Cindy Schaarschmidt

Cindy Schaarschmidt has worked in international education for over 15 years and currently serves as the Executive Director of International Education at Pierce College District. She is also the Board President of the World Affairs Council of Tacoma. Her work is guided by cultural humility, a commitment to expanding access to global learning opportunities, and building reciprocal, sustainable partnerships.

Cindy holds an M.A. in Media Communications and American Studies from the University of Leipzig, Germany. Originally from Germany, she first came to the U.S. as a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, an experience that sparked her lifelong dedication to international exchange. Her academic and professional journey has also taken her to Guatemala, the U.K., Russia, and Spain, giving her a truly global perspective.

Passionate about languages and cross-cultural engagement, Cindy enjoys learning new languages and is often spotted cycling around Tacoma and Pierce County.