Programme Committee
Cape Town 2026

Suzanne Helbig is Associate Vice Provost of the Division of Career Pathways at the University of California, Irvine, where she leads efforts to provide direct services to UCI’s diverse student body and to build the infrastructure for campuswide career education collaboration. She previously held leadership, strategic communications, and career advising roles at the University of California, Berkeley’s Career Center.

Suzanne is Vice Chair – College for the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and formerly served as Director – College. Her NACE involvement spans co-chairing committees, serving on the Management Leadership Institute faculty, presenting at the inaugural Executive Leadership Symposium, delivering numerous conference presentations, and authoring publications.

She also served on the Board of Directors of MPACE (Mountain Pacific Association of Colleges and Employers), earning its Outstanding Service Award. Internationally, Suzanne has presented to audiences in China, England, Ireland, Japan, and South Africa. She previously served as Co-Director of the Global Career Services Summits and continues to support the organization as Programme Chair. In this capacity, she has chaired Summits in the UK and online and will next serve in this role at the 2026 Summit in Cape
Town, South Africa.

Suzanne holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education from the University of Arizona.

Nawaal Boolay is a transformational leader in graduate employability and career development with over two decades of experience connecting youth with meaningful opportunities across Africa and internationally. As Head of Graduate Development and Employability at the University of Cape Town’s Careers Service, she provides strategic leadership for one of Africa’s most innovative career development operations, overseeing services that bridge academia, industry, and the future of work.

With a proven track record in building high performing teams and establishing sustainable funding streams, Nawaal has led the development and delivery of award-winning employability strategies that serve students across all sectors. Her expertise spans strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and digital transformation. She has successfully positioned UCT’s Careers Service at the forefront of global best practices through comprehensive rebranding initiatives and the implementation of cutting-edge career management systems during her tenure.

Christian Garcia is a higher education leader with nearly 30 years of experience dedicated to advancing student career success. In September 2025, he became the Associate Vice President for Career & Professional Development at the University of Virginia (UVA), where he provides strategic leadership and oversight for the central career services center and its team of more than 35 professionals. In this role, Christian also convenes and chairs the Career Services Council, fostering collaboration among career services affiliates across all 12 UVA schools.

Prior to joining UVA, Christian spent 24 years at the University of Miami as Associate Dean and Executive Director of the Patricia and Harold Toppel Career Center, one of the nation’s most innovative and dynamic career centers. Under his leadership, the center expanded its reach and reputation, raising millions of dollars for a state-of-the-art facility and new endowments to support students through funded internships, professional development programs, and essential resources like career clothing assistance. He also led multiple strategic plans, building strong partnerships across campus and the community to engage students in meaningful career exploration and preparation.

A recognized thought leader in career services, Christian was awarded the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Mackes Leadership Award for his exemplary leadership in advancing ethics, inclusion, and innovation. He has also been honored as NACE Mentor of the Year for his dedication to supporting and guiding newer professionals. His international perspective includes serving as a Fulbright grant recipient, spending time in Germany with U.S. colleagues to study student employability and the higher education system. In addition, Christian has served on the boards of several national professional associations, including NACE.

Born and raised in Miami to Costa Rican parents, Christian was the first in his family to attend college. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida International University and his master’s degree in higher education administration from Florida State University. His journey reflects his lifelong commitment to access, opportunity, and helping students achieve their career goals.

Sue Harbour is the Associate Dean & Executive Director of Berkeley Career Engagement (BCE) at the University of California, Berkeley. Sue has spent 30years in higher education and specifically Career Services. At UC Berkeley she has overseen the rebranding of a well established career office and created a culture of access and equity for students and a culture of growth and development for staff.

Prior to arriving at UC Berkeley in 2018, Sue spent 12 years in Career Services at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill where she was the Senior Associate Director and managed the day to day operations of a team of 25 to build career development programs that were innovative, industry-driven, and responsive to both the needs of students and the marketplace. While at UNC, she led an initiative to develop a comprehensive model of professional development for the 400+ full-time staff members within Student Affairs and overhauled the new staff orientation and onboarding process and created a structured mentoring program for Student Affairs. Sue began her career in higher education at UC Riverside where she spent 10 years in a variety of career services roles in the Career Center.

Sue has presented at numerous conferences including: NACE, SOACE, GCSS, NCACE, NCCA and NCDA. She has sat on the Executive Board of NCACE and served as the President of NCCDA during the 2012-2013 year. She has won numerous awards from NACE for innovative practices in Career Services both at UNC and most recently with UC Berkeley for Excellence in Technology for utilizing google tools to create a KPI dashboard to visualize trends in BCE programs and appointment data.

Sinead Hartnett is a seasoned industry engagement and career development professional with over a decade of experience fostering impactful connections between universities, students, and industry partners. As the Centre Director, Sydney Careers at the University of Sydney, Sinead has excelled in cultivating strategic relationships with global and domestic organisations, tailoring solutions that enhance employability outcomes for students and graduates. She has led initiatives such as local and international career fairs, employability programs, and employer engagement forums, consistently ensuring alignment with evolving market trends.

An advocate for lifelong learning, Sinead has undertaken leadership training through Stanford University and the University of Sydney, further honing her ability to inspire teams and deliver strategic objectives. With a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Career Education and Development, Sinead combines academic rigor with practical expertise to implement innovative approaches in career services. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to diversity and equity, evidenced by the introduction of a range of inclusive initiatives that cater to underserved student cohorts. Outside of her professional endeavours, she enjoys travel, reading, swimming, and spending quality time with her dog, Asher.

Raphuti Mathekgane is the Deputy Director for Student Services in the Department of Enrolment and Student Administration at the University of Pretoria (UP). With over 20 years of leadership experience spanning banking, higher education, customer service, and project management, he has driven strategic initiatives that enhance student success and institutional efficiency. His career began at Absa and First National Bank, where he managed large-scale projects, including a multi-country human resource integration for Barclays Africa. At UP, he has overseen the rollout of access card systems across all campuses, the management of student service centres, and the introduction of innovative operations that streamlined processes and improved client satisfaction.

In his current role, Raphuti provides strategic direction across multidisciplinary teams and spearheads programmes that strengthen student employability and career readiness. Under his leadership, UP’s Career Services Office has been recognised by the South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA) for Best Career Fairs and Best Mentorship Programme in 2023. He has championed the “Ready for Work” programme, expanded its reach and integrating content on emerging themes such as Artificial Intelligence, and significantly increased employer engagement, with 289 companies participating in UP career fairs in 2024. Holding a Master of Philosophy specialising in strategic management, an honours in Marketing Management, and a BCom in Marketing Management, Raphuti remains passionate about people development, leveraging technology to advance service delivery, and preparing graduates to thrive in an evolving global workforce.

With over a decade of leadership in the public sector, Rebecca specialises in designing and scaling programmes that drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and impact. She began her career by founding an innovation consultancy, gaining first-hand insight into launching and growing initiatives that deliver real change.

At the University of East London, Rebecca leads strategies to strengthen students’ confidence, readiness, and outcomes through careers, mentoring, and enterprise initiatives. Under her leadership, graduate start-ups have grown by 1000%, positioning UEL 2nd nationally in the UK. She developed the university’s cross-institutional entrepreneurship strategy, fostering entrepreneurial skills and a culture shift among students and staff through hackathons and tools such as LEGO® Serious Play®. By recognising both self-employed ventures and traditional start-ups, the strategy ensures entrepreneurship is accessible to all. Beyond enterprise, she spearheaded the creation of the Career Development Framework, embedding career readiness into curricular design across all levels of study. She is now leading “Mentoring for All,” a sector-first initiative providing every student with a mentor. These programmes have streamlined support services and delivered measurable improvements in student outcomes and institutional performance.

Internationally, Rebecca has designed and delivered entrepreneurship programmes across Europe, India, and China. As a Chinese Associate for the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education, she has collaborated with partners across Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanning. In 2019, she was appointed International Advisor for Entrepreneurship by Sino UK.

Beyond higher education, Rebecca is a Fellow of the RSA, an Advisory Board Member at Ankh Impact Ventures, and trains professionals through AGCAS and EEUK. She also volunteers with Alzheimer’s UK. Her spare time is spent with her energetic five year old and they love spending the weekend exploring the forest and building dens.

Dean, Columbia Career Education, Columbia University

Victoria Wade is Director of the University of London Careers Service, where she leads strategic innovation across a diverse, multi-institutional student community.

She established and expanded a global-facing careers service supporting over 40,000 distance learners, alongside leading the careers services for five specialist on-campus institutions. With over a decade of experience in higher education careers education, Victoria has shaped sector-leading initiatives such as the award-winning Global Employability Skills Micro-Module and the Careers Stage Framework. A contributor to national careers research and conferences, Victoria is passionate about building future-focused careers services that thrive in complex, evolving environments.

Victoria’s career spans roles in project management, market research and strategic planning, with a consistent focus on driving change, developing high-performing teams, and delivering measurable impact. She is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, a school governor, and a keen cardio tennis player.