Academic Team
Kristine Zamastil, Ph.D., J.D.
Academic Director- Prague
Contact Kristine
Dr. Kristine Zamastil, originally from Chicago, Illinois, is a Visiting Professor at the University of Economics, Prague (VŠE, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze) and the Director of the Summer University hosted by VSE. She is also the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the European Study Abroad Center (ESAC) of which Global Players has united efforts with for the purpose of providing a unique study abroad opportunity that specializes in high quality, good value study abroad programs in business, marketing and humanities in Prague, Czech Republic. Participating students are guaranteed solid academic experience with first rate faculty and an amazing cultural immersion.
As a Visiting Professor at the University of Economics, Prague, Kristine teaches International Management and Business Law in the College of International Relations. Currently she resides in Florida during the academic year where she continues to manage the Academic components of both GP and ESAC while also teaching part-time for various local universities. Kristine spends summers in Europe facilitating the program and assisting U.S. universities in coordinating study abroad programs in Central Europe.
Kristine holds a Ph.D. from the University of Denver ’03, a Law Degree from John Marshall Law School ‘91 and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Northern Colorado. She continues to publish articles on legal issues in higher education and liability in study abroad.
Global Players is very fortunate to have such an outstanding and highly achieved administrator to ensure our study abroad programs meet the academic rigor and standard of practice of higher education.
Ing. David Vondra, MA
Program Manager- Prague
David comes direct to us from Prague, Czech Republic as the Program Manager for the University of Economics, Prague (VŠE, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze) Summer University and the Director of Marketing for the European Study Abroad Center (ESAC) of which both he and Kristine run. With a Masters Degree from the University of Economics, David works to coordinate and develop the Summer University Programs to ensure students receive a solid academic experience combined with site visits to local Czech firms. David is also responsible for overseeing the students cultural experience by providing advice on the best kept secrets in Prague as a local himself!
With a background in Economics and IT with companies such as Lucent Technologies, DHL and CSG Systems, he develops the technology to ensure each student gets the most out of their experience in Prague. David comes to Global Players with a wide array of expertise as well as experience living in England, the United States, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Europe.
David is an incredibly valuable addition because he comes with an unmatched local approach to our host country as a native of the Czech Republic himself. In addition, he provides an array of knowledge to support our student athletes throughout their study abroad experience. Whether securing an internet connection, making sure each participant is comfortable in their housing or making sure they embrace all that Prague has to offer, he makes the overall experience unique and authentic.
Mirjam Schieveld
Academic Director- Amsterdam
Contact Mirjam
Mirjam Schieveld studied cultural anthropology at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. Research interests include: sex education, commercial sex, and addiction. She is the co founder and programme director of the Summer Institute on Sexuality, Culture and Society as well as the Summer Institute on Addiction. She teaches for IES a course on Sexuality and Gender in the context of Amsterdam and has given various guest lectures in the field of social problems in the Netherlands. She is also the general manager of the Summer programmes of the Graduate School of Social Sciences.
As Academic Director for the Global Players summer study abroad program in Amsterdam, Mirjam and her academic team focus on setting a high standard of academia. They developed an outstanding curriculum cut from the cloth of the Graduate School of Social Sciences. Students on the Amsterdam program can be sure that they will be challenged both in and out of the classroom while studying at UvA.
Eva Visscher-Simon
Program Manager- Amsterdam
Eva is the Assistant Programme Manager at the Summer Institute of the Graduate School of Social Sciences. She studied anthropology and international relations at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, USA. Eva grew up in the USA and also lived in Japan and Slovenia. Eva also studied abroad during high school in Germany as a CBYX Scholar and in Vietnam with SIT. Traveling is in her blood and she hopes to help as many students with their study abroad experience.
Global Players is excited to have such a vibrant, hands-on program manager such as Eva to ensure students not only have a greater knowledge of the Netherlands and the world around them, but they have fun while doing so.
Eamon Thornton
Academic Director- International Coaching Program (ICP)
Contact Eamon
(404)693-7375
Skype: eamonthornton
As Program Director of International Coaching Program Eamon Thornton is responsible for developing the coaching curriculum to prepare participants for careers in coaching, teaching or general leadership positions on the youth, collegiate and global scales. He not only develops the core competencies that are taught overseas through the Global Players Global Campus, he implements and facilitates these courses directly to the student athletes as well. He has been with GP since the beginning and has been an instrumental member of Staff in making it what it is today. Due to his efforts, collegiate athletes that came on our program as coaching beginners now hold jobs both nationally and internationally at all levels of coaching and management.
Mr Thornton graduated a Lacrosse Academic All-American from Hampden-Sydney College in 2006. While working in England as a Development Officer, Eamon learned the value of getting out of one's comfort zone and becoming immersed in another culture. Upon returning to the US, Eamon quickly became certified as a Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine in addition to coaching lacrosse at Archbishop Spalding High School in Baltimore, MD and went on to found NXT Training, sports specific personal training for young adults interested in lacrosse. Currently, Eamon is a teacher and coach at McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.