Ellen Birch

Ellen Birch (they/them) joined Education Abroad as a program coordinator in May 2022. Ellen earned a BA in Art History and French from Washington University in St Louis and an MA in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin. Through experience working as an art museum docent, curatorial intern, care attendant, English teacher, and Teaching Assistant, Ellen discovered a passion for education, outreach, and working with undergraduate students.

Born to German and American parents in the Azores, Portugal, Ellen grew up as a third culture kid in Portugal, Spain, and the US. Before moving to Austin, they studied abroad in Paris and worked as an English language assistant with primary school students in Avignon, France. Ellen’s experiences abroad and in the United States taught them the value of experiential learning, empathetic communication, and intercultural exchange. They are enthusiastic about connecting future study abroad students with fun, exciting and thought-provoking learning experiences.

Outside of work, Ellen enjoys fiber arts, especially sewing and knitting. They also love cooking, gardening, looking at art, spending time with their partner and family, listening to audiobooks, and hanging out with their dog, Rolo.