Seattle, WA — SafeAbroad will present a session titled “Less Crises & More Prevention: Rethinking Student Mental Health Abroad” at the NAFSA 2026 Biregional I & XII Conference on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. Held October 18–21 at The Westin Seattle, the annual conference brings together international education professionals from across Regions I and XII to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and explore emerging trends shaping the future of global education.
Centered on this year’s conference theme, “Brewing Global Connections,” the event offers a collaborative space for professionals to learn, network, and engage in meaningful conversations that advance international education while supporting students, institutions, and global mobility programs.
SafeAbroad’s Client Engagement Lead, Zac Einerson, will lead a discussion exploring how institutions can move beyond reactive crisis management and adopt preventive, risk-informed approaches to supporting student mental health abroad. The session introduces a preventive mental health framework that integrates risk management, student development, and shared responsibility across education abroad stakeholders, helping institutions strengthen both student well-being and overall program resilience.
Attendees will learn how targeted training for education abroad staff, faculty leaders, and on-site teams can improve early recognition of concerns, strengthen communication and escalation processes, and reduce the likelihood that mental health challenges develop into safety incidents. The session will also examine practical approaches to preventive care, emphasizing that student mental health is not only a wellness issue but a critical component of institutional duty of care and comprehensive risk management.
Participants will leave with practical strategies for recognizing early indicators of concern, identifying appropriate interventions, understanding role-specific responsibilities for non-clinical professionals, and determining when to engage institutional or partner support systems. These evidence-informed approaches can help institutions build safer, more sustainable education abroad programs while better supporting students throughout their international experiences.
The session will take place on Tuesday, October 20, from 3:30 PM to 4:45 PM Pacific Time in the Grand Crescent Ballroom (4th Floor). It is designed for education abroad professionals, international program leaders, risk managers, student affairs professionals, faculty leaders, and others committed to creating safer, more supportive experiences for students abroad.
Conference attendees interested in learning more about SafeAbroad’s services or discussing student mental health, risk management, or international program safety are invited to meet with Zac Einerson before the presentation. Zac will be available for 20-minute to 30-minute meetings between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM on Tuesday, October 20, in the Westin Seattle hotel lobby. To schedule a meeting and make connecting easier during the conference, please reach out in advance via email at zac.einerson@safeabroad.org or schedule it on Calendly; include your cell phone number when requesting a meeting.
Education abroad professionals interested in learning more about the event, click here!
About SafeAbroad
SafeAbroad is a global safety and risk management firm that provides real-time intelligence and safety solutions to international education professionals, university risk managers, and study abroad leaders. Staffed by a global team of analysts, SafeAbroad specializes in delivering actionable, timely intelligence by actively monitoring real-time sources for worldwide risks that could affect traveler safety. SafeAbroad delivers location-specific and highly curated safety and security reports, crisis simulation training, and workshops for international education program managers and their travelers. With a team of experienced professionals and a network of global partners, SafeAbroad is committed to ensuring that travelers have the information and support they need to travel confidently abroad. For more information about SafeAbroad and its comprehensive safety solutions, visit SafeAbroad.com or schedule a meeting here.
Media Contact
Zac Einerson
Client Engagement Lead
(929) 515-7233
zac.einerson@safeabroad.org