Administration & Faculty

Our Team

Administration – U.S.

Ken Wagner

Ken Wagner

Founder & Executive Director

Education: Ph.D. in Sociology, in 1982 from the University of Pittsburgh

As Executive Director, I oversee all aspects of our Program both in the U.S. and in Stockholm. I started The Swedish Program while I was a professor at Hamilton College in 1987. I first went to Stockholm in 1984 to do research on workplace democracy at Swedish companies, such as Volvo, Ericsson, Saab, and Electrolux.

I sincerely believe that studying abroad is a transformative experience. Our students are fortunate to study in a country that practices the values of global citizenship: tolerance, diversity, solidarity, and international understanding.

My hobbies include golf, gardening, and food. I am an avid Red Sox, Celtics and Buffalo Bills fan (I’m from Buffalo so I had no choice).

Alison Gluck

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Alison Gluck

Program Administrator

I’m responsible for all work related to the acceptance of students, program bookkeeping, coordinating all communication with our staff in Stockholm regarding acceptance, housing, arrivals, and any other issues that may arise. I also assist in the recruitment of our students.

Prior to working for the Program, I owned and operated a child daycare for fifteen years. I have obtained an Associate Degree in Office Technology and a Bachelor Degree in Communications.

I enjoy family time, skiing, exercising, soccer, vacationing, and just relaxing by the poolside in the summer months.

Courtney Kenny

Courtney Kenny

Associate Director for Admissions

My goal is to help students explore their unique personal and academic goals for study abroad and examine how they align with the curriculum and philosophy of the Swedish Program. You’ll see me at campus events, in your Education Abroad office, or virtually in a Zoom info session. I also work collaboratively with advisors and our Consortium Members to support their efforts in promoting study abroad.

I was introduced to the Swedish Program as a study abroad advisor, while at Penn in 2011, and have remained closely connected with The Program through the years. My professional journey through international education was inspired by my experience teaching English in Yamanashi, Japan and the many faces and places in between.

I enjoy nature and hiking, traveling, volunteering at a neighborhood community garden, visiting pick-your-own flower fields, and spoiling our sweet kitties.

Our Team

Administration – Stockholm

Carina Kamb Deiaco

Carina Kamb Deiaco

Head of Administration

I have been with the program since 1989, except for the five years I lived in Luxembourg. I was initially our Housing Coordinator responsible for finding our host families.
I then became Program Coordinator organizing most Program functions and activities. I was also responsible for finding our apartments. I am now Head of Administration. In this role, I am responsible for all Program administrative and organizational work except for the academic side of the Program.
I really enjoy my job, especially working with our students. Every student has his or her own little quirk. It is fun meeting many different personalities. And, of course, I find it very rewarding helping our students adjust to a new culture and the Swedish way of doing things.
In terms of interests and hobbies, I enjoy family activities, traveling, yoga, and wine. I also am good at sports, especially throwing the axe!! You must join us for our Gotland trip to see for yourself!

Caitlin Hawley

Caitlin Hawley

Program Manager

My goal is to help students get the most out of their experience in Stockholm. I am responsible for student health and safety, digital communications, and local partnerships including our internship and host family programs. I also help advise students on the non-academic aspects of their study abroad experience.
I’m originally from Milwaukee, WI, where I earned my master’s degree in Sociology. I moved to Stockholm in 2012 and joined The Swedish Program in 2016. In my free time, I enjoy reading, the visual arts, and hiking with my dog.

Anna Strandberg

Anna Strandberg

Program Coordinator

Working in an international environment is always rewarding and you often learn something new! My tasks include organizing program functions and responsibility over student apartments. I joined The Swedish Program in November of 2021 and I really enjoy helping students and guiding them through their experience here in Stockholm.
I usually say that I come from a town called Gävle (the town of the famous straw goat), because that’s where I finished highschool, but I have lived and grown up in a total of four places including Stockholm where I live now! I earned my B.S in Political Science and my B.A in English at Linnaeus University in Växjö.
In my free time, you usually find me flying down a ski slope, watching too many TV series, or reading a good book.

Milena Günther-Hanssen

Milena Günther-Hanssen

Program Facilitator

My goal is to provide students with the space and tools to build new relationships and networks with local people. Student health and safety, communication, and managing our local partnerships such as the SSE Student Association, host and contact families, and internships are among my tasks. Having attended multiple student exchange programs myself, I am using my own university experiences to make the students’ stay in Sweden enjoyable, fun, and safe.

I have completed my Bachelor’s Degrees in English Studies and Hungarian Language & Culture, then I continued studying linguistics and in 2021 I received a M.A in English, specializing in translation, sociolinguistics, and discourse analysis. I love studying foreign languages, culture, and literature. My baking hobby is appreciated by my friends and family. I am very outgoing, enjoy meeting people and making new friends (to feed them with my pastries!).

Jonas Brodin

Jonas Brodin

Director of Studies and Instructor

I study how the built environment molds relations of power. This happens in many different ways: in how the space itself is configured—for example, with walls that separate one group from another—as well as in how the space is monitored or how resources or people are distributed within the space. My current project uses the specific case of roads to look at the relationship between built space and power.

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSES
Crime and Punishment in Sweden and the U.S.; Health Care in Sweden and the U.S.; Comparative Public Policy: The Swedish Model in the 21st Century; Comparative Public Policy: Sweden and the EU; Migration Policy and Politics; The Theory and History of Radical Politics.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., Political Science, University of Maryland, 2004
B.A., Political Science, University of Hawaii, 1997

FUN FACTS
I enjoy hiking and camping, and generally spending time in the great outdoors. And since I feel more at home in water than on land, I also try to spend as much time as I can in water—primarily swimming, but also kayaking, fishing, and doing other watersports. I once got second place in a completely rigged sports/trivia/beauty pageant competition for a variety show on British television.

Our Team

Faculty – Stockholm

Tim Berndtsson

Tim Berndtsson

Instructor

My research is devoted to several topics: the history of archives and cultures of memory; the role of emotions in literature; and practices of reading from the eighteenth century to the present. Although I am schooled as a historian of literature, I am convinced that research should be directed by the relevance of questions rather than the borders of disciplines.

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
Swedish Crime Fiction

EDUCATION
Ph.D., Comparative Literature, Uppsala University, 2020

FUN FACTS
I enjoy going by train and can give advice on how to best travel through both Sweden and Europe on rails. I also like walking, through cities and wilderness alike, listening to audiobooks.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
The Order and the Archive. Freemasonic Archival Culture in Eighteenth-Century Europe, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, Diss. Uppsala, Uppsala: Uppsala universitet, 2020.

Pamela Campa

Pamela Campa

Instructor

I am an Assistant Professor in Economics at the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics. I hold a PhD in Economics from the Institute of International Economic Studies at Stockholm University, an MSc in Economics from Bocconi University and an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics. My research interests are in gender economics, environmental economics and political economy. I’m passionate about using data to understand causes and effects of policies, institutions, attitudes and behaviours that are relevant for societal levels of gender equality and environmental protection.
In my free time, I like playing with my daughter, reading novels and history books, jogging to and through one of Stockholm’s beautiful natural reserve areas, and traveling to my beautiful home region in Southern Italy (Puglia).

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
Environmental Economics

Erik Cardelus

Erik Cardelus

Instructor

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSES
Swedish Language 1, 2, and Advanced

Peder Fallenius

Peder Fallenius

Instructor, Senioruniversitetet

Twentieth century architecture has been my main research interest ever since I wrote my thesis and it still is. I have a special interest in the new building types of this period.

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
History of Modern Scandinavian Art and Architecture

EDUCATION
Ph.D., Art History, Uppsala University, 2003

FUN FACTS
I have a great passion for music resulting in an ever-expanding record collection and a longing to revisit the jazz clubs of Downtown Manhattan.

Diego Yacamán Méndez

Diego Yacamán Méndez

Epidemiologist, Center for Epidemiology and Community Medicine for Region Stockholm

Doctoral researcher, Department of Global Public Health at Karolinska Institutet

My research and teaching are focused on studying the different determinants of health in order to identify, implement, and evaluate interventions to improve health at a population level.

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
The COVID 19 pandemic: A study in cultural epidemiology

EDUCATION
M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Karolinska Institutet, Expected graduation Feb. 2023

FUN FACTS
Originally from Mexico, I have been living in Sweden since 2016. In my free time I enjoy reading, music, playing the guitar, ice skating during the winter and traveling.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Physical exercise is associated with a reduction in inflammatory biomarkers in first-episode psychosis: A pilot study of CRP, SAA, sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1. Lavebratt, C., Stiernborg, M., Kumar, P., Yacaman-Mendez, D., Skott, M., Melas, P. A., & Forsell, Y. (2021). Schizophrenia research, 228, 316-318.
The Effect of Smartphone Apps Versus Supervised Exercise on Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Body Composition Among Individuals With Mild-to-Moderate Mobility Disability: Randomized Controlled Trial. Berglind D, Yacaman-mendez D, Lavebratt C, Forsell Y. JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH 2020;8(2):e14615.
Childhood adversities, negative life events and outcomes of non-pharmacological treatments for depression in primary care: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Yacaman-mendez D, Hallgren M, Forsell Y. Journal of psychiatric research 2019;110():152-158.
Association of adherence to epilepsy quality standards with seizure control. Moura Lmvr, Mendez DY, De Jesus J, Andrade Ra, Weissman Js, Vickrey Bg, Hoch Db. EPILEPSY RESEARCH 2015;:35-41.
Quality care in epilepsy: Women’s counseling and its association with folic acid prescription or recommendation. Moura Lmvr, Mendez DY, De Jesus J, Andrade Ra, Hoch Db. EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR 2015;:151-4.

Nicklas Neuman

Nicklas Neuman

Instructor

My research interests are several, but all can be placed under the umbrella of the sociology of food. I am interested in consumption, especially related to health and climate change, gendered divisions of housework, gastronomy, food and national identity and the social science of eating behavior.

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSES
Sociology of Food in Sweden

EDUCATION
Ph.D., Food Studies, Uppsala University, 2016

FUN FACTS
I am a hardcore Pearl Jam fan and have been so since my late teens.

Pehr-Johan Norbäck

Pehr-Johan Norbäck

Senior Researcher, Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IfN)

My earlier research focused on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Later work has focused entrepreneurship, involving how venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and incumbent firms interact in the innovation market. This research has tried to answer questions such as: Why do small firms do more breakthrough inventions than established firms? Why do small entrepreneurs with high-quality inventions sell their inventions to incumbents rather than enter the market?

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
The Economics of European Integration

EDUCATION
Ph.D., Economics, Stockholm University, 1998

FUN FACTS
I play badminton and innebandy (floorball). I have played guitar for over 40 years and can do most styles: blues, funk, rock – even some jazz! And, I love teaching my course: it gives me an excuse to go on Youtube to watch Brexitiers and Remainers clash in the British Parliament under the always so colorful speaker John Bercow (for a sample: youtube.com/watch?v=Edt-V4rvIYs).

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
“Has the Swedish Business Sector Become More Entrepreneurial than the U.S. Business Sector?” (with Fredrik Heyman, Lars Persson and Fredrik Andersson), Research Policy, forthcoming.
“Stock Market Impact of Cross-Border Acquisitions in Emerging Markets” (with Lars Persson). North American Journal of Economics and Finance, forthcoming.
“Employment Protection and FDI Revisited: New Evidence from Micro Data” (with Per Skedinger and Jing-Lin Duanmu). World Economy, forthcoming.
”A Non-Technical Introduction to Economic aspects of International Investment Agreements” (with Henrik Horn). American Review of International Arbitration, forthcoming.
”The Turnaround of the Swedish Economy: Lessons from Large Business Sector reforms” (with Fredrik Heyman and Lars Persson). World Bank Research Observer, forthcoming.
”Foreign Direct Investment, Source Country Heterogeneity and Management Practices” (with Rickard Hammarberg and Fredrik Heyman). Economica. Vol. 86, No. 342, April 2019.
”Threatening to Buy: Private Equity Buyouts and Antitrust Policy” (with Lars Persson and Joacim Tåg). Economics Letters 164 (March): 31–34, 2018.
”Does the Debt Tax Shield Distort Ownership Efficiency?” (with Lars Persson and Joacim Tåg). International Review of Economics and Finance, 54(Mars), 299–310, 2018.
”Who Creates Jobs and Who Creates Productivity? Small versus Large versus Young versus Old” (with Fredrik Heyman and Lars Persson). Economics Letters, 164 (March), 50–57, 2018.

Marta Roczniewska

Marta Roczniewska

Postdoctoral Researcher, Karolinska Institutet

I study the interaction between an individual and their work environment: What happens when we don’t see ‘eye to eye’ on work characteristics with our team members? How does communication about change that meets our motivational needs affect our perception of change? How do individuals themselves proactively redesign their jobs to find a better fit to their job?

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
The Psychology of Work

EDUCATION
Ph.D., Work & Organizational Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland, 2017

FUN FACTS
I don’t like coffee, but I am a bit of a snob when it comes to my tea. I have a lot of mugs and a Turkish set for preparing tea.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Coo, C., Richter, A., von Thiele Schwarz, U., Hasson, H., & Roczniewska, M.* (2021). All by myself: How perceiving organizational constraints when others do not hampers work engagement. Journal of Business Research, 136, 580-591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.08.010
Roczniewska, M., & Richter, A. (2021). Are we seeing “eye to eye” on qualitative job insecurity in healthcare? Employee-teammates perceptual (in)congruence and individual well-being. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2021.1913489
Roczniewska, M., & Higgins, E. T. (2019). Messaging organizational change: How regulatory fit relates to openness to change through fairness perceptions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 85, 103882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2019.103882
Roczniewska, M., & Bakker, A. B. (2021). Burnout and self-regulation failure: A diary study of self-undermining and job crafting among nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(8), 3424-3435. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14872

Marta Zakrzewska


Marta Zakrzewska

Researcher, Karolinska Institute

My research focuses on the link between prejudice and pathogen avoidance. I am particularly interested in the role that our sense of smell plays in both disease avoidance and shaping social attitudes.

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
Psychology of Prejudice: A Social and Cognitive Perspective

EDUCATION
Ph.D. from Stockholm University in Psychology, August, 2022
MA, Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland 2012
BA, Psychology, Marshall University, USA, 2013
BA, Psychology, University of Debrecen, Hungary, 2015

FUN FACTS
I have studied in Hungary and the US as a part of a trans-Atlantic dual degree student exchange program, and got BA diplomas from the partner universities after graduating from my alma mater. As a result, my education history is quite puzzling. I love watching climbing competitions and I am a true ARMY – a fan of the Korean band called BTS.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Zakrzewska, M., Liuzza, M. T., Lindholm, T., Blomkvist, A., Larsson, M., & Olofsson, J. K. (2020). An Overprotective Nose? Implicit Bias Is Positively Related to Individual Differences in Body Odor Disgust Sensitivity. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 301.
Zakrzewska, M. (2020) Function of Pathogen Prevalence (Thornhill and Fincher). In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer.
Zakrzewska, M., Olofsson, J. K., Lindholm, T., Blomkvist, A., & Liuzza, M. T. (2019). Body odor disgust sensitivity is associated with prejudice towards a fictive group of immigrants. Physiology & behavior, 201, 221-227.

Miriam Zehnter


Miriam Zehnter

Marie Curie Research Fellow, University of Exeter (Exeter, UK)

My research focuses on contemporary sexism and gender stereotypes. I am particularly interested in ways that sexism can be more hidden in progressive societies, like the US and Sweden.

SWEDISH PROGRAM COURSE
The Social Psychology of Health and Well-Being

EDUCATION
PhD, Social Sciences (Psychology), University of Vienna, 2020
Visiting Graduate Student, Stockholm University, 2018–2019
Visiting Graduate Researcher, New York University, 2016–2017

FUN FACTS
I am somewhat of an expert in living anywhere but my country of origin (Germany). My chosen home countries include Austria, the UK, the US, and Sweden. Having lived on a US college campus, I also know how it can be different from life in a European capital like Stockholm. I love having friends all over the world. I also like hiking, climbing, yoga, music, and boardgames.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Zehnter, M. K., Manzi F., Shrout, P. E., & Heilman, M. E. (2021). Belief in Sexism Shift: Defining a new form of contemporary sexism and introducing the belief in sexism shift scale (BSS scale). PloS one, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248374
Zehnter, M. K., & Kirchler, E. (2020). Women quotas vs. Men quotas in academia: Students perceive favoring women as less fair than favoring men. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 700. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00700
Zehnter, M. K., Olsen, J., & Kirchler, E. (2018). Obituaries of female and male leaders from 1974 to 2016 suggest change in descriptive but stability of prescriptive gender stereotypes. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2286. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02286