A panel discussion chaired by Executive Director, Alumni Affairs Oonagh Proudfoot (’93, ’06), featuring Executive Director, Student Services, James Sanford (‘87), Acadia Alumni Association Vice-President, Matt Rios (’14), and newly appointed Black Student Success Navigator, Janique Ellis ('21).

During this session:

• One can ask questions about transitioning to in-person learning
• Information will be provided on Career Services

As a member of our alumni community or a parent of a current student, this session is for you!

Register here: http://attend.com/BacktoAcadia

Meet our presenters:

James Sanford (’87)

James Sanford has been a resident of the Town of Wolfville since 2004 and currently is employed with Acadia University as Executive Director, Student Services. The focus of his work is to actively be involved in and support student success by providing leadership for the delivery of health, counselling and accessibility services, student advising, student conduct, student recreation, support for international, Indigenous, and students of African descent, as well as residence life.

James is also actively engaged in a number of regional and national initiatives. He is co-chair of the Atlantic Association of Universities (AAU) Healthy Campuses Committee (focused on Student Mental Health initiatives). James was directly involved in the founding and development of the Canadian Post-Secondary Education Partnership on Alcohol Harms (PEP-AH/PEP-AM).

Volunteering is a very important component of James’ involvement in the community and he currently serves as President of the Valley District Soccer Association (VDSA) and has been active as a coach for over 10 years. James recently became a board member of the L’Arche Homefires organization in Wolfville.

Matthew Rios (’14)

Originally from Vancouver, BC, Matthew came to study at Acadia in the fall of 2009. While pursuing a BA in politics, he got involved in student leadership, serving as ASU President for two years. Upon graduating, Matthew went to work for an NGO in Ottawa, ON, where he worked as a Government and Stakeholder Relations Officer. For three years he lobbied parliamentarians, public servants and industry stakeholders on issues pertaining to education and youth employment.

In 2016, he relocated to Melbourne, Australia, where he pursued a Master of International Business. Beyond exploring Australia and soaking in the sun, he also secured a graduate placement with KPMG focused on international privacy regulations and cyber security. In 2019, Matthew returned to Halifax, NS, where he accepted a position at Davis Pier, a company focused on public sector consulting. During his time at Davis Pier, he has been involved in a number of transformation projects in the disability sector, the housing sector and in the mental health sector.

Over the last year Matthew has been involved in coordinating Nova Scotia's COVID-19 response. Since July 2020, he has been supporting Public Health, the Department of Health and Wellness and others to develop and implement the province's testing strategies. In recent months, he has also been added to the province's COVID-19 Immunization Taskforce, which is responsible for implementing Nova Scotia's vaccination strategy. When he is not working, Matthew is an avid soccer player, reader and cook. He also serves as a Director on the L'Arche Homefires Board as well as the Acadia Alumni Board as Vice-President.

Janique Ellis ('21)

My name is Janique Ellis, and I am a recent graduate of Acadia University, where I received a BSc (Hons) in psychology and sociology. During my time at Acadia, I worked as a student leader to transform the spaces around me to make them more diverse and inclusive for all students of colour. I have served as a student advocate, mentor, and confidante for many students.

I am the co-founder of the Acadia International Society, which was created to facilitate a bonding experience for international students and domestic students, and I also served as the co-president of the Acadia University Psychology Association for two consecutive years. Currently, I am the Student Success Programmer at Acadia and, in this role, I am organizing new student orientation for fall 2021.