CIKU Staff
Executive Director
Sheree W.Willis worked as a consultant and freelance Chinese (Mandarin)-English interpreter and translator for over ten years, with an emphasis in educational exchange, environmental projects, and legal interpreting. Ms. Willis also served as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State for eight years, including five years in China. She holds M.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of Kansas in East Asian Languages and Cultures (emphasis in Chinese language and literature).She is also Associate Director of the Kansas-Asia Scholars Program Director and Associate Director of the Kansas/Asia Community Connection in the Center for East Asian Studies.
Associate Director for Education
Nancy Hope is the the Associate Director of the Kansas Asia Scholars (KAS) and the Kansas Asia Community Connection (KACC) programs, and the Kansas Consortium for Teaching about Asia (KCTA) at the University of Kansas. She has Masters Degrees in education, fine arts and Asian art history from Boston University, the University of Georgia and the University of Kansas respectively. She has been involved with educational outreach for several years following her return from East Asia, where she lived for almost nine years, first as a line officer in the U.S. Navy and then later as a kimono designer.
Associate Director for Programs
Kevin Liu manages the Confucius Institute summer camps, workshops and community classes, the Kansas City Chinese Film Festival, and other projects for the Institute. He holds an M.B.A degree, with concentrations in International Business and Marketing, and a B.S. degree in Secondary Education from the University of Kansas. He has four years of experience as a merchandise planner in the retail footwear and apparel industry and four years of experience teaching at the secondary level in Kansas.
Visiting Scholars/Instructors
Huazhong Normal University, the Chinese partner university for the Confucius Institute, sends native speakers in Mandarin Chinese to serve as Chinese Language Instructors for both the
community classes and the
Interactive Distance Learning classes in regional elementary and high schools.
Accountant/Office Manager
Stephanie Tobis has over 20 years of experience in accounting. She completed an AAS degree at AIMS Community College in Boulder, Colorado in business and addition coursework at Colorado State University. She manages the Confucius Institute office, including all accounting activities.
