Mark J. Ballam
President
Mark J. Ballam recently retired from San Diego State University, where he served as Managing Director of the Wendy Gillespie Center for Advancing Global Business in the Fowler College of Business. He led strategic planning, budgeting, and outreach efforts, and managed a $1.2 million U.S. Department of Education CIBER grant—his fifth, and the university’s eighth award under this prestigious program.
Throughout his tenure, Mark helped elevate SDSU’s global engagement, growing its nationally ranked International Business program and securing over $10 million in external funding to support international initiatives. Before joining SDSU in 2005, he held leadership roles at Georgia Tech and built a successful career in banking. Read more He currently serves as President of the San Diego Diplomacy Council’s Board of Directors and has held national leadership roles with the Association for International Business Education, the National Association of District Export Councils, the San Diego and Imperial District Export Council, and SDSU’s International Affairs Council. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree from Clark University and an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His passion for the Diplomacy Council stems from a lifelong belief in the power of citizen diplomacy to foster global understanding, collaboration, and peace.
Paula C. Herring
Vice President
Paula C. Herring, EdD is Faculty Chair and Professor at DeVry University, where she has taught international business, critical thinking, management and leadership courses for 20 years. She trains, hires and manages a faculty staff, also. Dr. Herring teaches adjunct for California Miramar University on the doctorate level. Her professional background is in education and international business and she serves on the Survivors of Torture, International board and past board service includes the Tariq Khamisa Foundation (TKF) and Parkinsons Disease Association of San Diego.Read more
She earned her doctorate from Fielding Graduate University in Leadership and Social Justice and was awarded a dissertation research grant from the Women’s Network of Gender Empowerment (WNGE). The Institute for Social Innovation Scholarship awarded her a Dissertation Topic and Research Award for her research about Rwandan women. Additional research, publications, and speaking engagements include the topics of inclusivity, entrepreneurship, human rights, and emerging economies. She also has earned an MBA and Bachelors of Arts degrees in Political Science and Public Communications. Paula is a member of the Academic of Business Association (ABA) and IEEE.
Rachel Lozano Castro
Vice President
PANA’s Director of Strategic Partnerships & Development, Rachel brings 15 years of experience in community & economic development and public-private collaborations. Rachel is committed to creating opportunity and championing equity & welcome in the San Diego borderlands and joins PANA in a commitment to multi-racial/generational organizing and placemaking.
She joins the team to grow support for the Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub (RICH)- a community-designed initiative to build affordable housing and commercial space on 2.2 acres of land on University Avenue in Mid-City. Rachel has been honored as “Citizen Diplomat of the Year” and a “40 Under 40” leader. She is a graduate of San Diego Leadership Alliance, a TedX speaker, an adjunct professor, and holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelors of Arts in International Studies. Rachel has lived in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Brazil.
Joe Passaretti
Secretary
Joe is retired after more than 40 years serving in a variety of non-profit philanthropy positions. Most recently, he was the Director of Estate and Gift Planning for San Diego Humane Society, averaging annual bequests of more than $8 million. Previously, he directed philanthropy activities for San Diego State’s Fowler College of Business and the University of San Diego’s Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science. Joe began his career working for numerous United Ways across the country, including as Vice President of Resource Development for the United Way of San Diego County. He also served as Assistant Director of the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy at National University where he managed philanthropy educational programs. A native of Catskill, NY, Joe received his undergraduate degree from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY and his Certificate as a Specialist in Planned Giving from CSU Long Beach.
Sam Caulfield
Treasurer
Sam is the Director of Tax Accounting with Sempra Energy in San Diego. He has 23+ years’ experience in corporate income tax, accounting, and SEC reporting. He has held positions with various “Big 4” public accounting firms, as well as in-house positions with U.S.-based multinationals such as GE Capital in Connecticut and Weatherford International in Houston, TX.Read more
Sam received his first law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law and his LL.M in tax from New York University. He is licensed to practice law in New York (retired) and Connecticut. Sam is married to Christine Caulfield who is self-employed as an attorney. They live in Coronado and together have two sons, Avery (age 18) and Evan (age 16). Sam enjoys baseball (watching) and tennis (watching and playing — at least when is back is not on the fritz). Sam has dedicated his time to various non-profit organizations, including the New Canaan Country School where he served as a member of the board of trustees and president of the alumni council. He also served as co-president (with Christine) of the Parent Annual Fund for the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT where Avery and Evan have attended boarding school.
Hon. Leslie Bassett
Ambassador (ret’d.) Leslie Bassett settled in this area after a 35-year diplomatic career with service in locations from Israel to South Africa, and Mexico City to Seoul, Korea, most recently serving as Ambassador to Paraguay under President Obama. Ambassador Bassett’s experiences highlighted the important role local initiatives play in creating global understanding. Exchanges, networking, dialogue and outreach are fundamental tools contributing to expanded U.S. influence and engagement in the world. She is delighted to support the San Diego Diplomacy Council’s work in connecting our community to the world in so many unique and innovative ways.
Heidi Knuff
Heidi Knuff is the Managing Director of the Wendy Gillespie Center for Advancing Global Business at San Diego State University’s Fowler College of Business, where she oversees the center’s strategy, partnerships, and programming. Her work supports student preparation for careers in international business, deepens global engagement across the SDSU campus and the broader San Diego region, and strengthens connections with the city’s globally engaged business community. Heidi also leads the SDSU Charles W. Hostler Institute on World Affairs, which fosters high-level intellectual engagement on international issues for both the university and the wider public.
Prior to joining SDSU, Heidi served as Executive Director of the San Diego Diplomacy Council, where she led professional international exchange programs, track three citizen diplomacy initiatives, and youth leadership development. During her five-year tenure—including a previous role as Director of Custom Programs and Services—she expanded the organization’s global footprint and helped position San Diego as a vital player in international dialogue and cooperation. Her work supported U.S. Department of State initiatives and built enduring relationships between emerging global leaders and local stakeholders. Read more Heidi’s career spans more than two decades in international affairs and nonprofit leadership, with previous positions at organizations such as American Councils for International Education, the MIT Center for International Studies, Pacific Intercultural Exchange, and the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, where she managed track two diplomacy programs focused on Northeast Asia, the Middle East, and China. She holds a BA in Communication Studies and an MA in International Relations from the University of San Diego. Across all of her roles, Heidi has been driven by a belief in the critical role that business and other subnational actors play in shaping international relationships. She is passionate about bridging the worlds of global commerce, diplomacy, and education to cultivate globally minded leaders and foster resilient, collaborative international partnerships.
Richard Bainter
Ric Bainter is an attorney in San Diego who has practiced internationally for more than 20 years. He has provided legal advice to organizations in Bosnia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland and Vietnam. Ric has taught courses on international law and international organizations at the University of San Diego School of Law, Thomas Jefferson School of Law and the University of California, San Diego. He serves on the Executive Committee of the International Law Section of the California Lawyers Association, the National Governing Board of Common Cause, and City of San Diego’s International Affairs Board.
Dr. Ashleigh Huffman
Dr. Ashleigh Huffman is an internationally recognized expert in sports diplomacy, gender equity, and research-driven social impact. As Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Aspen Institute, she forges alliances with governments, corporations, sports leagues, and academic institutions to drive system-level reform that promote sport for all.
Previously, Dr. Huffman served as the Chief of Sports Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State, where she played a key role in shaping international sports policy, advising on major global sporting events—including the Olympics, Paralympics, and World Cup—and leading strategic initiatives that leveraged sport to advance U.S. foreign policy priorities. Before that, she co-founded the Center for Sport, Peace, and Society at the University of Tennessee, leading research on sport’s role in gender and community development. Read more Dr. Huffman co-created the Global Sports Mentoring Program with the State Department and espnW, a pioneering initiative recognized with the ESPN Stuart Scott Humanitarian Award and Peace and Sport “Diplomatic Action of the Year” Award. Across 130+ countries, she has worked with athletes, coaches, corporations, and policymakers to implement research-based solutions that create lasting impact. A former two-time basketball captain at Eastern Kentucky University, she earned her PhD in Sociocultural Studies from the University of Tennessee and remains committed to using sport as a platform for systemic change worldwide.
Susan J. Flieder
Susan J. Flieder is an active member of the San Diego nonprofit community. After receiving her JD from DePaul University in Chicago, Susan practiced environmental law for more than 20 years. Upon moving to Southern California she became the first environmental attorney at the Port of San Diego. In 2007, Susan earned a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of San Diego. She has served as Board Chair of Wildcoast, an international nonprofit that seeks to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife. Read more
Susan has also served on the board of the Orca Fund, a fund housed at the San Diego Foundation, which supported various environmental nonprofits in San Diego. Susan volunteers for the Friendly Match program at Jewish Family Services where she has been helping a Syrian family adjust to their new life in San Diego. Twice a year, her family hosts “house concerts” in support of Little Village Foundation, a nonprofit in the music industry that supports the dreams of artists from non-traditional backgrounds.
Juan Carlos Rivas
Juan Carlos has been, since October 2024, the Director of Public Relations and
External Affairs at Cross Border Xpress.
Originally from Mexico City, Mexico, he has a professional trajectory of 19 years, with He spent a considerable part of his career with the Foreign Ministry of Mexico (SRE), He also worked at the University of California in San Diego and led community He has a Master’s degree in Advanced International Affairs from the School of Global
substantial experience in foreign affairs, international development cooperation,
government relations, community engagement and diplomacy. Read more
where he served as the Deputy Director for U.S. – Mexico Border Affairs from 2007 to
2012, as the Economic, Political and Border Affairs officer with the Consulate General of
Mexico in San Diego from 2012 to 2015, and as Director for Cooperation with Central
America and the Caribbean with the Mexican Agency for International Development
Cooperation (AMEXCID), from 2015 to 2018.
engagement and international outreach efforts with World Design Capital San Diego
Tijuana 2024.
Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations
from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He currently serves in the
International Affairs Board of the City of San Diego
Mathew Holloway
Mathew B. Holloway is the founder of Conversations by Courage, a consulting practice dedicated to connected ideas, sectors, and communities for collective well-being. With over ten years of experience in developing social change in rural, urban, and international settings, he also holds a M.S. in Conflict Resolution from the University of San Diego. As a restorative scholar-practitioner and skilled storyteller, his focus delves into the realms of social pain, care, and conflict within the landscape of U.S. public affairs. As the nation reaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, his work seeks to re-story the public discourse around these critical issues.
Daniel Gardenswartz
Daniel Gardenswartz has over 30 years of experience as a trial attorney, with a focus on civil rights litigation and a loyal and expanding list of local and international clientele. From 2016 to 2019, Daniel also served at the top leadership position – Managing Partner — within Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith, LLP – a San Diego legal stalwart since 1977. After serving two consecutive terms as Managing Partner and other leadership roles within his firm, Daniel currently serves as the firm’s General Counsel, helping his fellow colleagues navigate thorny ethical and legal matters in addition to servicing his growing law practice. Daniel is also an active member of the International Business Law Consortium and for several years has served on the governing council of that organization, whose members include over 90 independent law, tax and consultancy offices all over the globe. Read more Daniel’s nonprofit experience includes: Board Chair for the Waldorf School of San Diego; Board Chair of the Anti-Defamation League of Greater San Diego; Vice President of ImpAct On Stage, Inc.; Chair of the Jewish Family Service of San Diego Legal/Immigration Task Force; Board Member of Charitable Auto Resources, Inc.; Board Member of the American Business Trial Lawyers Association; and Board Member of Words Alive, Inc. Daniel also provides several nonprofits with pro bono legal services. Daniel received his undergraduate degree in International Affairs from George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs (Phi Beta Kappa) and law degree from Emory University School of Law, cum laude. While at Emory, Daniel served as an editor of the Emory Law Review, received an American Jurisprudence Award in appellate litigation and was admitted into the Order of the Coif Legal Honor Society.
Hemant Phadnis
Hemant Phadnis currently works in the development and execution of projects in energy, electric vehicles and public infrastructure. He has spent the past 13 years working with national, state, and local government entities and global NGOs to build high-profile public infrastructure and nation-building projects around the world. He has traveled to nearly 70 countries, lived on three continents and is looking forward to bringing his global experience in operations improvement, international development and digital innovation to the Council.
Randy Reyes
Randy serves on Mayor Todd Gloria’s Community Engagement team as a Community Representative and LGBTQ+ Liaison. In this role, he oversees community engagement and public relations for Council Districts 2 & 3–which includes all of Metro Central San Diego—and works closely with City staff to address concerns and issues raised by the public. Previously he worked for San Diego City Councilmember, Jennifer Campbell, as her Point Loma & Midway District Community Representative and Digital Communications Manager. Previous to that, Randy worked with the City of San Diego’s Office of Immigrant Affairs as a Communications and Outreach Fellow and before that he was an intern for the Mayor’s Office of Global Affairs.
Randy graduated from the University of San Diego with his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in International Relations, as he was a part of their BA/MA Dual Degree Program. Randy concentrated his studies on international security, Latin America, and great power competition. During his graduate studies, he co-authored, co-edited, and published a book offering advice to young professionals seeking internships in the field of international relations. Randy is the son of Mexican immigrants, is fluent in Spanish, and is a proud lifelong San Diego County resident.
Asokan Selvaraj
Asokan Selvaraj has served in various technology leadership and executive management roles over his 25 year professional experience. He currently serves as the Global Enterprise Architect for Callaway Golf.
Previously, Asokan served in the Executive Committee as well as on the Board of Trustees of San Diego Tamil Sangam, a non-profit organization fostering the Tamil culture within the San Diego Community. Asokan has a Masters in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Asokan and his wife have lived and raised two daughters in San Diego over the last 22 years.
ALEXANDRA STAN
Alexandra Stan is an in-house attorney at Resilience and previously worked at Rivian. She focuses on contract negotiations, dispute resolution, and supply chain counseling. Alex obtained her JD at Loyola University Chicago and her Masters in Public Policy from University College London. She is originally from Michigan, where she was a Board Member of our sister organization, Global Ties Detroit. Alex has been involved with the San Diego Diplomacy Council since she moved to California in 2021. She loves traveling internationally, learning about different cultures, and making connections locally and all around the world. Alex joined us on our outbound trips to Colombia and Panama and will see you on the next one!
