GEO Assistant Director
Kayla Soltis-Katella had never left the United States until she spent part of her junior year abroad in Angers, France, and it changed her life! She packed up and moved to Paris to teach, work, study, and live for two years. Upon her return, she spent over a decade in secondary education, sharing her passion for French and travel with students. She holds a B.A. in Art History and French from Allegheny College, an M.A. in French Language and Civilization from New York University, and an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Mississippi. Kayla is passionate about ensuring that all students have an international experience and is excited to work with Duke students to make studying away possible for them. She joined GEO in 2023.
In her free time, Kayla enjoys pottery, painting, baking, watching sports (especially Pittsburgh sports), walking her silly Bernedoodle puppy, and having lively discussions with her husband about who is the better cat parent to their two tail-less torties.
Primary Responsibilities: Primary administrator for The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (ICCS) in Rome (semester). Program management for Duke in France/EDUCO (semester), Duke in Berlin (semester & summer), Duke in Glasgow (semester), Duke in Bologna (summer), Duke in Rome (summer), and Duke in Provence (summer)
Professional Interests: French language & culture, language acquisition, educational technology, program development & management, leveraging study abroad experiences to meet future career goals, student wellness while abroad, & advocating for First Gen & Low SES students