CAPA About Us | Resident Director Staff

Barcelona

Dr. Rebecca Swanson

Director of Program and Student Services in Barcelona

Rebecca has an MA in Medieval Culture Studies and a PhD in Art History with honors from the University of Barcelona. She was a student and visiting scholar at Sapienza Università di Roma in Rome, Italy and at the Université Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne, in Paris, France. Rebecca has taught Art History at the University of Barcelona and spent a number of years working with college students as a mentor and supervisor. She was most recently a Program Manager and Art History professor for the Business and Culture and Economics and Culture programs at CIEE Barcelona. Her favorite hobby is reading, and she also enjoys sports, particularly hiking and mountain climbing. She loves traveling, art, meeting new people, and spending time with her family and cats.

Buenos Aires

Mariela Diaz

Director of Program and Student Services in Buenos Aires

Mariela holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a specialization in International Relations from the University of Munich, Germany. She previously served as an Outbound Coordinator at Youth for Understanding, Argentina, providing administrative support to program participants, host organizations, and other exchange stakeholders. Most recently, she worked as a Volunteers Mentor for a German NGO called Internationaler Bund, where she provided monthly supervision and support for the volunteers from Germany. Her personal interests include literature, dancing tango, art, sports, and spending time with multicultural friends.

Dublin

Susanne Bach
Director of Program and Student Services in Dublin

As CAPA Dublin’s Resident Director since 2012, Susanne oversees student affairs and welfare. She works closely with our faculty and staff, as well as our Griffith College partners, to ensure the best possible study abroad experience for our students. Susanne also teaches our summer course in Irish Cinema and holds an MA in Film Studies from University College Dublin. Having arrived in Ireland as a student herself, cultural immersion and a deep understanding of Ireland’s rich heritage lies at the heart of Susanne’s work. Dublin has so much to offer; after spending over two decades here, she’s still fascinated with the country and its remarkable people.

Florence

Lorenzo Ciccarelli

Director of Program and Student Services in Florence

Lorenzo was born and raised in Florence and is half Italian and half Swiss. His mother tongue is Italian, though he is fluent in German, English, French, and Spanish. After attending high school in Florence, Lorenzo moved to Lucerne, Switzerland where he obtained his degree in Hotel Management. Lorenzo became a part of the CAPA Florence Center team in 2000. Prior to joining CAPA, Lorenzo worked in the hotel business for several years in various countries in Europe and South America. He oversees all the operations for the CAPA Florence Center.

London

Claire Kibblewhite

London Center Director and Director of Global Program Services

Claire has been with CAPA since 2012. As London Center Director and Director of Global Program Services, she supports all Global Resident Directors and ensures standardization of program and student services. Originally from London, she earned a B.Ed in Education and English at the University of Southampton. Trained as a teacher, Claire has always worked in international education. She rides motorcycles and plays tennis in her spare time.

Shanghai

Colin Speakman

Director of Program and Student Services in Shanghai

Colin manages CAPA Shanghai operations and student services, including leading orientation and excursions, as well as providing extensive support throughout the program. He brings over 25 years of high-profile experience in international education for American undergraduates. Colin makes regular contributions as a columnist to the China Daily newspaper and has also undertaken education consultancy for blue-chip companies.

Sydney

Daniel Cunningham

Director of Program and Student Services in Sydney

Since 2008, Daniel has focused his skills and expertise around student services, activity programming, accommodations, procurement and staff management, sales and marketing, client relations, and health and safety. Holding roles such as the Duty Manager and Academic Coordinator at Corrib Village, a large student accommodation facility in Galway, Ireland, and at the Griffith College housing facilities in Dublin, where he provided exceptional service to the CAPA Dublin team and our students, has allowed Daniel to understand and meet the range of needs that students have to complete a successful program abroad. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Accountancy (Honors) degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Higher Diploma in Project Management from Griffith College, Dublin.