Our Team - Staff

Dana Curran, Co-Founder & Executive Director

Email: dana@worldsavvy.org

Dana co-founded World Savvy in 2002, and has assumed a role as Director since inception. She is chiefly responsible for management, program development, and fund development. Dana began her career in a large corporate law firm in New York. Since transitioning to the nonprofit realm, she has taught global issues in Bay Area high schools, managed multi-site after school programs and developed a capacity building model for the educators and youth involved in World Savvy programs. She is a May 2002 graduate of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, with a concentration in Economic and Political Development, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Connecticut College in May 1997. Dana has had significant academic and practical experience in the field of international relations, economic development, local level development and poverty alleviation, microfinance and governance. Currently, Dana is actively involved in a range of community based initiatives concerning youth development, education, and international education, and volunteers as a Steering Committee member with two local youth development nonprofits.

---

Victoria Restler, Senior Program Associate

Email: victoria@worldsavvy.org

Victoria is an interdisciplinary artist and educator with a longstanding interest in global education and after-school programming. She has been teaching and facilitating content-driven art courses for five years in San Francisco, Oaxaca, and Philadelphia using sound, craft, murals, and mapping to address issues of community, citizenship and cultural exchange.

Victoria graduated from Williams College with a dual degree in Art and Anthropology and received a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in New Genres from The San Francisco Art Institute. She joined World Savvy in 2005 and has run the Global Youth Media and Arts Program from inception. A Brooklyn native, she is excited to launch the New York Media and Arts Program pilot in fall 2007.

---

Sarah Haldan, Development Associate

Email: sarah@worldsavvy.org

Sarah Haldan is a passionate believer in global education and international understanding. She has worked and volunteered with young people as a tutor, homeless youth counselor and surf camp instructor and cares deeply about giving youth the tools and information necessary to develop as healthy and vibrant adults.

Sarah graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Advertising and a minor in Mathematics. Sarah applies these skills in the nonprofit arena as a champion for greater awareness of World Savvy's mission and programs. Since joining World Savvy in 2004, she has built a strong and diverse base of corporate, foundation and individual support as well as community awareness for the organization. Her communication and journalism skills have directly contributed to a redeveloped website and a tenfold increase in revenue from fundraising events.

---

Kelly Korenak, Program Associate

Email: kelly@worldsavvy.org

Kelly Korenak is a teacher and social worker, and has long been interested in global issues and finding ways to bring these issues and a sense of activism to youth. In 2003, she graduated from Columbia University with a MSW in International Social Work. Previously, she taught middle school language arts and worked with the International Rescue Committee on programs for refugee youth. Most recently before joining World Savvy, Kelly was working in Louisiana , providing training in psychosocial programming aimed at helping children affected by Hurricane Katrina.

---

Katina Papson, Program Associate

Email: katina@worldsavvy.org

Katina Papson is an interdisciplinary artist and educator who believes the arts not only act as a means of expression, but as a tool to better communicate, understand ourselves and the world around us. She received a double degree BFA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Computer Design and Photography as well as in K-12 Arts Education. In 2007, she completed her MFA in Film/Video from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Katina is a strong advocate for youth and community arts and has 6 years of experience teaching in the Amherst Regional Public Schools as an art and social justice theater high school teacher. For three years, she acted as co-executive director of DASAC, Deerfield Academy Summer Arts Camp, an interdisciplinary summer arts camp for youth ages 11-16. Currently, she is the Global Youth Media and Arts Program Associate for World Savvy and is based in the San Francisco office.

---

Bryn Murray, Program Associate

Email: bryn@worldsavvy.org

Bryn graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2005 with a BA in psychology. She is a native San Franciscan who is deeply committed to providing unique academic opportunities for Bay Area youth. She is especially interested in increasing student awareness of international issues. She joined World Savvy in 2005 and is the World Affairs Challenge Associate.