Each year, Phi Theta Kappa chapters elect five students to represent more than 220,000 active members in 11 nations.
This year’s International Officers bring more than leadership experience—they bring powerful stories of resilience, connection, and a deep commitment to expanding opportunity for others.
Here’s a closer look at the students who will be serving and representing you this year.
José Fuentes- International President
José Fuentes is a student at Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant, Texas, where he is double majoring in Spanish and Psychology on a pre-med track. He is interested in psychiatry and how culture and language play a role in mental health care.
For José, choosing community college as the place to begin his higher education journey was an easy choice.
“Community college was always something close to home for me. I saw firsthand how it created opportunities for my family, especially my sister, and how it changed the direction of her life,” José said. “For me, it was a place where I could grow, figure out my path, and build a strong foundation before transferring. It gave me access to opportunities I didn’t even know existed at the time, leadership, research, mentorship, and that’s what really shaped my experience.”
José is very involved on his community college campus as part of the honors program, vice president of the student council, and founder of Raíces y Alas, a cultural organization focused on creating space for students to share and celebrate their backgrounds. He also serves as president of his college’s Psi Beta chapter, the honor society for psychology majors.
José’s involvement in PTK began with the encouragement of his Spanish professor Dr. Maryna Svirska-Otero, a longtime friend of José and one of his chapter advisors. From the beginning of his community college experience, she encouraged him to get involved. With her guidance and support, José saw that PTK was more than an academic honor; it was a place where he could grow, lead, and connect.
“PTK gave me a space where I felt supported and surrounded by people who genuinely want to grow and help others do the same. It pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone, take on leadership, and connect with people from all across the Society,” José said. “It’s helped me grow not just as a student, but as a person, and that’s something I’ll carry with me moving forward.”
The support and confidence he found within PTK and the community that inspired him is what drew him to international office.
“PTK had already given me so much, opportunities, growth, and a strong support system, and I wanted to continue building on that at a higher level,” José said. “Going into it, I felt a sense of confidence, but that didn’t come from just myself. It came from being surrounded by advisors, faculty, coordinators, and members who believed in me and pushed me to go for it. When you have that kind of support behind you, it makes you feel like you can take on something bigger. Running for international office felt like a natural step forward and a way to give back to the organization that helped me get there.”
Endri Dobrovoda – International Vice President of Division I
Endri Dobrovoda was first introduced to Phi Theta Kappa by his cousin, a PTK alumnus.
“I first heard of PTK in my first semester of college because of my cousin,” Endri said. “He always talked to me about how PTK helped him during his transfer process. I was really excited by the scholarship and leadership opportunities available through my chapter.”
Taking his cousin’s advice, Endri sought out PTK when he enrolled in Bergen Community College in New Jersey.
Through PTK, he learned the importance of listening before speaking and how to lead by letting others share their ideas and lead with him.
He was elected as the director of communication for his chapter, Alpha Epsilon Phi, and was uplifted by the community he found within PTK, which encouraged him to run for international office.
“[They] were the first ones to support me and be an example that I’m not alone,” Endri said. “For this, I now want to give back to this community that has taught me these lessons and be an example of the next ones to come.”
For Endri, community is an important factor in his life.
Throughout his life, he has moved from his hometown in Florence, Italy to London to the New York metropolitan area before finding himself at Bergen.
Each of these changes taught him to ground himself in his communities and inspired him to become a changemaker. He is passionate about helping create a cleaner environment and advocating for social advancements.
He also has a deep love for his family and friends, soccer, basketball, and cars. At BCC, he is majoring in engineering and aspires to become a motorsport engineer.
Catherine Derival – International Vice President for Division II
Catherine “Cat” Derival describes herself as New York-born, Florida-raised in a mixed Guyanese and Haitian household.
Raised by Caribbean parents, Catherine learned to view education as a “golden opportunity” that would unlock the door to future success.
Catherine found herself at Polk State College in Florida after realizing the high-price tag attached to the four-year private university she was considering.
“While I knew student loans were an option, after careful research and introspection, I realized I did not want to undertake massive debt at such a young age,” Catherine said. “Community college was much more affordable and would present me with more opportunities for personal and academic development, so long as I did the work necessary to find opportunities. Choosing Polk State College was a ‘no-brainer,’ because I had already started my collegiate journey with them as a dual-enrollment student.”
What first drew Catherine to PTK was the scholarship opportunities available to members, but she ended up finding more than she imagined.
“As an advocate for gift aid, that is what initially drew me in,” Catherine said. “It was only after I [attended] Catalyst that I realized there is so much more to being a Phi Theta Kappa member, particularly the opportunity to be part of an incredible community of like-minded servant leaders.”
The Xi Pi Chapter gave Catherine a strong support network that she credits with helping her grow as a leader.
“As a servant leader, this support network is crucial to have because behind every great leader is an even greater community,” Catherine said.
Within her first year, she was elected vice president of leadership and served on her regional officer team.
The mission of PTK is what inspired Catherine to pursue international office.
“Currently, my focus is on reducing financial barriers by bringing attention to gift aid and alternative pathways to higher education,” Catherine said. “I’ve developed a podcast and website where I discuss how students can graduate without undertaking student debt and outline the different ways students can access college. I am passionate about this because if people from various backgrounds and walks of life can attain a college education, everyone benefits.”
Her goal is one day pursuing a career that allows her to develop instructional design and educational technology software for organizations committed to making education more accessible.
Samuel Pembele – International Vice President of Division III
When Samuel Pembele decided to leave South Africa to pursue his education in the United States, he was unsure of the differences between a university and a community college.
His sister who arrived in the U.S. before him and was attending community college told him about how community college offered a supportive learning environment in a space that was free of the pressure of a four-year university.
However, upon enrolling in Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska, Samuel found difficulty finding a community in a new country. Again, his sister was able to offer advice.
A chapter officer for the Beta Pi Beta Chapter, his sister introduced him to PTK and told him about the chapter activities and regional events.
“I’ve gained exactly what brought me to Phi Theta Kappa in the first place — friendships, connections, activities, and a sense of community in a place that was once unfamiliar to me,” Samuel said. “These friendships stretch across state lines, connecting me with people I might never have met otherwise.”
Inspired by the confidence he found in PTK, Samuel decided to pursue leadership in the organization becoming a Heartland Regional Officer before being elected the International Vice President of Division III.
He had been inspired by the international officer candidates he saw campaigning at Catalyst 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.
“With encouragement from my sister and my advisor, I decided to run for an international office,” Samuel said. “However, I knew I needed to define my ‘why’ beyond simply being inspired by others who looked like me. For me, that purpose is rooted in community and a sense of belonging—values that have always been central to my upbringing. I view community the same way I view a mosaic. A mosaic is a beautiful piece of art made up of smaller, unique fragments—different in shape, size, color, and texture. Yet when these pieces come together, they form something whole and meaningful. Community reflects that same idea.”
As an International Officer, Samuel is passionate about uplifting the values of fellowship and community within PTK.
“We all come from different backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, cultures, and experiences,” Samuel said. “But when we come together, we can create something truly beautiful, whether in Phi Theta Kappa, on our campuses, or within our own homes. Because of this, I wanted to bring the principles of a mosaic into this position by fostering connection, cultivating belonging, and continuing to build on the Fellowship Hallmark—bringing people together and recognizing the beauty we can create as one.”
Krisy Rachal – International Vice President of Division IV
Krisy Rachal’s path to Tacoma Community College was anything but conventional. After dropping out of high school for medical reasons and spending years doubting whether she was “made for school,” Krisy enrolled in Adult Basic Education classes while working a job she disliked. When she lost that job, she took it as a turning point — reaching out to advising and learning about the Fresh Start program, which offered both a high school diploma and an associate degree at no cost.
“Enrolling in Fresh Start made college possible and allowed me to thrive academically in a place I never thought I belonged,” Krisy said. “I’m now onto my bachelor’s at Tacoma Community College and with an amazing community by my side.”
Krisy’s introduction to PTK was equally unplanned. When the student body president asked her to help rebuild her college’s struggling chapter, she stepped up despite having no prior involvement in the organization.
“When all the members, who were just as confused as I was, showed up to elect new officers and do the research needed to rebuild our chapter, it inspired me to step up,” Krisy said. “Rebuilding our chapter from the ground up, and seeing the hard work, camaraderie, and impact, makes me proud every day that I answered the call.”
Through PTK, Krisy has held numerous leadership roles, including recording officer, treasurer, and HIA and College Project lead. But what she values most goes beyond titles and accolades.
“The most important thing I’ve gained has been how my peers in my chapter have rebuilt my faith and trust in people,” Krisy said. “Knowing I have someone I can call and will show up for me is priceless.”
It was attending Catalyst for the first time that planted the seed for her international office campaign. Watching the International Officers on stage, she was moved by their presence and leadership — and spent the entire flight home mapping out what her own campaign might look like.
“When the time came to wait for the results, I realized I didn’t want to win for myself,” Krisy said. “I clasped my hands together and whispered, ‘Please let me win this for my chapter.’ I wanted them to see what hard work leads to, to feel inspired, to know their efforts mattered, and to believe they could grow as leaders too.”
Outside of her academic and leadership pursuits, Krisy is a self-described “aspiring renaissance man” with a wide range of passions, including figure skating, sewing, illustration, and Dungeons & Dragons. She lets no one tell her what she can and cannot do.
She hopes to one day reform the entertainment industry, especially in the fields of gaming and animation, to better protect and fairly compensate creative workers.
“The biggest barrier isn’t ability; it’s wanting something strongly enough to take action and track down the resources to get it done,” Krisy said.
Her guiding mission, however, is deeply personal: ensuring no one ever feels as hopeless as she once did.
“I don’t want any child, adult, or person to feel that same level of isolation,” Krisy said. “If I can be the one to reach out a hand, to help someone recognize their worth, or to guide them toward resources, then I want my passion to be strong enough to pull them out of the dark until they can stand on their own.”
A Shared Commitment
This year, they’ll serve as ambassadors, advocates, and partners—working alongside staff, members, and advisors to strengthen the PTK experience for students everywhere. And as they begin their year of service, one thing is clear: this work isn’t about titles—it’s about students. They’re committed to making sure every member feels the impact.
