oman as a Gilman Scholar. Prior to joining the Council in May 2011, Chelsea served as an intern in the International Education Program and as an AmeriCorps VISTA member with the Tarrant Literacy Coalition in Fort Worth. For more than 10 years, Chelsea has participated in a variety of international exchanges as a member of Fort Worth Sister Cities International. Chelsea enjoys history and painting as a member of the Mesquite Creative Arts Club.

MARTHA POWELL

Executive Asst./Office Manager

Martha Powell is Director of Administration and Executive Assistant to Jim Falk. In these roles she also handles board communication and human resources. Her twenty-plus years of administrative experience includes governmental relations, public relations, politics, philanthropy and media. Previously, she worked at Hunt Consolidated, Inc. and the Dallas Morning News, and for four years she owned her own business in Oak Cliff. She majored in English Literature at the University of Texas at Arlington and holds a Nonprofit Management Certificate from the Center for Nonprofit Management.

Martha and her husband, Larry, have a strong commitment to pet rescue and animal welfare. Martha is president of Paws in the City and a former board member of the Best Southwest Humane Society. Martha serves as webmaster of www.readlarrypowell.com, plays the harp and teaches knitting classes.

RYAN RANKIN

Webmaster

Ryan Rankin joined the council part time after a Council internship, and became webmaster in 2013. Ryan spent his youth in Houston, TX attending drawing and design composition classes at the Glassell School of Art as well as science and robotics camps at Houston Museum of Natural Science. Under the guidance of his uncle, he started learning the command line interface on an i386 powered home-built PC in 1989 at age six and learned to establish telnet sessions over a 9600 bit/s modem before the first web browser had even begun development. He studied Computer Engineering (with a Hardware Specialization) and Mathematics at Southern Methodist University.

WHITNEY SCHNEIDER

Director of Development & Partnerships

Whitney joined the Council in 2011. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Public Relations. She has always had an interest in politics and fundraising, working with several non-profits including the Central Texas Food Bank, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Children’s Miracle Network.

Whitney has worked with several media companies including, Burson-Marsteller and TEXAS MONTHLY as well as for U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in her district Austin office and later on her 2010 gubernatorial Wcampaign. Most recently, Whitney was the director at a Dallas art gallery and is very active in the Junior League of Dallas and the Texas Youth Scholarship Organization. Whitney is an active runner and enjoys traveling, photography, live music, and meeting new people.

BRETT STANLEY

Protocol Manager and International Visitor Coordinator

Brett Alana Stanley is the Director of the International Visitor Program at the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. She simultaneously oversees and coordinates the Council’s vibrant volunteer base. Prior to assuming these roles in September 2011, Brett served as the Protocol Manager at the City of Dallas’ Protocol Office, a partnership between the City of Dallas and the World Affairs Council.

Through the Council, Brett has been awarded many international opportunities. In November of 2008, she was one of six delegates to attend the APEC Leaders Summit in Lima, Peru. Most recently, she participated in an exchange program through the U.S. Department of State entitled, “Young Turkey-Young America: A New Relationship for a New Age”. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Jewish Committee Dallas Chapter.

Before to joining the Council in September of 2008, Brett lived in Spain where she taught English and studied French. She is fluent in Spanish and has a knack for learning languages. Brett graduated from Goucher College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Business.

ELAINE TUCKER

Director of Membership Services

Elaine Tucker joined the Council in 2009. She recently relocated to the Dallas area in 2005. Before joining the council, she served as Stewardship Coordinator for a private school in Dallas. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Lutheran University, where she also served as Development Database Coordinator for over 10 years. Hobbies include clog dancing, reading mystery novels and being Auntie to 2 Austrailian Shepherds, 1 small Pomeranian and a cocker/lab mix. In addition to her Auntie duties, she loves her role as a mother and recent promotion to grandmother status.

This past summer Elaine traveled England for two weeks and loved every minute of her trip. She looks forward to a return visit as soon as time allows. She highly recommends the Bleeding Heart Yard Café for enjoyment of their excellent food and great atmosphere.

RACHEL VOGEL

Director of Programs

Rachel Vogel is the Director of Programs at the Council. She joins the Council after working as a program officer for the World Affairs Council of Houston. Prior to this, Rachel interned at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

Following her graduation from University of Dallas in 2006 with a BA in History, she worked for FourthWall Media as a product coordinator. She then completed her MA in International Political Economy at the University of Kent Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS) in 2009, while interning for Environmental Security International. She is the founder of the BSIS Volunteer Forum, specifically focusing on work with refugees living in Brussels, Belgium.

RACHEL WALLIS

Director of Int'l. Protocol Services

Rachel Wallis joined the World Affairs Council in September 2011. Most recently, she worked as Program Officer at Meridian International Center in Washington, DC, implementing the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership program. She received an M.A. in Contemporary European Studies from the University of Bath, UK, and spent her undergraduate years at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX, where she earned a B.A. with dual majors of Political Science and French. Rachel has studied abroad at Imperial College in London, the Sorbonne in Paris, the Institut D'etudes Politiques (Sciences-Po) in Paris, and the University of Bath. She is fluent in French and has a working knowledge of Spanish.