Dr. McNamara served the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) as Director of Programs then Deputy Executive Director. Before joining VEF, she was Director of International Programs for the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) in Adelphi, Maryland, after serving as UMUC's Director of Program Development in Asia from 1999. From 1992 until 1999, while serving as Associate Professor at Temple University Japan, she served as Director of Corporate Relations and created the Office of Career Development. From 1989 until 1992, Dr. McNamara was Academic Director of Arizona State University Japan. Before going to Japan, she was the Academic Director of the USAID-funded English Teacher Training Program in Egypt (1987-89), administered by Fulbright. Earlier (1980-86), she established and directed the American Language Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

 

“In her five years of service with VEF, Dr. McNamara has been responsible for VEF programs and has served as the deputy director, in addition to serving as the acting executive director on two occasions. In all of her duties, Dr. McNamara has been an exceptional executive and manager,” said Dr. Stephen F. Maxner, Chairman of the Board of Directors of VEF. “Dr. McNamara takes on this new position with the full faith and confidence of the Board. With her professionalism in management and leadership, Dr. McNamara serves a key role in paving a positive way to a bright and productive future for the U.S.-Vietnam relationship through educational exchanges and programs.

 

“I am pleased to be offered by the VEF Board of Directors the permanent position of Executive Director and I have accepted with great pleasure and professional pride,” said Dr. McNamara. “It is truly a deep honor for me to serve the Vietnam Education Foundation, to further the VEF mission and goals, to be a part of an incredible endeavor in building the relationship of our two countries through educational exchange and programs, and to see the results of our work through our exceptional Fellows and Visiting Scholars and Faculty Scholars and all of our various programs.”

 

An initiative of the U.S. Congress, the Vietnam Education Foundation, a U.S. federal government agency, is in its seventh year of operations. As its flagship activity, the VEF Fellowship program has placed 306 Fellows at 70 top U.S. graduate institutions, mostly for doctoral degrees. Among its other programs, the VEF Visiting Scholar Program provides opportunities for Vietnamese to pursue post-doctoral programs at U.S. universities for up to 12 months. In addition, the U.S. Faculty Scholar Program allows for U.S. professors to teach at Vietnamese universities for one or two terms either via videoconferencing or on-site in Vietnam. VEF Fellows and Visiting Scholars are required to return to Vietnam upon completion of their academic programs in the United States.

 

VEF is governed by a Board of Directors whose thirteen members consist of three U.S. Cabinet members—Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan , and Secretary of Treasury Timothy F. Geithner; two U.S. Senators— Senators David Vitter and Jim Webb; two U.S. Representatives—Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Joseph R. Pitts; and six Presidential appointees. Currently, Dr. Stephen F. Maxner, Director, Vietnam Center, Texas Tech University is Chairman of the VEF Board.