I have been a member of the Engineering and Science Advising Commission since 2007 and I am currently on the Steering Committee (as web site leader).  I assisted our current chair in representing the commission in the commission fair at the 2009 national conference.  I have recently been appointed to chair a sub-committee dedicated to reviewing commission resources and brainstorming ideas for increasing the lines of communication between members.

What do you believe are the most important goals and initiatives for this unit in meeting the strategic plan for both the unit and the Association?

One of NACADA's goals is to "advance the body of knowledge in academic advising.  I believe the commission can implement this in several ways. If elected, I would like to expand on the work of our current chair by continuing to actively increase the number of proposals involving engineering and science advising at national, regional, and local conferences as well as articles in NACADA publications.  In addition, the commission should continue to take an active role in addressing issues that affect the diverse populations within our students.

Through the commission, I have had the opportunity to interact with many talented advisors with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of expertise. I have been able to use this information to enhance my own advising skills and share valuable information with colleagues at my own institution. I would like to assist this commission in sharing these best practices in order to enhance advising for new and continuing engineering and science advisors. It would be my plan to work with a steering committee of individuals within the commission to help me identify these best practices and share them with our members.

Why are you interested in serving in this leadership position or what influenced you to run for this leadership position? 

I believe that I ultimately became an advisor due to my experiences as an undergraduate engineering student, and I find it refreshing to interact with advisors passionate about working with this population.  The opportunity to help NACADA address issues that concern engineering and science advisors would be very rewarding and would allow me the opportunity to grow as a leader.  I have been a NACADA member for 7 years and it has been an extremely rewarding experience. It would be an honor to serve in this capacity for this commission and for the organization.

Provide any additional comments or information (either personal or leadership-related) that you want potential voters to know about you that is not covered elsewhere in your platform information. 

I am a former engineer-chemist-chemistry instructor-turned-advisor (long and funny story!), but I think my "past life" gives me a unique perspective on some of the issues facing our students.  I am a musician and have been involved in something musical for most of my life, and I believe it is important to exercise both the scientific and artistic parts of our mind. 

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 7 years

National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office:

Regional Activities/Offices Held, including accomplishments achieved while in office:

• Member, Region 3 Awards Committee, 2009-present
  
• Volunteer, NACADA Region 3 Conference, Columbia, SC, 2008

Committee/Task Force/Advisory Board Activities and Accomplishments:

• Member, Diversity Committee, 2009 - present
  
• Emerging Leader, NACADA Emerging Leaders Program, 2008-2010
  
• Member, Awards Selection Committee, 2006-present  - (Advising Technology Innovation Awards, Advising Administrator Awards, Advising Program Awards)

Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments:

• Steering Committee Member (Web site Leader, Sub-Committee Chair),  Engineering and Science Advising Commission, 2008-present
  
• Current Member: Engineering and Science Advising Commission (2007-present), Doctoral Students Interest Group (2008-present), Technology in Advising Commission (2004-present), Probation/Dismissal/Reinstatement Issues Interest Group
• Past Member, Commission on Undecided & Exploratory Students, 2004-2008
  

Other:

• Co-Presenter, "Advising as Teaching and Learning: Best Practices, Tools, and Tips", NACADA National Conference, San Antonio, 2009
  
• Book Review, "Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook (2nd ed.)", NACADA Journal, Spring 2009
  
• Recipient, NACADA Advising Technology Innovation Certificate of Merit, 2006
  
• Attended NACADA National Conferences in 2006, 2008, and 2009
  
• Doctoral Student, Higher Education Administration, North Carolina State University, 2009-present
  
• University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill Activities:
       o Academic Advisor, Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division, 2007-present
       o Coordinated  Environmental Science/Studies pre-registration workshop for first year students
       o Chair of Academic Advising Web Committee
  
• James Madison University Activities:
       o Academic and Career Advisor - dual role as advisor and career counselor, 2004 -2007
       o Taught Career and Life Planning Course for undeclared students
       o Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Qualified Practitioner
       o Chair of Web/Technology Committee
  
• Director of Technology, Virginia Association of Colleges and Employers (VACE), 2006-2007