Conference Organizers

We asked our conference organizers which of the Three R's of the conference resonates with them the most. See what they had to say about Reconnect, Renew, Reimagine!

Melanie Oakes
Student Central Professional
Lakehead University

Reimagine! The world is a very different place than it was just two short (and incredibly long) years ago. However, I believe we learned that our 'normal' might have needed to be reinvented. We were able to find new and innovative ways to service our students. Now we are moving into a new normal, and I think we should always keep with us that reimagining may just make things better in the end. Can't wait to see you all at the Conference!

Bunne Palamar
Financial Aid Advisor
Yukon University

Reconnect: I am a people person and this past two plus years of COVID has been way too long. It's time to reconnect with relatives, friends, and colleagues to enrich our personal and professional lives and start truly living and prosper again. Fingers Crossed!

FT Okunubi
Admissions & Financial Aid Officer
St Mark's College/Corpus Christi College

The R that connects with me the most is Renew. The past few years, I have found myself getting stressed and the pandemic didn't help things. This conference is a means to get renewed so I can be better for myself as also those around me.

Betsy Maus
Student Awards Officer
Bow Valley College

I connect with the “Reimagine” part of our theme the most. My passion is reimagining our roles and how we can better serve learners. I love to work on reinventing processes and procedures to make them faster and more efficient, and learning about how we can improve service for learners. I feel that there are limitless possibilities when it comes to reimagining our roles, and I look forward to learning together with you at the Conference!

Brooke McIntosh
Senior Financial Aid Advisor
North Island College

Renewal is constant. Each day is new, each student is new, and there is such opportunity presented when we remember that each student interaction is a renewal of opportunity!

Rita Mukherjee
Assistant Registrar - Aid & Awards
McMaster University

It is hard to chose but "Reconnect" resonates the most from our theme for me because the pandemic allowed for space and time to rekindle old friendships, deepen relationships, reconnect to myself and re-examine what is important in life. With this new perspective, I am looking forward to reconnecting to my campus community and colleagues.

Shelley Clayton
Director, Financial Aid
University of New Brunswick

Re-connect--I miss seeing my awesome Colleagues!!