People
Kathleen (Katie) L. Lopez
Director, Office of Global Activities and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr. Katie Lopez is an adjunct clinical assistant professor and director of the Office of Global Activities at the School of Social Work, where she is responsible for the overall administration of the office including study abroad opportunities for students, scholarship and grant opportunities, programming to support international degree-seeking students, and the exchange visitor program. As a licensed social worker, Lopez also serves as field faculty for students completing placements outside the U.S. and exchange students completing placements in Michigan. She is currently a faculty co-lead for the Global Social Work Pathway concentration.
Lopez has lived and worked abroad in countries including Mexico, the Philippines, Tanzania and Honduras. Her work in these settings inspires her commitment to building intentional, mutually beneficial and sustainable collaborations among social work programs to train students to address global issues. Lopez frequently presents on a variety of topics at social work and international education conferences in the U.S. and abroad. She received her MSW degree from U-M with a focus on community organizing. Lopez received her PhD in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University. Her dissertation focused on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion for students of color studying abroad.
Contact Information
- Phone: (734) 936-1964
- Email: [email protected]
Greta Kaempf
Global Opportunities Coordinator, Office of Global Activities
Greta Kaempf, LMSW, is the Global Opportunities Coordinator in the Office of Global Activities. Her responsibilities include advising students interested in pursuing a Global Independent Study, supporting exchange visitors, and assisting in the development of other Office of Global Activities programs and initiatives. A graduate of the U-M School of Social Work, Greta completed the Peace Corps Master's International program and served in Guatemala. She has also lived and worked in Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica and Romania, and worked with immigrant communities in southeast Michigan as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant. Working with global communities at home and abroad has been transformative for her social work practice, and she is passionate about supporting students and visitors pursuing international experiences.
Contact Information
- Phone: (734) 615-0012
- Email: [email protected]
Hilda Yu (Xiaoxi Yu)
International Student Assistant, Office of Global Activities
Hilda Yu is the International Student Assistant at the Office of Global Activities. She is a Community Scholars Program participant pursuing an MSW with a focus on community change, arts-based initiatives, and cross-cultural communication. In her role at OGA, Hilda leads initiatives to support international students and organizes multicultural workshops and events. Outside of the School of Social Work, Hilda is involved with Bird’s Nest, a grassroots organization in southern China dedicated to addressing regional inequality, promoting community education, incubating public libraries, and supporting migrant children. She is also deeply passionate about zine-based social change, intellectual liberation, and localized decolonization practices.
Contact Information
- Email: [email protected]