JESSAMINE IRWIN | Director
University of Maine, B.A., French, Minor in Spanish
New York University, Dual Certificate M.A., TFFL and TESOL 

While at NYU, Jessamine focused on second language acquisition, minority language revitalization, and inclusive pedagogy. After graduating, she went on to work in tourism in Barcelona and Seville. She began her clinical assistant professorship at NYU in 2017. Since then, Jessamine has continued to advocate for inclusive pedagogy and minority language through her research and documenting of oral history with French-speakers in Maine. In 2021, her award-winning documentary, The Intersection (Le Carrefour) premiered at the Camden International Film Festival, and in 2022, she published the chapter “Inclusive Representations of Linguistic Diversity in the U.S.” in The Importance of Learning a Second Language: Essays on Re-envisioning Foreign Language Education. In 2025, she authored “Teaching, Learning, and Living in French” in the second volume of French All Around Us. Jessamine is fluent in English, French, and Spanish, and proficient in Italian. This fall, she will return to NYU to continue connecting undergraduates to French language and cultures through language study. She began leading Putney programs in France and Spain in 2018.

EMMA L. SMITH | Assistant Director
Wesleyan University, B.A., Science in Society, Hispanic Literatures and Cultures 

Emma attended Wesleyan University, where she studied Science in Society and Hispanic Literature and Cultures. She earned Departmental Honors in the latter for her thesis, “¡Los devoró la selva!”: La deconstrucción de la masculinidad y la identidad nacional en las representaciones ficcionales de la selva latinoamericana. After graduation, Emma traveled to Costa Rica to lead a service program for Putney, where her passion for mindful and sustainable travel was ignited. Since then, she has led four more programs in Costa Rica, as well as the Service Hawai’i program. She has also joined the Putney Barn’s year-round team, directing programs in Spain, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Holland, and Costa Rica. Emma is fluent in Spanish and working on her Italian. She loves playing volleyball and exploring new restaurants.

ALEX VOLCHOK WYNIA | Program Assistant
University of Galway, Bachelor of Commerce (in progress)

Alex is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Galway, Ireland. Originally from Barcelona, he relocated to Ireland this year to begin his university studies. He hopes to join the Global Commerce program next year and take part in a year abroad. Alex has participated in numerous community service programs, and in 2023, he interned at a biopharmaceutical company in Dubai focused on serving underserved populations in North Africa, India, and the Arab region. Last summer, he worked as a camp counselor in New Hampshire, where he supervised young campers and helped organize a range of outdoor activities including mountain biking, canoeing, rock climbing, and overnight camping trips. Alex is fluent in English and Spanish and proficient in Catalan. An avid traveler, he has visited more than 20 countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Alex enjoys playing a wide variety of sports, particularly basketball, scuba diving, skiing, volleyball, and squash.

RAVI CHHATANI JAGWANI | Business & Entrepreneurship
Loyola University of Maryland, M.B.A., Finance
University of Maryland, B.S., Finance and International Business 

While at school, Ravi focused on microfinance and the effects of global migration on the economy. After working for two years in investment banking and corporate finance, Ravi decided to sell everything he owned, pack only the necessities, and embark on a seven-month trip to Latin America. There, he focused his efforts on improving startup projects in Ecuador, Brazil, and Colombia. During his travels, he discovered the virtues of panela sugar and later founded Nela Nature, a startup company that sources panela cane sugar directly from farmers in Colombia and imports it to the U.S. Ravi has grown his company to reach more than 50 clients in the D.C. metropolitan area. For 10 years, he has coached youth soccer, and he has also volunteered with youth in Baltimore, teaching English to teenage immigrants. Ravi is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, and Sindhi, and is proficient in French. This fall, he will start a new venture involving a panela-based line of drinks, in collaboration with a local kombucha company.

MAGGIE KNUTZEN | Art & Architecture
School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, M.F.A., Visual Arts
Boston University, B.F.A., Painting 

Maggie’s travels to France and England as an adolescent inspired a lifelong adoration for art, history, and culture. This passion for material culture led her to pursue her B.F.A. in painting, with minors in English and art history, at Boston University. While working toward her M.F.A. at the SMFA at Tufts University, Maggie continued studying Renaissance and Medieval art—specifically, the construction of sacred spaces and the use of mystical imagery—to develop her thesis. She now applies this knowledge daily as a high school art and art history teacher in the D.C. area, while continuing her research-based painting and illustration practice on weekends and during school breaks.

DHARMA SEDA-GONZALEZ | Spanish Language
Sorbonne Nouvelle, France, M.A., Iberian Cultural Studies
Harvard University, B.A., Romance Languages and Literatures, History and Literature 

Dharma grew up between Chicago and the south of Madrid and has spent her life exploring issues of transnational identity, cultural exchange, and multilingualism on both academic and personal levels. While living in Boston, she ran writing workshops at local jails and prisons, worked as an archivist, and fine-tuned the skill of latte art at a local café. As a Fulbright research scholar in Paris, she expanded her interests to include the French context. She has a background in Spanish and French literature and cultural studies and is working toward her Ph.D. at New York University. In her free time, you can find her writing, reading, jogging, going to the movies, cooking with friends, and exploring the architectural prowess of her hometown, Chicago.

JULIA MATTIS | Photography & Media
Ohio State University, B.F.A., Photography
New York University, Master of Social Work

Julia earned her Master of Social Work from NYU Silver’s School of Social Work and studied Fine Arts with a focus in Photography at Ohio State University, graduating with honors research distinction in the arts. While at OSU, she spent a semester studying Spanish, photography, and art history in Barcelona, developing a deep connection to the city’s vibrant cultural landscape. Her academic passion translated into founding The Portrait Identity Project (PIP), a visual storytelling methodology that amplifies underrepresented voices through portraiture and narrative. This nationally recognized initiative has facilitated transformative dialogues on identity, inclusion, and leadership across college campuses—from Tulane to Duke and UC Berkeley, to name a few. As part of her leadership journey, Julia led and taught photography for National Geographic Student Travel programs in Yellowstone National Park. While at Ohio State, she gained extensive experience leading trips with OSU’s Outdoor Adventure Center, including a one-month expedition to Australia and New Zealand and the High Sierra Leadership Expedition—a 190-mile trek along the John Muir Trail, culminating in summiting Mount Whitney. At her core, Julia believes in the transformative power of relationships, curiosity, and experiential education—principles that guide her approach to inspiring the next generation of global citizens and creative thinkers.