Programme Committee
Washington 2024

Mario Vela is a visionary career development professional and double alumnus of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). As a sociology and philosophy graduate with a Master of Science in Sociology, Mario’s career journey has been deeply rooted in empowering individuals and fostering inclusive career opportunities.

Mario’s commitment to social impact began at the non-profit Family Service Association in San Antonio, where he started his professional career. He then served as the Director of Partnerships at the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) in Chicago, a leading organization dedicated to advancing the employment and development of Latino professionals. Mario’s role at HACE involved cultivating strategic relationships and creating impactful programs for aspiring professionals.

Following his successful tenure at HACE, Mario joined the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago as the Director of Employer Relations. There, he played a pivotal role in establishing and managing over two-thousand global recruiting relationships, contributing to the sustained growth and success of the school’s career development initiatives.

In 2019, Mario returned to his alma mater, UTSA, as the Executive Director of the University Career Center, where he continues to make a significant impact on students’ and alumni career journeys. Currently, as the Assistant Vice-Provost of Career-Engaged Learning, Mario leads UTSA’s Classroom to Careers initiatives, driving innovation and bridging academic learning and professional success.

Mario’s vision for career development extends beyond his professional roles. He is the founder of the HSI Career Collaborative, a consultant, and mentor, engaging with students, professionals, and organizations to share his knowledge and inspire others to navigate their career paths with confidence. Mario’s dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion has led him to actively support initiatives that promote equal opportunities for underrepresented individuals in the workforce. Through his leadership, he strives to create a future where every individual can thrive and achieve their full potential.

With his experience and dedication to empowering individuals in their career paths, Mario is excited to share his insights and expertise by serving as Chair of the Programme Committee. The GCSS aligns with his mission to foster inclusive and impactful career development opportunities for students worldwide.

Bio will be added shortly.

Stephen is Director of Careers & Employability at the Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK. He has extensive strategic leadership experience having worked in HE careers sector for over 20 years. During that time, he has been fortunate to work with some amazing colleagues and had the privilege to lead some fantastic teams and, as such, been involved in some major innovations and developments in the careers and employability space. Areas of interest are widespread covering all aspects of our work but his current focus includes organisational culture; diversifying talent into careers work; managing change within teams and services; and measuring impact of careers work. The Careers Service at Manchester Met has recently received national and international recognition for its pioneering careers work, picking up a number of awards in 2023 including Best Student Program at the Global Careers Services Summit in London. A keen writer, speaker, and researcher of all aspects of employability, his doctoral thesis was entitled “Expectation, Interaction And Transition: A Study Of University Careers Fairs” (a subsequent article on this research was published in the NICEC Journal. In his spare time Stephen is currently writing (very slowly) a crime fiction novel and is an avid follower of Manchester City Football (Soccer) Club.

Rachael has over 19 years of experience in the higher education sector, with a rich and diverse background in employability-related roles. Presently serving as the Deputy Director of Careers & Employability at the Manchester Metropolitan University, Rachael brings a strategic approach to achieving institutional priorities, with a particular emphasis on business engagement, enterprise, digital & marketing, and strategic projects.

Rachael plays a key role in raising the team’s external profile which this year has contributed to the Careers & Employability team winning a number of prestigious high-profile awards for their sector-leading work.

Throughout her career journey, Rachael has held various positions, including Career Advisor, Head of Placements, and, most recently, Head of Student Success. In her most recent role, she focuses on student-centric initiatives, future-proofing the employability offer, and building stakeholder partnerships. Rachael is committed to empowering students and equipping them for the ever-evolving landscape of work.

Bio will be added shortly.

Dr. Claire Klieger is Assistant Vice President & Executive Director, Career Services at Swarthmore College. She is a seasoned career services professional. Throughout her career at Swarthmore and the University of Pennsylvania, Claire has focused on highlighting the value and versatility of a liberal arts education and actively pursues strategies to navigate barriers to access for underrepresented students. In addition, she has worked as an international career content specialist, including a year in Morocco to help establish U.S.-style career centers at public universities and vocational centers in Morocco.

Claire believes strongly in the merits of cross-cultural learning, spending her formative years living in the Middle East and North Africa. Claire has a doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in English and Anthropology from the University of Virginia. She’s thrilled to be attending her 7th Global Career Summit!

Bio will be added shortly.

Alan is the Deputy Director Student Success at Curtin University. He leads a team that spans the student journey from orientation to graduation. He looks after three main teams, orientation and transition, Careers and Employability and the (new) Social Impact Hub. Alan was previously Associate Director, Student Success at QUT, and prior to that managed Careers and Employment for over ten years. He is a longstanding Management Committee member of the National Association of Graduate Career Advisory Services (NAGCAS) and was President from 2010 – 2014. He sits on the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) executive and chairs the board of Graduate Careers Australia. Alan has over 20 years’ experience in the career development field, the majority of which has been in the Higher Education sector. During that time, he was part of three citation awards from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC). He is a tragic 70’s music rock lover and plays his guitar (very badly) and sings.

Maura Quinn leads Early Career, DEI and Talent Acquisition Programs at Liberty Mutual. She has dedicated her career designing and implementing innovative recruiting initiatives and executing on best in-class customer service to better attract, engage and hire talent from all backgrounds for internships and entry level positions. She began this career journey with Liberty Mutual almost 22 years ago as a new college graduate.

Maura graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in human resources management and marketing. She currently serves on the College Industry Board, the Association of Campus Recruiting Executives and formerly the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Board of Directors.

Amanda Rollins (she/her) has been an administrator at George Washington University since 2017. She received her Master of Science in Project Management (MSPM) from the GW School of Business in 2021. Prior to that, she taught English in Osaka for four years, and then worked for the Japan Foundation in Los Angeles for four years. Amanda will take any opportunity to practice Japanese or perform musical theatre. Or both at the same time.

Michelle Schenk is the Senior Director of the University Career Centre at the University of Texas San Antonio. Schenk has 8 years of active-duty service in the U.S Air Force and over 13 years of higher education experience specifically in career management. Schenk earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration at Trinity University, her master’s degree in public administration at the University of Washington, and her master’s degree in advertising at The University of Texas in Austin. Prior to UTSA, Schenk most recently held the position of Director, Employer and Alumni Engagement, Career Management & Corporate Relations at Texas McCombs, UT Austin. Prior to that role she was the Director, MBA Employer and Alumni Engagement at Texas McCombs.