Our Leadership Team - Student Affairs
Welcome to the Student Affairs Leadership Team page, where we proudly showcase the individuals who drive and inspire positive change on our campus. We believe that student success extends beyond the classroom, and our dedicated team of professionals is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for every student. We invite you to get to know our Student Affairs leadership team and the individuals who guide and shape the non-academic student experience.
Athletics
Director, Scott McRoberts (He/Him)
Proudly serving as the Director of Athletics since 2016, I also currently hold the position of Associate Director of the International Institute for Sport Business and Leadership, and Lecturer at the Lang School of Business, which allows me to fulfill my passion for teaching and research. I took over as Athletic Director after holding various positions at esteemed institutions including the University of Toronto Scarborough, Stanford University, the University of San Francisco, San Jose State, and the Niagara Sport Commission. I enjoy coming to work each and every day given the inspiring conversations I am able to have with students and the learning that can be taken away from each. My goal is to enable students and student athletes to strive towards hard work, determination, and perseverance, helping them to become better individuals, and enabling them to give back to their own communities. With a passion for community work, I am Vice-Chair of the Children's Foundation for Guelph Wellington, sit on the Executive of the Guelph Giving pledge and have supported various roles with the Indigenous Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario. My greatest joy in life is the time I get to spend with my boys, my wife and our rescue dogs.
Child Care & Learning Centre
Director, Valerie Trew (She/Her)
As Director, I work with an incredible team whose curiosity, engagement, and sense of justice inspire me. I also get to work with Child Studies students whose enthusiasm for early learning and commitment to social justice gives me hope. As a Registered Early Childhood Educator with a Master of Arts in Leadership, I also teach in the Bachelor of Applied Science program at U of G and Guelph-Humber, applying a lens of social and environmental justice to studies in policy, administration, and leadership. I view teaching and learning (from early childhood to post-secondary) as political acts through which to provoke radical social transformation. I have spent over 20 years working in children’s services through child welfare, regional government, early intervention, and post-secondary education. I hold a Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition and am passionate about transforming our food systems for human and planetary health and to end oppression. I served on the founding advisory of the University’s Plant Based Nutrition Certificate. I am also completing a PhD in Social Justice Education (University of Toronto, OISE). Most of all, I have deep gratitude for all this Land gives and for the Indigenous wisdom that is needed to protect it.
Experiential Learning Hub
Director, Elaine Fenner (She/Her)
Working in the co-operative education, career education, experiential learning and community engaged learning fields is incredibly energizing for me and is likely the reason I have been doing so for over 25 years. As a first-generation university graduate in my family, I did not have career connections or guidance from family members and would have benefitted greatly from visiting a career centre. I didn’t know how to access those services back then, and it took me a few extra years to find my professional career path. It was through enrollment in a post-graduate program with a co-op work term, that I secured my first career position. This experience motivated me to work in the co-op and career departments of post-secondary institutions. As the Director of Experiential Learning, it is very rewarding to oversee and develop new programming and resources which allow students to explore career options, connect with community and industry partners, gain work experience related to their academic studies, and eventually secure their first career positions following graduation.
Student Experience
Director, Kathryn Hofer (She/Her)
I believe that community development work is at the heart of Student Affairs. I discovered my passion for community development while working with and seeing communities thrive as they looked within to uncover their own group and individual capacity to do great things. This passion led to my pursuit of a Master of Social Work in Community Development and Social Planning. Before joining U of G, I worked with Wyndham House (Guelph), participated in a field placement at Big Sisters (Guelph), and eventually became the Community Services Director at the United Way (Guelph/Wellington). I didn’t anticipate that a passion for community development would lead to a career in Student Affairs, but when I saw the job posting (2003) for U of G’s first Neighbourhood Relations Coordinator, I was ready for the adventure of helping to establish strong Town and Gown relations. I lead a team of dedicated professionals who cultivate dynamic environments outside the classroom for all students in which they can learn, build community, develop a sense of belonging, explore lived experiences and intersecting identities, and deepen their understanding of themselves and each other.
Student Housing / Residence Life
Director, Patrick Kelly (He/Him)
As a first-year student at university, I fell in love with my residence experience and I have been very fortunate to turn this passion into a career. Each day I have the opportunity to work with students and staff who share a desire to create a safe, positive, and enjoyable space that students and families can call home. After completing my undergraduate degree (Brock University), I attended Oklahoma State University where I achieved my master’s in educational leadership, with a focus on College Student Development. In 2007 I joined our team here at U of G in the role of Residence Life Manager. Since, I have had the opportunity to work as the Residence Program Coordinator, Associate Director for Residence Life and starting in 2021 the Acting Director of Student Housing Services. While at U of G, I was able to follow my passion for continuous education and have recently completed my PhD in Organizational Leadership. To me, living in residence or within our family housing community, is an integral part of the university experience. It provides an opportunity for growth, exploration and learning outside of the classroom. I take pride in supporting the success of our students and student families!
Student Wellness
Director, Alison Burnett (She/Her)
I have dedicated most of my career to collaborating with my colleagues to promote students’ optimal health and well-being and helping them to achieve success in their academic careers. Having worked in post-secondary institutions for over 20 years and holding a variety of roles within the area of student health and wellness, I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with a variety of students, staff, faculty, and community partners in developing innovative programs and services for our student population. I have held the position of Director since 2015 - overseeing a building renovation and the integration of 7 units under the umbrella of Student Wellness. During this time, Student Wellness has implemented a new care pathway for mental health services, we have contributed to the management of the pandemic response on campus, and I am currently serving as Co-chair on the President’s Task Force on Student Mental Health. Outside of the office, I try my best to be an example, especially to my daughter, of the importance of taking care of oneself physically, but also mentally by taking the time to be outside with nature (gardening, walking), and finding opportunities to refill my cup (usually something crafty).
Office of the Vice-Provost (Student Affairs)
Executive Assistant, Jessica Westlake (She/They)
I'm passionate about making a positive impact in student development and have been fortunate enough to explore a few different paths in my career. After completing my undergraduate program (Theatre in Education and Society), I began my career in Student Affairs within the Residence Life sector, then moved to the field of Experiential Learning to develop co-curricular experiences for students before obtaining the portfolio of Executive Assistant. I enjoy being part of a professional team that is passionate about making positive impact on the student experience and I am dedicated to providing the best student (client) experience possible. During my career, I have continued my educational pursuits and attained a Master of Arts (in Leadership at the University of Guelph) and continued other certificate-based learning along the way. Service-based leadership is a priority in my personal life (most notably) with volunteering with Victim Services Wellington (to help serve those impacted by crime and/or tragic circumstance). Outside of work, I seize every opportunity to explore the world around me in a manner that pushes me to recognize life outside of my own experience with travel, arts and culture, and continued education.
Office of the Vice-Provost (Student Affairs)
Administrative Assistant, Michelle Soucie (She/Her)
Inspired by the work of Student Affairs and their dedication to student success, I joined the Office of the Vice-Provost (Student Affairs) in September 2021. In this role, I have enjoyed the opportunity to provide support for the various initiatives, projects, and committees that contribute to the academic and personal growth of students here at U of G. Having accumulated over a decade of experience in front-line and administrative roles within Student Wellness, I have a deep appreciation for student-centered work and the value it brings to the broader community. In 2019, I was honored to receive a President's Award for Exemplary Staff Excellence. This tribute served as a meaningful acknowledgement of my effort to foster an atmosphere of support, kindness, and understanding in all interactions, and it is genuinely rewarding to know that the university shares and values this important commitment. When I'm not busy exploring Ontario's scenic rail trails on my bicycle, you can find me indulging my love for literature or contemplating my next adventure abroad with my family.