Patrizia Nobbe

Executive Director, UAS7

Patrizia Nobbe represents seven German universities of applied sciences (UAS7) in their North America office. On behalf of a group of German universities with offices in New York and all represented here at the event, she'll guide through the program.

Vanessa Hajduga

Intern at University Alliance Ruhr

Vanessa Hajduga is a recent graduate of Ruhr University Bochum and founder of a luxury re-commerce startup, which she launched while completing her master’s program. She also consults for a female accelerator program, helping women entrepreneurs develop their businesses. Currently, Vanessa is interning at the University Alliance Ruhr North America office in New York.

Moritz Lohmann

Master's Student of Media Aesthetics of German Literature at the University of Cologne and Intern at UoC NY Office.

My name is Moritz Lohmann and I am an intern at the University of Cologne North America Office in New York. At the University of Cologne, I am currently in my graduate studies in Media Aesthetics of German Literature (M.A.). I am a scholarship holder of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and have focused my research on feminist and queer perspectives on German literature with further background in social sciences.

Ethan Grandel

Program Officer, DAAD

Since 2019 I have worked with DAAD managing short-term grants for research. I received my MA in German from Middlebury College and am still nostalgic for the few years I spent living in Europe. As an undergraduate I studied in Bremen for a year and was part of DAAD’s Undergraduate Scholarship group at the time, so it’s rewarding now to be able to help pay forward similar experiences.

Laura Hohmann

Keynote Speaker

Laura Hohmann is the Associate Director of CDP North America's Sustainable Supply Chains program. In her role she oversees the organization's largest regional membership-based climate action program. She also serves as the global lead for renewable energy and manages sector engagement initiatives in partnership with the United Nations. Prior to advising S&P500 companies on their environmental supply chain management at CDP, she worked with the United Nations Department of Economic & Social Affairs and the Center on Global Energy Policy. Laura holds a master's degree in climate science from Columbia University, a master's in Sustainability Economics from the University of Oldenburg and a bachelor's degree in Cultural Studies & Business administration from the University of Duisburg-Essen. Challenging herself academically in different disciplines and countries, has provided her with valuable skills to navigate the complex field of sustainable development. Her alma mater, the University of Duisburg-Essen and its motto "Offen im Denken" has laid the foundation for that.

Claire MacFarlane

Keynote Speaker

Claire Macfarlane was a recipient of the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange scholarship for 2009-2010 where she was placed in a family in Berlin. Since then, the German language has been a staple of both her professional and personal life. She attended George Washington University where she studied Economics and minored in German. Afterwards, she stayed in Washington D.C. for several years, working first at Cultural Vistas and later at the German Embassy, all the while hosting a monthly Stammtisch for German speakers in the city that regularly attracted up to 40 native speakers and learners. Wanting to continue her education, she went back to Germany in 2021 to receive her Masters in Management from Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. Claire now works in Dublin, Ireland for TikTok’s Trust and Safety department, where she originally worked specifically on German speaking markets and now works on global issues as a Strategic Risk Analyst. When not working, Claire can be found biking around the city, doing DIY projects, or travelling.

Mariella de Carvalho

Head of Cultural Affairs and Science at the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany

Head of Cultural Affairs and Science at the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany