Meet the Global Engagement Team
Ben Bradshaw
Assistant Vice-President International
Ben Bradshaw began his term as Assistant Vice-President, International (AVPI) at the University of Guelph on July 1, 2025 and will serve on an interim basis through October 2026. Since 2016, Dr. Bradshaw has served as Assistant Vice-President, Graduate Studies at the University of Guelph, a position he will fill to October 2026. In this role, Dr. Bradshaw has overseen significant growth in the training of international graduate students at the University of Guelph and the mobility of Guelph students abroad including through dual degree programs. As AVPI, he hopes to do the same for the University’s broader teaching and research missions through nurturing of existing international partnerships and the strategic development of new partnerships. When time allows, he continues to research questions of environmental governance, especially in Canada's mining, energy and agriculture sectors.
Natasha Fernandez
Manager, Global Engagement and Partnerships
Rooted in over a decade of international education experience across both the private and public sectors, Natasha joined the University of Guelph in January 2021 as the Manager, Global Engagement and Partnerships. In her current role, she is focused on partnership development with institutions, organizations and governments abroad while integrating the University’s strategic plan for global engagement and global impact. Natasha is passionate about strengthening the sector of international education nationally and is the current Co-Chair of the International Relations, Professional Learning Community (IR-PLC), through the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).
She is also a proud U of G alumna, holding an honours bachelor’s degree in international development studies from the University of Guelph as well as a certificate in adult education from George Brown College in Toronto. Fluent in Spanish, she has lived in Cuba, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Vancouver.
Caitlin Smith
Coordinator, Global Engagement and Projects
As a proud U of G alumna and 3-time study abroad participant in Brazil, Ghana, and Guatemala, Caitlin is a committed advocate for the academic, career, and civic impacts of global learning. As coordinator within the OISP team Caitlin supports the global engagement strategy implementation across the university.
