Representatives of Resource Exchange International Visit KAFU
On September 15, 2026, representatives of the international organization Resource Exchange International (REI) visited Kazakhstan-American Free University. The delegation included Brian Gibbs, Chairman of the organization’s Board of Directors, as well as Renee Gibbs and Shannon Sandquist.
As part of the visit, the guests met with KAFU President, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerezhep Alkhaуrovich Mambetkaziyev, KAFU First Vice President Zhasulan Yerbolovich Baikenov, and Head of the International Cooperation Department Serik Merzoyanovich Abilov.
The parties discussed prospects for further cooperation, the participation of an international student team in the KAFU International Leadership Academy, and the development of international volunteer initiatives. A similar experience was successfully implemented in 2025. In the summer of 2026, female students from the state of Oklahoma also joined the Academy.
Brian Gibbs has many years of experience working with non-governmental organizations in the United States and Japan. Shannon Sandquist has international experience working with NGOs in Singapore and the United States, with a particular focus on supporting international students and implementing international educational programs in Colorado and Iowa.
Resource Exchange International is an organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It works with universities, schools, and medical institutions to support the training of local professionals who can contribute to the development of their communities.
Cooperation between KAFU and REI has been successfully developing since 2019, while the signing of an official memorandum in 2024 brought the partnership to a new level. An important link in this cooperation has been the work of KAFU Professor Ronald Wiley and his wife, Janine Wiley. They have lived in Ust-Kamenogorsk for five years and coordinate REI projects in Central Asia. Ronald Wiley has also maintained professional connections with Brian Gibbs and Shannon Sandquist for many years.
The partnership is already producing practical results: two members of the REI team are studying at Kazakhstan-American Free University and participated in the International Leadership Academy in the summer of 2026.
The visit of Resource Exchange International representatives marked another step toward strengthening KAFU’s international cooperation, developing volunteer projects, and expanding opportunities for intercultural engagement among students.
