National Association of Colleges and Employers
Shawn VanDerziel is the President and Chief Executive Officer of NACE.
As president and chief executive officer, VanDerziel leads the association of 16,000+ professionals at more than 2,800 employing organizations and educational institutions engaged in the career development and employment of college students and alumni. In addition, he represents NACE at the Council of Higher Education Management Associations (CHEMA), the Coalition of Human Resource Management Associations (COHRMA), and the Washington Higher Education Secretariat.
Prior to joining the NACE staff, VanDerziel was with the Field Museum, where he most recently served as chief human resources officer and as chief of staff for the 85-member Board of Trustees, driving strategic priorities and goals and delivering innovative solutions to enhance the overall museum experience for visitors, nearly 700 volunteers, 500 staff members, and 200 interns. His 23 years with the museum included experiences leading strategy, people, volunteers, marketing, educational programming, and technology functions.
Earlier roles included a corporate recruiting position with Norrell Corporation and a position in higher education as associate director of student enrollment at National Louis University.
VanDerziel also served as a volunteer leader on the NACE Board of Directors, including as vice president-employer (2004 – 2006) and as president-elect, president, and past-president (2008 – 2011). He also contributed to NACE and the membership in other capacities, serving as chair and facilitator for the task force that revised the Principles for Ethical Professional Practice, chairing the inaugural Advocacy Advisory Committee, and facilitating the development of NACE’s strategic plan. In 2014, he was inducted into the NACE Academy of Fellows in recognition of his contributions to the profession.
VanDerziel is a senior professional in human resources through the HR Certification Institute and is a senior certified professional through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Tim Harding is the Chair on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Harding is the assistant vice president for career development and engagement at the University of Tampa, where he has served since 2005. Previously, he was the director of career services at Butler University and taught career courses at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis.
Harding served as a college director on the NACE Board of Directors as well as a co-chair for the Career Readiness Competencies Task Force, the 21st Century Career Center Task Force, and the New Member’s Committee for the NACE Conference. He is a recent recipient of NACE’s Mackes Leadership Award.
Harding is the co-founder of the annual Institution-Wide Competency Symposium and consults and presents often on career readiness competency development. He co-authored a chapter on career competencies in the book, Advancing Talent Development: Steps Toward a T-Model Infused Undergraduate Education.
Harding earned his master’s in education from Indiana University and an undergraduate degree from Anderson University. He also completed a certificate in student affairs policy and law at the Stetson University College of Law.
J. Seldric Blocker is Chair-Elect on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Blocker, formerly of J.P. Morgan’s Asset & Wealth Management Division, has had previous roles including head of campus programs for NBCUniversal, campus recruiting and diversity manager for Bank of America, and campus recruiting roles at Wachovia (Wells Fargo) and Lowe’s Companies.
Blocker served as a member of the NACE Board from 2018 through 2020 and on the Honors and Awards committee, as well as co-chair of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Affinity group. This year, he will provide support on behalf of the Board to the HBCU and STEM NACE Affinity Groups.
Blocker holds a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and earned a master’s in human resources from Cornell University.
Stephanie Pallante is Past Chair and Secretary on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
As a seasoned talent acquisition leader, Pallante has a successful history of leading teams in the development and implementation of talent acquisition strategies for experienced hires, new graduates, and diversity initiatives across multiple industries. While she has broad experience, Pallante’s “heart” is in the early careers space where she finds great satisfaction in helping collegiate students explore career paths as interns, kick start their professional careers post-graduation, and continue to grow and advance.
Pallante currently leads university relations and early careers recruiting for Cigna, with responsibility for developing the early career talent strategies necessary to support Cigna's nine undergraduate leadership development programs. She also oversees the company’s collegiate hiring initiatives for all enterprise internship opportunities.
Before joining Cigna in 2018, Pallante served as the early career recruitment and programs leader for Aramark, where she was instrumental in establishing an enterprise-wide recruitment strategy that identified collegiate talent for Aramark’s management training program. She has also held recruitment leadership roles at PPD, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, and Unisys.
As an active member of NACE for more than 25 years, Pallante’s volunteer service has included Vice President & Director – Employer, along with numerous strategic committees and task forces, such as Strategic Positioning of Career Services, Career Readiness Competencies, Conference Committee, Communities of Practice, and Honors & Awards, to name a few.
Pallante holds a B.S. in communications from Kutztown University.
Nicole R. Hall, Ph.D., is Vice Chair on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Hall is the associate vice president, career, and professional development, at the University of Virginia. Previously, she was the director of career and professional development at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Greensboro.
She also served as the executive director of market readiness and employment with Wake Forest University’s School of Business and as executive director of alumni and career services at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management. Dr. Hall has served on a variety of NACE committees, including as co-chair for the Conference Committee and as co-chair for the Inclusion Committee. She is also a past president of the MBA Career Services and Employer Alliance, leading the expansion of the organization into Asia.
Dr. Hall earned her doctorate in educational leadership and cultural studies from UNC Greensboro. She earned her B.S. in marketing from Indiana University and her M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.
Maura Quinn is Vice Chair on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Maura Quinn leads early career, DEI, and talent acquisition programs at Liberty Mutual. She has dedicated her career to designing, implementing, and continuously innovating 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. Quinn’s commitment to social, cultural, and economic equity in the workplace allowed her to expand her DEI responsibilities enterprise-wide to help source and attract talent at all levels across the enterprise. She began this career journey with Liberty Mutual 23 years ago as a new college graduate.
Quinn graduated from Boston College with a bachelor's degree in human resources management and marketing. As a 19-year member of NACE, she has held several committee positions and co-chair assignments, including Past Board Member, Employer from 2019-2021. In 2016, Quinn was the recipient of the NACE/Direct Employer’s Catalyst Award, and in 2023, she received the RippleMatch Exceptional Leader Award, Enterprise Early Career Program.
Luis Amaro is a Director-Employer on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Luis Amaro’s career in graduate recruitment spans 14+ years, during which he has successfully launched graduate talent teams across multiple global organizations. Amaro has also built and scaled university partnership teams globally, leveraging his experience to help universities give students the tools they need to access careers across various industries. His extensive background in sales enables him to share insights with students about the skills businesses are seeking in emerging talent while also helping thousands of students connect with Fortune 500 companies and jobs they would not have had access to previously.
While Amaro currently sits on NACE’s Board of Directors, he has volunteered as a co-lead for the NACE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee; the Individuals Serving and Recruiting Hispanic, Latin@X, & HSI Students Affinity Group; and the HBCU Subcommittee for Employer Relations.
Born in New York City to a Colombian mother and Dominican father, Amaro’s global perspective and commitment to inclusivity have led him to channel his passion for equal access to opportunities. His altruism shines through as he volunteers his time to support students and faculty in schools across North America, particularly focusing on underrepresented communities.
Meg Evangelista is a Director-Employer on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Meg Evangelista is the global manager for Dell’s HR Rotation Development Program. She is a motivated, strategic, and driven professional with a strong background in early career recruitment, program management, and professional development. Today, her role is responsible for building and nurturing the early-in-career ecosystem of talent, from internship recruiting through full-time programming and graduation. Evangelista is passionate about coaching professionals as they join the Dell team and navigate HR. She focuses on building meaningful relationships, professional development competencies, and strategic growth within the HR organization.
Evangelista holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Women’s Studies from Assumption University and a Master of Education degree in higher education administration from Suffolk University. She joined NACE in 2016 and served in a variety of roles across the organization, ranging from Conference Committee co-lead, Honors and Awards co-lead, and other committee positions. In addition, Evangelista is a proud graduate of the 2020 Recruiting Leadership Institute (RLI).
Charles Jennings, Jr., is a Director-College on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Jennings is the director of the Career and Professional Development Center at North Carolina Central University. Previously, he was the senior associate director of employer engagement and outreach at Princeton University.
Jennings’ NACE involvement includes being a member of the 2018 Cohort of the NACE Management Leadership Institute and he also hosted a Career Services Roundtable at Tennessee State University in March 2019. He served on the Program Committee for the 2019 Annual Conference and Expo in Orlando where he also co-presented a workshop. He served in the NACE Mentor Program during the 2021 – 2022 year. He has also been active within the People of Color Affinity Impact Team (served as Co-Lead from 2019 to 2021), HBCU Affinity Impact Team, Employer Membership Identification Task Force (Co-Chair from 2021 to 2022) and the Honors and Awards Committee (2022 – 2023).
Jennings received his bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in telecommunication arts from the University of Georgia. He also is a Certified Global Career Development Facilitator and hold a certification in administering the Strong Interest Inventory.
Rachel Larson, PhD is a Director-College on the 2023-2024 NACE Board of Directors.
Dr. Larson is the assistant dean of academic and career development at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business. In this role, she oversees the college's Business Career Center, Business Advising & Student Engagement office, and enrollment management team.
Dr. Larson co-founded the Nebraska College of Business Career Center and served as its inaugural director. Prior to Nebraska, she worked in the University of Connecticut’s Center for Career Development.
Liz Lierman is a Director-College on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Liz Lierman brings a commitment to scaling career preparation, expertise in experiential learning, and a track record of leadership in higher education to her role as assistant vice chancellor for career and professional development at the University of Denver (DU). She and the career team prepare students to pursue careers and lives of purpose as part of the 4D Experience, DU’s unique and holistic approach to student development.
Lierman was a co-principal investigator for “The Impact of Undergraduate Internships on Post-Graduate Outcomes for the Liberal Arts,” a research study published by the NACE Center for Career Development and Talent Acquisition. She has held volunteer leadership roles with NACE for more than 10 years, such as serving on the Strategic Positioning of Career Services Task Force and co-chairing the Liberal Arts Affinity Group and Principles for Ethical Professional Practice Committee. Lierman’s career development advice has appeared in publications including The Wall Street Journal and Forbes, and she has written for the NACE Journal. She presents regularly on a range of topics.
Lierman holds master’s degrees in social work and nonprofit management from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Williams College.
Bryan Quick is a Director-Employer on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Bryan is the head of Global University Relations at Abbott responsible for a worldwide team accountable for the design and delivery of the enterprise strategy to attract and recruit next generation talent supporting the entire globe. This includes leadership of all recruitment strategies, building and strengthening early career recruiting partnerships with the business and universities, managing intern engagement, and leading a best-in-class Early Careers team.
Prior to his work at Abbott, he worked for the Walt Disney Company where he held several positions including management roles in the parks and talent acquisition. He was also director of training at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago where he held oversight and responsibility for all learning and development programs for the zoo.
Bryan holds a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from Francis Marion University. He has also held several positions for the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) where he has chaired a variety of committees for the organization over the past 15 years including the Leadership Advancement Program co-chair, Honors and Awards co-chair, and the future of skill development and hiring co-chair.
Alessandra Rober Christensen is a Director-Employer on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Alessandra Rober Christensen is the US Head of University Relations at Novartis. In this leadership role, she has driven an inclusive and innovative end-to-end recruiting strategy supporting early career and leadership development programs in North America since 2020.
Christensen also serves as the Co-Chair for the MIT Industrial Advisory Council for Minority Education and a Board member for MBA Career Services and Employer Alliance. Previously, she served as Senior Associate Director for Recruiting Services and Global Industry Liaison at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she was responsible for implementing and driving strategies to provide high-touch recruiting services for all students and alumni as well as providing team management, coaching, and operational leadership. Prior to working at MIT Sloan, Christensen led recruiting operations at the MIT Global Education and Career Development Office, served as Assistant Director for Recruiting Services at Brandeis International Business School, and worked as Assistant to the Dean of the graduate school at University of Miami.
Christensen has been an active member of NACE for the past 10 years and is a graduate of the NACE Management Leadership Institute. She is a frequent guest speaker and panelist for several national and global organizations, speaking on topics related to the future of work, talent acquisition, talent management, and career development.
She earned a Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HEC Paris, a Master in Higher Education Administration and Post-master’s certificates in enrollment management and student life and development from University of Miami. She also completed two executive certificates in management and leadership and strategy and innovation from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Bernadette So, Ph.D. is a Director-College on the 2024-25 NACE Board of Directors.
Bernadette So, Ph.D. is the Dean of Student Success at Hudson County Community College, where she has oversight for the offices of Career and Transfer Pathways, Advisement, and the Educational Opportunity Fund. Prior to Hudson, Dr. So was the inaugural executive director for the Career Development Center at Rutgers University-Newark. She also held positions in career centers at New York University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Lake Land College supporting students in their higher ed journeys from community college through graduate school.
Dr. So currently serves on the board for Phi Delta Epsilon and has contributed to committees and boards for the Graduate Career Consortium, the Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers, the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions, and the Central Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.
With NACE, she has served as co-chair of the Principles for Ethical Professional Practice Committee, co-facilitator of the People of Color Affinity Group, and member of the Career Pathways for Our Profession, Honors & Awards, and Inclusion Committees, as well as serving as a member of the AANAPISI and Community & Two Year Colleges Affinity Groups. She has presented at several NACE conferences, contributed to NACE publications, and completed the NACE Management Leadership Institute in 2014.
Dr. So earned her doctorate in molecular biology from UCLA, a master’s in college student affairs from Eastern Illinois University, a graduate certificate in academic advising from Kansas State University, and a bachelor’s in biology and psychology from Barnard College.
