About Us

Claudia Sotomayor Hart was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She came to the United States as an international student, beginning her academic journey at Richland College. She is a proud SMU alumna, having completed all her degrees—including her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership—at Southern Methodist University.

With more than 24 years of experience in international higher education, Dr. Hart has dedicated her career to supporting global student and scholar communities, including her service through NAFSA: Association of International Educators. She believes that international students, scholars, and their families are essential to enriching the SMU community by bringing diverse cultures, values, and perspectives. Equally important to her is ensuring that they also find meaningful opportunities to learn about U.S. values, fostering a true exchange that promotes mutual understanding, respect for differences, and appreciation for shared experiences.

As Executive Director of the International Office, Claudia is committed to creating a welcoming environment where all global students, scholars, and faculty feel at home the moment they walk through the door.

She is fluent in English and Spanish and has also studied French. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, exercising, and mentoring young professionals.

Originally from Durango, Mexico, Yessica moved to Dallas at the age of 16. In 2010, she joined the International Student and Scholar Services office, gaining over 14 years of experience in international student services. Yessica specializes in record management and reporting for international students, with a focus on SEVIS compliance. Her personal experience as an international student learning English later in life, combined with her knowledge of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), enables her to support the diverse needs of the international student community effectively.

Yessica is married and a proud mom of three, one of whom is currently a student at SMU. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies and series, listening to podcasts, attending concerts, and doing arts and crafts.

Ginger was raised in a small town north of Houston, Texas and moved to the DFW area in 2001.  She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Sam Houston State University and a Master of English with an emphasis in TESOL from Texas A&M University - Commerce.  She taught special education for many years, and in 2012, an opportunity to teach English to international students at the university level presented itself.  She fell in love with the students and higher education and feels blessed to be a part of the ISSS office at SMU.  She is passionate about helping international students achieve their academic and personal goals while here in the United States.  Ginger is married to Chris, and they have two daughters, Olivia and Emilia.  In her free time, she loves a good road trip and likes to read, go for walks, and watch movies with her family.

Before joining SMU, Mariela worked at Columbia Business School, where she supported executive MBA students through academic operations, event coordination, and student engagement. Mariela looks forward to fostering meaningful connections and helping international students feel at home at SMU.

Melissa Weaver was raised in Atlanta, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia for her Bachelors. She then attended SMU for law school where she earned her JD. After practicing civil litigation for a couple of years she served as the Women & Children's Program Director at Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, Inc. for ten years where she focused on providing legal services to indigent immigrant survivors of violence and mentoring attorneys in the community who provided pro bono representation. Before joining SMU's ISS department, she worked in private practice specializing in family-based and humanitarian immigration applications.

She looks forward to providing sensible counseling to our students and ensuring that they are supported as an SMU International Student.