Program Facilitator Bios

Dr. Kristen Gallo

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. She is currently serving as President of the association. Prior to that, she was Region 2 Vice President. 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.

Ross Johnston

Ross Johnston is an experienced leader and change management expert with a strong track record of driving successful organizational transformation. With over 20 years of leadership experience across diverse sectors, Ross has successfully led teams through complex change initiatives, fostering resilience and adaptability within organizations.

As a seasoned facilitator, Ross brings a deep understanding of the dynamics of change and the critical role leadership plays in guiding teams through transitions. His experience spans both global corporate organizations and in the not-for-profit sector with The University of Waterloo, where he has worked with senior leaders and teams to implement strategic change plans, build change-ready cultures, and overcome resistance to change.

Ross’s approach to change management emphasizes the importance of clear communication, team engagement, and continuous evaluation. His practical, results-oriented approach equips leaders with the tools they need to effectively navigate and lead change initiatives within their own organizations.

In addition to his work as a facilitator, Ross has held senior leadership positions, including being a Past-President of CEIA, and is passionate about empowering others to lead with confidence and success through periods of change. He holds an MBA with a dissertation in change management and is the founder of Beinn Leadership, where he provides executive coaching, leadership development and consulting services. His experience, combined with a commitment to fostering growth and innovation, makes him an ideal guide for the CEIA Academy – Ascend Leadership Development Program.

Celeste Lindell

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 7 years. And 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 and have twin daughters, one teaches 3rd grade and the other recently entered the PhD program in chemistry at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

David B. Schwartz

David B. Schwartz is the Director of the Springer Center for Internships at Bradley University’s Smith Career Center, where he has served since 2014. In this role, he leads a team responsible for administering 16 internship courses annually, impacting approximately 400 students. He also cultivates and maintains relationships with organizations across the country, building and sustaining valuable internship programs. David’s past leadership at Bradley extended to coordinating the university’s large job fairs, managing diverse teams and complex logistics.

Prior to his work at Bradley, David spent over a decade in the nonprofit sector in
development and then as a communications director.

His research focus is on leadership development, organizational improvement, and time management/productivity. These topics carryover as he annually teaches a course for first-year students focused on life design and effective engagement in the college setting. A member of CEIA since 2014, he has contributed significantly, serving on the annual conference committee in various roles, including marketing and 2020 Conference Programs Chair. He also served as the 2021 Conference Chair, leading the development of a fully virtual, synchronous conference. Currently, he coordinates the ad hoc task force developing “ASCEND,” CEIA’s forthcoming leadership program for work-integrated learning practitioners.

David holds both a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership from Bradley University.

Roland Block

Roland is the Associate Director for the Texas A&M University Career Center with respect to its 25,000+ engineering and architecture students and is also a past President of TxCEIA. He joined the Career Center in 2017 following a successful 25-year career in the Medical Device Industry where he consistently developed high performing teams. Roland has adapted his skills and experiences to his role in the Career Center which was reflected by his Team winning the Division of Student Affairs 2024 TEAM Award of Distinction.

With a passion for innovation, Roland has commercialized over 100 new products, received multiple patents, and was the R&D Project Manager and Marketing Product Manager concurrently for products grossing over $250 Million in sales. Roland earned Product Manager of the Year awards at two different companies within his first 12 years after college, trained 1,000s of sales reps and 100s of surgeons, and advanced to Director of Global Marketing roles for companies ranging from start-up to Fortune 500. A key to Roland’s success has been his ability to create and implement creative, effective Strategic Plans for business units ranging from $7 to $500 Million as well as the Career Center and student organizations.

Roland’s passion now lies in helping students reach their full potential and also making Texas A&M a preferred source of talent for employers. His wife and 2 grown sons currently live in College Station, TX.

Meg Myers

Meg Myers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from East Stroudsburg University and has been with Enterprise Mobility for 17 years, serving in multiple leadership roles. As a Corporate Talent Acquisition Manager, she leads with vision and strategy, empowering her teams to excel while driving innovative talent solutions that shape the future of the organization.

With expertise in talent acquisition, Meg specializes in optimizing hiring processes, strengthening university partnerships, and fostering a culture of growth, inclusion, and high performance. She is passionate about leadership development, mentorship, and creating opportunities that enable individuals to reach their full potential.

Meg’s commitment to excellence, collaboration, and strategic problem-solving fuels her ability to drive meaningful change. She thrives on building strong relationships, developing innovative recruitment strategies, and inspiring the next generation of leaders, ensuring a lasting impact on both talent and business success.