The Lincoln Council for International Visitors (LCIV) (lciv.org) is excited to announce the hiring of their inaugural Executive Director, Crystal Bock Thiessen. LCIV is a council affiliate of Global Ties U.S. and works closely with the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program to welcome and connect emerging leaders from countries across the world with Nebraska community members.
Originating in 1966 as the Mayor’s Committee for International Friendship, LCIV’s mission continues to promote global understanding through citizen diplomacy in Lincoln by fostering community receptions, Dinner Diplomat opportunities and cultural and professional opportunities for visiting global leaders.
Bock Thiessen has been a volunteer with LCIV since 2014, serving as board vice president (2014-2017) and president (2017-2020). As an English language educator, she brings valuable experience to this position, including experience in the power of citizen diplomacy through education, travel and relationship-building. Bock Thiessen lived and taught in Sapporo, Japan for three years (2008-2011) and in Lugansk, Ukraine for one (2011-2012) as an English Language Fellow in conjunction with Georgetown University and the U.S. Department of State. She has worked as a U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist since 2013 on multiple teacher training assignments in Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Georgia, Belarus, Russia, Pakistan and Vietnam and has had the opportunity to travel to 53 countries and 32 U.S. states.
In addition to Bock Thiessen’s new endeavor as the LCIV Executive Director, she will continue her roles as an English language educator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-owner of the Hub Café with her husband, Jacob.
For more information on the Lincoln Council for International Visitors, visit lciv.org.