Lily Zhang, Ed.D.

Dr. Lily Zhang is the Director of Advising, Compliance, IT, and Operations at International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at the University of Pennsylvania. With more than two decades of experience in international education, she is a seasoned professional dedicated to advancing international student and scholar support through thoughtful advising, institutional collaboration, operational excellence, and responsible technology innovation.

In her role, Dr. Zhang oversees the daily operations of the ISSS office, leading multiple functional teams responsible for immigration and cultural advising, institutional policy development, high-level communications, front-line support, and IT. She provides expert guidance to international students, scholars, and the broader university community on matters related to immigration, travel, and personal and cultural adjustment. Additionally, she ensures institutional compliance with the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and designs impactful programs that foster students’ and scholars’ successful integration into Penn’s global culture. She also serves as the institution’s Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) and Responsible Officer (RO).

Dr. Zhang is widely recognized for her strong leadership, including her ability to develop teams, manage complex operations, and execute strategic initiatives that strengthen efficiency, service quality, and innovation in international student and scholar services. With an Ed.D. in Higher Education Management from Penn GSE and a master’s degree in Computer Science, she is also a technology leader in international education, known for advancing the thoughtful use of information technology and artificial intelligence to streamline operations, optimize data systems, strengthen cybersecurity awareness, and improve immigration support services. Her work with AI focuses on how emerging technologies can support more responsive, accessible, and personalized services while preserving trust, human judgment, and care in high-stakes advising contexts.

Her passion for international education is grounded in her belief that it is a transformative tool for shaping the future and building lasting global relationships. Her leadership is defined by her ability to inspire teams, champion innovation, and drive impactful change across key areas, including strategic planning, technology application, project management, talent development, crisis management, non-immigrant regulation, and intercultural communication.

Dr. Zhang welcomes conversations with students, scholars, educators, administrators, and campus partners about international education, AI in higher education, immigration support services, and the future of student-centered operations. She is especially interested in how AI-enabled tools can responsibly strengthen student support, enhance international student and scholar experiences, and help set new standards for thoughtful, human-centered services in higher education.