Sherri Liang-ZhouSherri

Sherri Liang-Zhou is the founder of Starlink Global Education. Years as a leader of global cross-functional and a member of the global workforce taught her the criticality of having a global mindset to succeed in any business today and, even more importantly, to succeed in the future. Only those who are highly skilled in global collaboration, flexibility, and problem-solving will thrive. As a leader as well as a mother of two, she asked, how do we prepare the next generations to thrive as contributing global citizens? This question inspired her to found Starlink Global Education which brings American students and students from other countries together to understand, appreciate, and connect each other’s cultures, experiences, and education. Sherri was born and grew up in Beijing, China. She received a Master of Computer Science from DePaul University. Currently, she is a Bilingual Chinese teacher at Xilin Northwest Chinese School. She is a board member of the Chi Running Club.

Shelly Nagle

Shelly Nagle is a dedicated middle school social studies teacher at St. Peter School, where she also holds the role of National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Advisor. Additionally, she is endorsed with an English Language Learner (ELL) teaching license. Since 2013, she has played an active role in the Starlink Global Education Program, with her son Matthew being a regular participant. Inspired by their experiences, Shelly and her family have welcomed exchange students into their home ever since.

Married for 35 years, Shelly and her spouse have raised four children and are proud grandparents to two grandsons. Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Shelly is a passionate supporter of Notre Dame. She is an avid sports enthusiast who thrives on competition. In her free time, Shelly enjoys bonding with exchange students and caring for her four dogs.

Kamala Diefenthaler

Kamala Diefenthaler is a mom of 4 kids, a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of South Carolina, and is pursuing Charlotte Mason certification. Her journey in education spans from teaching young children to mathematics at the university level, leading international Sunday School classes, and instructing AP Calculus (首都师范大学高中) and AP Statistics (北京四中) at schools in Beijing. Her immersion in Chinese culture extends beyond the classroom, as she has hosted Chinese students and events, visited Harbin, Guilin, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Shanghai, while also volunteering at orphanages in Pingyu, Xian, and Guiyang. Currently, as president of the Barrington Chinese Immersion Council, she is deeply involved in promoting Chinese language and culture, overseeing Chinese book purchases, and planning Mandarin story times. She resonates with both China and the US, finding joy when these two worlds converge, and is eager to share her experiences and insights.