Dr. Kristen Gallo is the Executive Director for Career Services for the university Career Center at Temple University, providing strategic vision and planning for a staff of 14 in a central unit and serving as liaison between career development within colleges and schools. Before this role, Kristen spent seven years working with the cooperative education program at Drexel University, with five years as Assistant Director managing a staff of seven co-op advisors across five different colleges and schools. Collectively this team facilitated connections between approximately 2,000 students and 500 unique employers each year.
Kristen has been a member of CEIA for over 10 years, serving as Region 2 Vice President since 2021. During that time, she has coordinated webinars on behalf of the association, led her regional committee, and participated in CEIA initiatives to grow the organization. Additionally, Kristen has presented sessions at national CEIA conferences, hosted a webinar on the future of work, and contributed to Experience Magazine. Kristen has also presented sessions and pre-conference workshops at several other conferences, with a focus on cooperative education and experiential learning best practices and assessment.
Kristen completed her Ed.D in Educational Leadership and Management from Drexel University with a research focus on the impact of cooperative education on students studying entrepreneurship. Kristen also holds an M.S. in College Student Development and Counseling from Northeastern University and a B.A. in Psychology from Stony Brook University.
Cherie Lynch is an Assistant Professor of Experiential Learning in the School of Social Sciences, Communication & Humanities at Endicott College. Her interests include curriculum development and standards-based practice for experiential learning, and equity-building programming. Cherie has an Ed.M. in Higher Education/Policy, Planning, & Administration from Boston University and certifications through the Institute for Experiential Learning- founded and led by Kay Peterson and David Kolb, the Experiential Education Academy/SEE, and NCDA. Cherie has led and served on numerous professional and academic committees and has been a presenter and leader with regional, national, and international conferences and associations including CEIA, SEE, NEACEFE, and WACE.
Cherie teaches undergraduate courses related to professional development and academic internship. At Endicott Cherie served as the first Director of Internship, where she led the launch and integration of a required pre-internship curriculum in the first and sophomore year, innovative technological systems to manage internship data and opportunities, as well as outcomes and assessment tools for the courses and program.
Previously, Cherie was a founding employee and HR director for Virtual Access Networks, (sold to Symantec) and manager of academic technology at Boston University.
Cherie lives with her husband, daughter, and Jack Russell Terrier in the seaside community of Beverly, located on the North Shore of Massachusetts.
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont)
Vanecia Harrison-Sanders is the Director of Graduate Co-op in the College of Science at Northeastern University where she manages the Co-op Process for Graduate Programs and serves as the Faculty Experience Coordinator for PhD students. She has a diverse career background with over 15 years of experience in Cooperative Education and Career Development along with 10 years of experience in the private sector, state, and local government.
Prior to working at Northeastern, Vanecia worked at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA as the Associate Director of the Career Development Office and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA where she held positions in the Career Development Office as a Co-op Coordinator, Career Planning Coordinator and as the Assistant Director. She has worked with Engineering, Science, Technology, Design/Build and Liberal Arts students.
Vanecia has a master’s degree in human resource management from Emmanuel College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Framingham State University. Vanecia understands the importance of “work experience” as she has held various positions that ranged from manufacturing to customer service, which she believes served as the building blocks, leading her to where she currently stands in her career.
Vanecia greatly enjoys creating pathways for students and industry professionals. Vanecia has served on various committees with CEIA, the Professional Development Committee, the Internship Award Committee and she has presented at CEIA’s Annual Conferences and Academy on the Road for Mid-Level Professionals.
(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee)
Maddie Tympanick is a nationally recognized educator with experience at multiple higher education institutions and non-profit organizations with focus areas including career education, employer relations, internships and work-based learning, community engagement and service-learning, and more. She joined New College of Florida in September 2018 as an Assistant Director of Internship Programs and Career Coach and was promoted to Associate Director of Employer Relations and Work-Based Learning in June 2022. She serves as the campus point of contact and a consultant to community partners and employers developing internship programs/positions and recruiting from New College’s campus. A skilled career coach, Maddie has a passion for helping students become active agents in their own career planning. She specializes in partnering with faculty to integrate work-based learning and internships into academic programs.
In addition to CEIA, Maddie is an active member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and Florida Association of Colleges and Employers (FloridaACE). She has presented her innovative internship and career education models at multiple state, regional, and national conferences including NACE, SoACE, FloridaACE, and CEIA, so that others can implement these models on their own college campuses. Maddie’s work on the NCF Community-Driven Internship Program (previously known as the Sarasota-Manatee Arts & Humanities Internship Program) was recognized and awarded the CEIA Best Practices Education Award in 2022. She has also served on several committees over the years, most recently on the CEIA Internship Network Committee and as Chair for the FloridaACE Internships & Employer Engagement Affinity Group. Maddie is passionate about building community and creating opportunities for professionals to connect and share best practices.
Maddie holds a B.A. in Communication with minors in Theater and Gender Studies from Florida Gulf Coast University, and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in College Student Affairs from the University of South Florida. Additionally, Maddie holds professional credentials as a Board-Certified Coach (BCC) and Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP).
(Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas)
Celeste Lindell began her career in marketing and sales at Sea World of Florida and continued working in the hospitality industry for over 20 years at companies like Universal Orlando Resort, General Electric, and Interval International until she moved to Texas in 2008. In her first career services role, she served as the Career Services Director at Northwood University – Texas Campus.
She joined the career center team at Texas Christian University in June of 2014, where she focuses on employer development as an assistant director. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida with a minor in Computer Science, a Master of Business Administration from Northwood University, and a Master of Liberal Arts from Texas Christian University.
Celeste is past president, vice president, and conference chair of the Texas Cooperative Education and Internship Association (TxCEIA) and currently serves as the historian for the association. Celeste has also been a member of CEIA for the past 6 years, serving as the vice president of region 5 for the last year. Previously, she served on the board of the HR Southwest Conference as the college relations director and student engagement committee member.
She and her husband live in Grand Prairie, Texas. They have twin daughters that completed their college degrees in May 2023. One is now teaching 3rd grade and the other will pursue her PhD in Chemistry in the fall.
(Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington)
Dr. Brigham serves as the Global Director of Campus Relations for the Southwestern Advantage company. It’s a position he’s held for the past 22 years. He is responsible for training corporate recruiters as well as cultivating and maintaining positive relationships with career offices at approximately 250 universities in 20 countries across North America and Europe.
Prior to his years with Southwestern Advantage, Ralph was the Director of Career Services at Montana State University. In that position he was very active on campus concerning strategic planning initiatives within Student Affairs and the university as a whole and he also taught doctoral courses in leadership. He was also quite involved in the community by serving as president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Career highlights include: President, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE); Employer Director, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE); President, Rocky Mountain Association of Colleges and Employers (RMACE); Academy of Fellows, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE); Charles F. Kettering Award, Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA); Professional Vice President, National Council, Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), the collegiate sales fraternity.
Ralph is a certified Life Coach and mentors students and young professionals on such topics as finances, career, wellness, and relationships. He is also a frequent speaker across the globe on such topics as success habits, first impressions, dreams as related to career, etc.
(Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia)
Carissa is a highly experienced professional in the field of higher education, with a career spanning since 2013. She has a lifelong commitment to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, and with her most recent passion for promoting and advancing experiential learning.
Carissa earned a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from Baruch College, where she first discovered her interest in creating inclusive environments. She later pursued a master’s degree in public health with a focus on social and behavioral sciences from Temple University, deepening her understanding of the social determinants of health and their impact on marginalized communities. In August 2023, Carissa successfully defended her dissertation for the Doctorate in Higher Education titled: Beyond the Classroom: Unveiling Liberal Arts Students’ Perceptions of Internships. With this new knowledge, Carissa is currently integrating experiential learning methodologies to enhance equity and accessibility in her role as the Associate Director of Student Professional Development.
Throughout her career, Carissa has facilitated numerous access initiatives and workshops centered around diversity, equity, race, gender, leadership, and now, experiential learning. She believes that hands-on, immersive educational experiences can significantly reduce barriers to access and promote a more inclusive learning environment for all students. Carissa is passionate about incorporating experiential learning strategies into curriculum design, creating opportunities for students to engage with real-world challenges, and fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Her dedication to DEI efforts and her newfound passion for experiential learning drive her work as she strives to create meaningful, transformative educational experiences for students. Carissa continues to advocate for transparent policies, and fostering inclusive environments through her research, workshops, and ongoing initiatives in the field of higher education.
Tiffany Johnson is the Associate Director of Professional Alumni Engagement at the University of Central Florida. She works closely with UCF Advancement and campus colleagues to strategically increase alumni engagement and giving through professional development and career support.
Tiffany specializes in cultivating strategic partnerships with key constituents, growing talent through holistic career education and planning, and building a pipeline for industry leaders. She has 15+ years of working in higher education, focusing on Career Services, Minority Affairs, and Leadership Studies. Tiffany gained her previous experience at Arkansas State University and the University of Central Arkansas. She also received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from UCA.
Tiffany holds leadership experience in state, regional, and national associations. She is the Associate for Diversity & Inclusion for the Cooperative Education and Internship Association and Assistant Conference Committee Chair for the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers. She has served as Region 5 Director for CEIA, Breakout Sessions and Roundtables Conference Chair and Administration Knowledge Group Chair for SoACE, and the 2020 and 2021 President of the Arkansas Association for Colleges and Employers. Tiffany also completed the following programs: SoACE Lead Fellow, 2013 NACE Management Leadership Institute, and 2012 NACE Career Coaching Program.
Nadia Ibrahim-Taney is an Assistant Professor of Career Education, teaching and coaching students majoring in STEM fields. She helps people design happy and fulfilling careers through authentic career coaching. Her expertise includes career exploration guidance, resume writing, interview prep and LinkedIn profile optimization. She identifies as a neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, first generation American woman which influences her research and interest in how personal and professional identity intertwine in the workplace.
Dr. Richard Robles is currently a Professor (Tenured) of Engineering and Applied Science Co-op Programs at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Richard has research interests in experiential learning, electronic portfolios (eportfolios), assessment, leadership development, and college student development.
Richard received a BA in Liberal Studies from Northern Arizona University, a MS in Counseling and Student Personnel from Minnesota State University, Mankato, an MBA from the University of Cincinnati, and an EdD in Leadership Studies from Xavier University. Richard’s doctoral research explored engineering identity development through cooperative education.
In addition to serving on the CEIA Board of Directors, Richard is a Board Member for the Ohio Cooperative Education Association and a member of the Professional Development Committee for the Society for Experiential Education.
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