Agapy is taking a break from the publishing arena, but here’s a list of our niche authors. For more information about me and my work, visit WendyWilliamson.com
J. Brown is the author of Street Smarts from Christian Martial Arts. H is a sixth degree black belt and started his martial arts training in the late 1970’s. He began teaching for Tae Bo® founder, Billy Blanks as senior instructor of two locations of the Billy Blanks Karate Academy before launching nine of his own schools in the early 1990’s. He has won various awards in local, national, and international tournaments. Brown is a full-time pastor in the Lutheran Church. It is his desire for everyone to know that the Christian faith and the martial arts can go hand-in-hand.
James E. Harf (Ph.D.) co-authored The Wise World Traveler: Becoming a Part of All That You Meet. He is Associate Vice President and Director of the Center for Global Education at Maryville University of St. Louis. He and Herson were faculty colleagues in the Department of Political Science at The Ohio State University for over 30 years. Harf is an accomplished writer, having authored/edited over three dozen academic books as well as published one novel about unrequited love on a university campus (Memories of Ivy), with a second novel almost completed. For the past thirteen years, Harf has overseen programs to every corner of the globe for over 2,000 university students and 150 faculty, as well as personally led study-abroad programs for over 1,000 students overseas.
Lawrence J. R. Herson (Ph.D.) co-authored The Wise World Traveler: Becoming a Part of All That You Meet. He was well-published in six languages who as a young man was a decorated combat meteorologist in the South Pacific Theater during World War II. Since retiring from Ohio State two decades ago, Herson spent his time as a lecturer on very exclusive cruise ships calling on ports throughout the world. He spent at least a third of the year on such ventures at sea. At 90 years old, he was in such demand by the cruise lines that he could have spent the entire year on board such ships if he chose. Lawrence passed away in early 2016.
Bill Holmes is the co-author of Faculty-led 360: Guide to Successful Study Abroad and the Director of International Education at Eastern Kentucky University. Bill received a BA in History from Miami University and an MA in International Affairs from the University of Wyoming. Additional graduate work was completed abroad in Hungary, Romania and Croatia. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine, Bill served as health & safety “warden” for his region. The experience has carried over into his work in study abroad program development and faculty training for health, safety and cultural adaptation. Bill serves on NAFSA Trainer Corps and has taken a leading role in developing the Appalachian College Association’s international education training program for member institutions. His academic interests include Russian & Hungarian literature and he has taught a number of East European history and international studies courses. Bill, along with his wife Erin, directs ongoing TESOL training and service-learning programs in Ukraine.
Melanie McCallon is the co-author of Faculty-led 360: Guide to Successful Study Abroad and Associate Director for Education Abroad at Murray State University (MSU), where she has been since 2001. Melanie credits her parents for being her recruiter to study abroad. Growing up on stories of their years in Europe convinced her early on that she would see the world. This translated into a semester in England and a summer in Germany as a college student. After earning her BA in Creative Writing, she taught English in Japan before returning to the U.S. to earn her MA in TESOL. Systemized support and training for faculty who lead study abroad programs at Murray State University has led to a vast increase in faculty-led programming in recent years. And, in February, 2010, Melanie’s outstanding work with faculty and study abroad was featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Innovators in Internationalization series. She has taught various courses for the English Department, ESL Program, and the College of Education and is currently assisting with the development of a certificate in international education for MA students.
Holly Oberle is the author of College Abroad. Holly grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and Women’s Studies from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois and an M.A. in International Relations and Social Theory from Jacobs University and Bremen Universität in Germany. She completed a Doctoral Fellowship at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and is a PhD candidate at the Berlin Graduate School for Transnational Studies. She researches feminist theory of language and gender in foreign policy, and is expected to complete her doctorate in 2013. In addition to Israel, Germany and the United States, she has also lived and studied in Budapest, Hungary. Besides traveling as much as possible, Holly is an animal lover, enjoys vegetarian cooking, swimming, jogging, and listening to Beethoven. Visit Holly’s Blog.
Lawrence Mark Vellucci is the author of Martial Arts Games and Activities for Children. He has over 30 years experience in the martial arts, including eight years training in the Far East. Kyoshi Vellucci is a former Marine Officer and has several years experience in law enforcement and private security. He also holds the following ranks: 6th degree Black Belt in Matsumura Shorin – Ryu Karate, 6th degree Black Belt in Okinawan White Crane Karate, 4th Degree Black Belt in Okinawan Kobudo, 1st Degree Black Belt in Chinese Kenpo. Kyoshi Vellucci has a Masters Degree in Education, and is in the process of completing two more Masters, one in Ancient History and one in Theology. Currently he serves as the President of the Kobukan Karate Federation with the rank of Kyoshi, 7th Degree Black Belt.
