Pilar Mendiola Fernández,
MA Senior Vice President for International Initiatives and Advanced Leadership Programs

Pilar Mendiola Fernández has 10 years of experience in the field of education and the development of advanced leadership training programs for young leaders from around the world.

As senior vice president, Pilar is responsible for cre ating and implementing international training initiatives with institutions of higher education, as well as the public and private sectors. She is also responsible for raising scholarship and program grants for international initiatives and for forging ties with international organizations based in Washington, D.C.

At The Washington Center, Pilar pioneered the NAFTA Leaders Internship Program in 1996, the Governor Leaders Program in 1999, and the Americas Internship Program in 2002. Her efforts have been particularly successful in Mexico where, over the last eight years, 18 Mexican states have partnered with The Washington Center to fund their student’s participation in Washington Center programs. Recently, Pilar directed The Washington Center’s international expansion with more than 16 countries.

Pilar received her bachelor's and master’s degree in communications and graduated with honors from the University of the Americas-Puebla in Mexico. Pilar was born in Veracruz, Mexico and resides in Washington, D.C.

Virginia Gergoff,
MBA Managing Director for International Initiatives and Advanced Leadership Programs

Virginia is managing director for international initiatives and advanced leadership programs at The Washington Center. Her duties include expanding the organization’s reach into new markets, overseeing the quality of the international programs, and managing the academic staffs that oversee the learning and training experience of more than 500 students each semester.

Recently, Virginia designed and executed new international programs and initiatives such as the U.S.-China Bilateral Trade Internship Program sponsored by The Boeing Company and the Ford Motor Company Global Scholars Program.

Prior to The Washington Center, Virginia was the marketing director of Global Expand where she designed marketing strategies, participated in the company’s business development, financial forecasts, website content, market research, and e-learning modules.

Virginia holds an MBA in international business from Bentley College in Massachusetts and a BS in economics from the Catholic University in Venezuela. Fluent in Spanish and English, Virginia has over 12 years of experience in national and international market analysis, business development, strategic planning, product positioning, marketing, and finance.

Andrey Gidaspov, Ph.D.
Program Manager, Global Scholars and U.S.-China Programs

Andrey Gidaspov joined The Washington Center, as a program manager for the U.S.-China Bilateral Trade Internship Program in December 2007.

Prior to joining The Washington Center, Andrey worked in international trade and business consulting. From 2004 to 2007 Andrey managed his own private consulting business in Hong Kong SAR, China, providing China market access services to American and European companies. From 1995 to 2004, Andrey worked as a high-tech and telecom sector advisor to the U.S. Department of Commerce at the U.S. embassies in Tashkent and Moscow.

In 2007 Andrey authored "Riding the Russian Technology Boom", a comprehensive business guide to success in business and partnerships with Russian telecom and IT companies. He also regularly contributes to a number of international IT industry journals on topics related to mobile and general telecom industry developments in Eurasia.

Andrey holds a doctorate degree in political science from the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies, where he focused his research on U.S.–China relations in the 21st century. He holds a BA in Chinese history from Tashkent State University.

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Andrey has lived and worked in Russia, Central Asia, China, the Middle East, and the United States. He speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and is conversant in Urdu and Turkish. Andrey and his family currently reside in Alexandria, Virginia.

Richard Hoehn, Ph.D.
Faculty Director, Millennium Development Goals: Milestones and Challenges

Richard Hoehn is a scholar in international socio-economic development. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago; earned his MA from the University of Chicago; MDiv. from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio; and his BA from Capital University. Dr. Hoehn has been director of Bread for the World Institute and a regional organizer at Bread for the World (BFW). Prior to BFW, he was associate professor at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University, and taught in the TCU graduate division.

Recently, Dr. Hoehn taught Sociology and Conflict Studies at Lithuania Christian College in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Dr. Hoehn is the author of “Up from Apathy: A Study of Moral Awareness and Social Involvement,” and has written a variety of monographs, articles and reviews. In addition, he has presented keynote addresses at colleges and NGOs both in the United States and abroad.