Staff - Office of International Programs

Lori Thompson, Director of the Office of International Programs

Lori Thompson is Director of the Office of International Programs (OIP) of the State University of New York (SUNY).  OIP is one of four units under the Office of Global Affairs, a system-wide entity which engages all units of the 64-campus system to lead, support and coordinate efforts aimed at campus internationalization.  OIP assists SUNY campuses in a variety of areas, including system-wide international initiatives, study abroad, opportunities for collaborative research and program development and maintains offices in Mexico, Russia and Turkey.

Ms. Thompson joined the Office of International Programs in 2000.  Prior to her current position, she was Associate Director for International Partnerships, overseeing SUNY’s partnerships with Turkish universities while working to develop relationships in other parts of the world.  In 2004, she founded the SUNY Office in Ankara, Turkey, where she remained as director until returning to Albany in 2008.  She established the office’s service-oriented mission in support of the system-wide dual diploma programs and fostered strong relationships with new Turkish university partners, the Turkish Higher Education Council, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate and various Turkish government offices.  Ms. Thompson is the author of two articles published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) on the development of SUNY’s system-wide relationships and programs in Turkey.  While living abroad, she developed Turkish language skills and traveled extensively throughout Turkey.  She also made official visits to universities in Azerbaijan and Greece.  She maintains close ties with Turkey and is a member of the American Turkish Society.

Prior to her work in and related to Turkey, Ms. Thompson coordinated and provided support for programs under SUNY’s Center for Russia and the United States, located at the Office of International Programs.   She received a bachelor’s degree in English writing from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.    

        Phone: 518-320-1255
        Email: lori.thompson@suny.edu