Follow Your Curiosity: Kathalin Carvalho on Her International Career and Teaching at Schiller

In 1999, Kathalin Carvalho moved to Florida from Venezuela to earn a master’s degree in criminology. She already held a Juris Doctor (JD) and a license to practice law in her home country, but she had dreams of becoming a federal agent in the U.S. With a degree in criminology, she’d be a top contender at any agency.

“After I graduated, I started working for the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office,” Carvalho said. “I immediately knew I wasn't meant to be a litigator.”

Carvalho didn’t dislike law itself, but she felt more drawn to helping people outside the courtroom than in it. She often translated documents for Hispanic clients and helped them navigate the complexities of the American legal system. It was vital, rewarding work — and Carvalho excelled at it.

Now, almost 30 years later, Carvalho has leveraged her investigative, legal, and interpersonal skills to become an international leader in both the private and nonprofit sectors. At Schiller International University, students in the Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations and Diplomacy program can learn from her experience and carve out their own niche on the global landscape.

Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, and More: The Birth of a Global Career

After discovering her talent for explaining complex legal topics to people with very little legal background at the public defender’s office, Carvalho started thinking how useful that skill could be in the private sector as well. With that in mind, she earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Law and Business in 2004.

“Then, I started several jobs working for international and domestic corporations in the area of regulatory compliance,” she said.

During that period, Carvalho often worked in anti-money laundering (AML) and fraud detection, serving as an investigator, a manager, and a director at global banks and other financial institutions. She was often responsible for training employees, contractors, and fellow executives alike about relevant regulations and refining internal policies.

Once again, Carvalho excelled. Her talent led to compliance-related positions in industries ranging from aerospace and healthcare to consulting. Over the years, her employers have sent her all over the world.

“I’ve supported teams in India and teams in Germany,” she said. “I’ve also supported teams in Brazil, in Mexico, in Puerto Rico, Canada, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.”

No matter where she went, Carvalho prided herself on her ability to adapt and set her organizations up for success on a global scale.

A Never-Ending Passion for Community Service

As career-minded as Carvalho is, she’s always found time to use her talents to serve her community. She’s served on the Sheriff’s Hispanic Advisory Council (SHAC) and the Coalition of Hispanic Artists (CHA), as well as numerous other organizations in the Tampa, Florida, area and beyond.

“My call for service never stopped,” she said.

Most recently, Carvalho became the director of development and community relations at the RCMA, an organization that provides early childhood education to children all over Florida.

“It’s been a blessing because it’s combining everything that I have done in my past 26 years of work,” Carvalho said of her role with RCMA. “I’m helping to develop not only the staff, but those who donate funds. I make sure they understand our processes and what we do to bring more transparency.”

Carvalho also speaks at events and volunteers as a mentor, helping Tampa’s youth and business owners harness their own skills to do good in the world. Now that she’s pivoted to college education, her goal has remained the same.

Passing Decades of Experience Onto Tomorrow’s Leaders

Carvalho first worked in a college classroom as an adjunct instructor in 2018. When she came to Schiller in 2025, her passion and in-depth knowledge of how international organizations operate quickly made her an integral member of the International Relations and Diplomacy faculty.

Teaching Practical Skills for Succeeding on an International Scale 

As an instructor, Carvalho teaches a course load that’s just as dynamic as her professional expertise. She often teaches classes on international business relations, international law, and diplomacy. However, while she covers theory and big-picture concepts, she also dedicates time to the practical skills her students will need to succeed on an international level.

“I think the most important skill right now is communication,” she said. “You need to understand your audience. You need to be curious before you go speak to someone. If you’re meeting with an ambassador, for example, you need to make sure that you do your due diligence and your homework.”

Another skill that frequently comes up in Carvalho’s classes is building trust. This, she said, has been important to every role she’s ever held.

“Once you develop that relationship with your partners, it could be agencies or private or public partners, then everything’s gonna be opening up for you,” she said. “To be an advisor, business owner, coach, or professor, you have to build your reputation in a way that would allow people to trust you.”

An Engaging Classroom Culture

No matter what skills or concepts Carvalho is discussing, her goal is to help students apply their own talents to succeeding in all their endeavors.

“The theory is there and the books are there,” she said. “But I want the students to understand how practical you can be with all the knowledge you gather from everything you see, and how to utilize that to be a better professional.”

To that end, Carvalho’s classes are always full of discussion. She wants her students to relate what they’re learning to what they’re doing, what they want to do, and what’s happening in the world around them. That’s how Carvalho got to where she is today, and she wants her students to have that same opportunity.

“All I’ve been doing all my life is using my education. I just want to learn. I’ve been in a constant discovery process, being very curious all the time,” she said. “That’s what I want to teach. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Carve Out Your Niche on the International Landscape

Schiller’s MA in International Relations and Diplomacy program gives tomorrow’s leaders the unique chance to practice what they learn in real time. Students can transfer between international campuses, take advantage of UNITAR training, and pursue any number of fieldwork opportunities found in their new international network.

However, students don’t have to go far for a global perspective. In classes on research, international organizational management, and more, students learn alongside peers from all over the world. Whether students plan on going into the public or private sector, this environment prepares them to become effective, globally minded leaders.

“It’s building you from the inside out in a very holistic way,” Carvalho said of the atmosphere. “It’s not only about theory or institutional knowledge. We talk about building yourself as a professional.”

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