Brain Bite Break: Building Cross-Cultural Bridges: How the J-1 Visa Program Supports Global Talent Mobility
The Exchange Visitor Program provides highly educated foreign employees and students the opportunity to visit the United States for a short amount of time to receive on-the-job training and engage in cultural exchange. Programs conducted under the Exchange Visitor Program utilize a nonimmigrant visa type known as the J Visa. SHRM is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 Visa sponsor for the trainee and intern programs. Learn more about you can leverage it for your organization.
Brought To You By: SHRM J-1 Visa Sponsorship
Gennady Babankov, J.D.
Gennady Babankov, J.D. is a Manager of SHRM Exchange Visitor (J-1) Program. Babankov oversees two private sector exchange programs for foreign trainees and interns and helps develop, implement, and promote SHRM benefits portfolio for global mobility and immigration members.
Babankov has more than 20 years of experience building and managing global education and training programs for students and professionals. He has experience in teacher training, study abroad, cross-cultural training, and language acquisition, and has directed field operations in Russia, Central Asia, Middle East, and the Caucasus.
Prior to joining SHRM in 2019, Babankov managed several education and training programs sponsored by the federal government, including the Flagship Overseas Language Program (U.S. Department of Defense), Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program (U.S. Department of State), and the Open World Program (Library of Congress).
Babankov earned his J.D. degree from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University, and a bachelor’s degree from the Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia.
Babankov has lived in the United States since 1994 and currently resides in Fairfax, VA.
Lindsay Bongi
Ms. Bongi is the Senior Specialist, Exchange Visitor Program, working with SHRM’s intern and trainee program participants and sponsor organizations. Ms. Bongi comes to SHRM with years of experience assisting young professionals and host companies in the J-1 intern and trainee visa sponsorship process. She has been involved with the Exchange Visitor program since 2012 and in her free time, counsels and monitors J-1 high school exchange students and host families as a Local Coordinator. In addition to her work in international exchange, Ms. Bongi previously has also created a Department of Labor registered culinary apprenticeship program and has experience teaching Talent Management Training and Train the Trainer courses. Her background is in financial reporting and accounting and she spent the early part of her career working for companies such as JPMorgan and America Online. Ms. Bongi earned her MS in School Counseling from Long Island University and her BS in Finance from Pennsylvania State University.
Marion Anderson
Marion Anderson, Chartered MCIPD, graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in Scotland in 2014 as a mature student after discovering a passion for driving business results through people during her extensive leadership career in international retail operations working for brands such as Levi Strauss, Calvin Klein and French Connection. While working in a front-line People Leadership role with Apple Retail in the UK, she decided to undertake a Master’s program at GCU in International HR Management. Her passion for developing true global professional experience inspired her to pursue the professional standards curriculum set by SHRM, as well as accreditation by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). So far she has lived and worked in Mumbai, Kuwait, Dubai, London as well as at home in Scotland. In 2020, Marion has completed an 18-month J-1 visa Trainee program in Orange County, California with the award-winning digital advertising agency Channel Bakers. Marion has been a SHRM member since 2013.