Christina Thompson

Christina 'Chris' Thompson (she/her/hers) is noted for her influential work in global education and her dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her recent achievements include being nominated for the 2024 Go Abroad Award for Innovation in Diversity and receiving this award in 2022 and the NAFSA Region 7 award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advocacy in International Education in 2021. She was also notably recognized for her "Global Respectful Disruptor" webinar series in 2020, which gained international acclaim by the PIE Innovation Awards for its impactful content and approach. Chris founded COMPEAR Global Education Network, leveraging nearly 20 years of experience to enhance international education and promote inclusive practices. She is also the Founder of the annual Global Respectful Disruption Summit (in partnership with GoAbroad.com) that focuses on respectful disruption in global education, advocating for innovative and equitable strategies. 

Her specialization in intercultural learning has been pivotal in advancing diversity and equity in educational settings. Her career includes significant roles in developing global diversity programming and leading education abroad and international student services. Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee for NAFSA, Chris is often a notable speaker at various industry conferences and other international platforms, and is a consultant partner at Be Equitable working with top industries across the globe for equity and inclusion. She holds an MA in Liberal Arts with a Global Studies concentration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is pursuing a doctorate in respectfully disruptive leadership practices at Marymount University.