All Around the World: International Contracts in Higher Education

Dr. David Di Maria joined University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in 2017 as the inaugural Associate Vice Provost for International Education and now serves and the Vice Provost for Global Engagement. Dr. Di Maria oversees the Center for Global Engagement’s partnerships, programs and services. As UMBC’s senior international officer, he promotes the international dimensions of teaching, research and service by working collaboratively with administrators, faculty, staff, students and community leaders to create global engagement opportunities that align with UMBC’s mission, vision and strategic goals. 

Vinita Mehra is an attorney and director with Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter in Columbus, Ohio. She serves as the firm’s Global Business and Global Education Leader, is licensed to practice law in both Ohio and India, and has been honored as the only “Expert” attorney in the Midwest for Indian business matters by Chambers Global.

As the leader of Kegler Brown’s Global Education practice initiative, Vinita has guided dozens of projects for institutions across the country, doing business in more than twenty of the world’s leading markets and helping both public and private colleges and universities navigate the complex regulatory and funding processes involved in global expansion. 

Vinita works with institutions of all sizes – from those with 1,000 students to those with more than 60,000 – executing new market strategies, implementing project development initiatives, establishing education support services and student recruitment programs, addressing complex legal and tax issues, and helping develop and implement various delivery models to achieve international growth objectives. 

With her extensive cross-border transactional experience, Vinita manages international projects seamlessly and cost-effectively. She is uniquely qualified to offer insights and guidance to global education organizations worldwide, whether an institution’s educational niche is higher education, project-based learning, education support services, part-time non-traditional students, or graduate curricula. 

When and where it is needed, Vinita also serves as the global project manager for these initiatives, coordinating local counsel and ensuring a consistent flow of communication, billing, service delivery and budgetary expectations. Vinita is supported by her firm’s global network of law firms, SCG Legal, which provides her clients with access to 150 prestigious law firms worldwide with more than 11,000 practitioners. 

Michael R. Pfahl, a member of NACUA since 2006, currently serves as Vice President, Legal and General Counsel for Relay Graduate School of Education. Mike is a 2013 recipient of the NACUA First Decade Award. He completed a one-year unexpired term on the NACUA Board of Directors in 2014, followed by a full three year term on the Board. Mike has served on several NACUA committees (and continues to serve). He has authored two NACUANOTES, served as a NACUA online course instructor on the topic of immigration law, and is published in the Journal of College and University Law. He has attended numerous NACUA meetings and has moderated or spoken several times at those meetings.  

In addition to his NACUA service, Mike has presented at other higher education associations, including NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB). He has also served on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers and Sisters of Portage County, Ohio, Leadership Portage County, and the University of Akron School of Law Alumni Association Board (President).  

Mike received his B.S. from Kent State University, his J.D. from the University of Akron, and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Kent State University. Prior to his current role, he served in the Office of General Counsel at Kent State University for over 20 years in various roles, including Senior Associate General Counsel.