The only kind of dignity which is genuine is that which is
not diminished by the indifference of others.
- Dag Hammarskjöld, 1955
Mindspring Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code dedicated to providing efficient access to education in remote and economically disadvantaged regions around the world to strengthen international understanding and foster innovative approaches to engage communities in learning.
Through strategic partnerships with government ministries, institutions, and NGOS, Mindspring Foundation presents a range of globally and locally relevant education projects encompassing primary bilingual education curricula, heritage preservation, traditional and Western art practices, art history, archaeology, environmental conservation, public health, and social responsibility.
Through strategic partnerships with government ministries, institutions, and NGOS, Mindspring Foundation presents a range of globally and locally relevant education projects encompassing primary bilingual education curricula, heritage preservation, traditional and Western art practices, art history, archaeology, environmental conservation, public health, and social responsibility.
Our Team
Mindspring Foundation is overseen by an independent Board of Directors that has extensive experience in education, philanthropy, and non-profit management. Specific to the category of education, the majority of our Board comes from careers in the following: applied anthropology, arts administration, global education in local contexts, literacy and technology, and public education administration. They volunteer their time to ensure that Mindspring Foundation is as successful as possible.
Board
Jennifer Chang is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Archives of Modern Chinese Art (AMCA). Prior to this, she founded Persimmon Lane, a fashion and home accessories design company that creates products using sustainable natural fibers and employing traditional methods of production. Jennifer had served as marketing strategist for Chanel S.A. in New York, Paris, and the Greater China region from 1996-2001. She holds dual BA degrees in Political Economy of Industrial Societies and French from the University of California at Berkeley and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University. Jennifer is currently completing her PhD in Art History at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China.
Janice Kieling is the Institute for Study Abroad Board of Trustees Member and Secretary to the Board. In her 35 years of experience at the University of California at Berkeley directing the administration of university level undergraduate and graduate study abroad, recruitment and outreach programs, student admissions, academic counseling, she had 18 years of university management experience including staff training, coaching, team building, and supervision, budget and fiscal management, strategic planning, program design and evaluation, scholarship allocation and financial aid administration. Jan is the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her dedication to education abroad, including the Berkeley Campus Distinguished Service Award, the Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Award, among others. Jan received her BA in Journalism from the University of California at Berkeley and Corsi Singoli from the University of Padua, Italy.
Candace Lin is an associate in the Investment Management Group of Seward & Kessle LLP. In addition to her professional duties, she volunteers in pro bono assignments concerning international humanitarian affairs in the area of asylum applications. Candace served as Senior Editor on the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Law published by the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 2008-11. She received a BA in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley, Phi Beta Kappa, with distinction and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Candace also earned a Certificate in Business and Public Policy from the Wharton School.
Ariadne (Vida) Prater is the Chief Financial Officer and Co-Owner of Left Coast Press, Inc., a scholarly and professional publisher in the social sciences and related disciplines. Since 2009, she has been serving as the Executive Vice President of the Tamu Orphans Support Fund, a foundation which provides AIDS-orphaned children in Kenya with critical living, health, and educational needs. In her 28 years as the Administrative Director of the International and Area Studies Teaching Program at the University of California at Berkeley, Vida managed the administrative, financial, and curricular affairs for the cluster of interdisciplinary internationally focused degree programs. In her spare time, she volunteers as a certified Medicare counselor for the State of California assisting senior citizens and the disabled to obtain needed medical and support services. As a consultant in education, she has over 25 years of experience in San Francisco Bay Area school districts on both financial and curricular strategic plans and developed implementation solutions for technology use and curricular integration. Vida was educated at the University of California at Berkeley and holds a BA and MA in Anthropology and Archaeology.
Board
Jennifer Chang is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Archives of Modern Chinese Art (AMCA). Prior to this, she founded Persimmon Lane, a fashion and home accessories design company that creates products using sustainable natural fibers and employing traditional methods of production. Jennifer had served as marketing strategist for Chanel S.A. in New York, Paris, and the Greater China region from 1996-2001. She holds dual BA degrees in Political Economy of Industrial Societies and French from the University of California at Berkeley and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University. Jennifer is currently completing her PhD in Art History at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China.
Janice Kieling is the Institute for Study Abroad Board of Trustees Member and Secretary to the Board. In her 35 years of experience at the University of California at Berkeley directing the administration of university level undergraduate and graduate study abroad, recruitment and outreach programs, student admissions, academic counseling, she had 18 years of university management experience including staff training, coaching, team building, and supervision, budget and fiscal management, strategic planning, program design and evaluation, scholarship allocation and financial aid administration. Jan is the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her dedication to education abroad, including the Berkeley Campus Distinguished Service Award, the Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Award, among others. Jan received her BA in Journalism from the University of California at Berkeley and Corsi Singoli from the University of Padua, Italy.
Candace Lin is an associate in the Investment Management Group of Seward & Kessle LLP. In addition to her professional duties, she volunteers in pro bono assignments concerning international humanitarian affairs in the area of asylum applications. Candace served as Senior Editor on the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Law published by the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 2008-11. She received a BA in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley, Phi Beta Kappa, with distinction and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Candace also earned a Certificate in Business and Public Policy from the Wharton School.
Ariadne (Vida) Prater is the Chief Financial Officer and Co-Owner of Left Coast Press, Inc., a scholarly and professional publisher in the social sciences and related disciplines. Since 2009, she has been serving as the Executive Vice President of the Tamu Orphans Support Fund, a foundation which provides AIDS-orphaned children in Kenya with critical living, health, and educational needs. In her 28 years as the Administrative Director of the International and Area Studies Teaching Program at the University of California at Berkeley, Vida managed the administrative, financial, and curricular affairs for the cluster of interdisciplinary internationally focused degree programs. In her spare time, she volunteers as a certified Medicare counselor for the State of California assisting senior citizens and the disabled to obtain needed medical and support services. As a consultant in education, she has over 25 years of experience in San Francisco Bay Area school districts on both financial and curricular strategic plans and developed implementation solutions for technology use and curricular integration. Vida was educated at the University of California at Berkeley and holds a BA and MA in Anthropology and Archaeology.