Many of you are aware that Melanie Chai, Associate Director, Advising & Career Services will soon be setting off on parental leave. We will certainly miss her skilled leadership during that time but are also very excited for her and her family as they prepare to welcome a new addition to their ranks.
I am pleased to announce that, Christina Alcena (she/her), currently the Manager, Equity & Student Life, is the successful incumbent for the role of Interim Associate Director, Advising & Career Services, filling in for Melanie during her absence.
As the Manager, Equity & Student Life, Christina led significant organizational change that brought the Student Diversity & Inclusion Hubs together with Student Life in service of common student success and retention outcomes. Christina worked closely with this new team to advance key objectives related to supporting students from equity-deserving groups and growing our transition programming to meet students’ evolving needs, with specific attention to inter-sectional identities and in response to the ever changing learning and employment context. This included supporting the team through a complete re-invention of our offerings – Orientation, FYE, The BASE & LGBTQ+ Resource Centre - to an online environment that would continue to deliver meaningful support, engagement and community engagement for students.
During her tenure, Christina has also played a critical role as a member of Humber’s EDI Task Force, has served as a member of the Humber Gallery Committee as well as the Black/African Employee Resource Group (ERG), and made great strides in advancing the Humber-Seneca Polytechnic Partnership. Christina holds a Masters of Education Curriculum, Teaching & Learning and is currently an EdD candidate for a Doctor of Education in Social Justice Education at OISE.
Christina’s track record in her most recent role, her knowledge of Student Success & Engagement and Humber, together with her education and 9+ years of experience both inside and outside of post-secondary education, position her well to support the Advising & Career Services team in advancing their priorities in the next 20 months. Christina’s official start date as the Interim Associate Director, Advising & Career Services is May 10, although she will be engaged with both teams leading up to her start date and until her current position is filled.
I hope you will join me in congratulating Christina on this new assignment. We are grateful to Christina for taking on this secondment and excited for her contributions to this portfolio.
Chantal Joy
Associate Dean, Transition & Academic Support
Student Success and Engagement
Pronouns | She/Her/Hers (Info on Pronouns)