Meet the Academic Resource Center (ARC) professional staff at Emmanuel College.
Wendy LaBron, Assistant Dean
Wendy works with faculty, departments and the ARC staff to coordinate and provide academic support services and programs for Emmanuel students. She also meets individually with students for academic counseling and teaches ARC workshops and ARC 0101.
Besides her work in academic support and disability servces, Wendy taught English at New England Conservatory of Music and San Francisco State University (SFSU) and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Estonia. She earned her M.A. in English Composition from SFSU and her B.A. in English from Northern Arizona University.
Krista Aslanian, Director of Success Programs & Outreach
As an Academic Coach, Krista works with students individually and in a group setting to develop organizational, study, and reading strategies in order to adapt to the expectations of college academics. Krista also assists students as they begin the graduate school process by providing information on the graduate school exam process as well as how to prepare and organize applications.
Krista received her B.S in Education at Wheelock College and M.Ed in Counseling/Guidance at Boston University. Before joining the ARC, Krista was an outreach counselor with at-risk teens, an elementary school teacher, and an Academic Specialist at Becker College.
Alyson Czelusniak, Associate Director of Disability Support Services
As the Associate Director of Disability Support Services, Alyson works with students with documented disabilities to provide them with appropriate accommodations in the college setting. Alyson coordinates alternate-site testing and other accommodations for these students and meets with students on an as-needed basis to meet individual needs.
Alyson received her B.S. in Sports Management at Springfield College and her M.A.T. in Special Education at Elms College. Alyson has spent her career in special education, both in and out of the classroom setting. Before coming to Emmanuel, Alyson worked as a case manager for special education at Chicopee Comprehensive High School.
Noelle Galli, Asst. Director of Disability Support Services & Academic Resource Center
As the Assistant Director of DSS and the ARC, Noelle works with students to coordinate non-academic accommodations such as housing, temporary, and dietary needs. Noelle is the contact for all assistive technology related needs within the department and assists with website edits, marketing materials, and technology research.
Noelle received her B.S. in Developmental Psychology and her M.Ed. from Emmanuel College. Before joining the ARC, Noelle worked as a program coordinator for a community-based day program supporting young adults with disabilities.
Abigail Shaw, Peer Tutor Coordinator
As the Peer Tutor Coordinator, Abby facilitates and oversees the Peer Tutoring Program, peer tutoring staff, and operations of the tutoring and study group program. With recommendations from faculty, Abby recruits, hires, and trains all new peer tutors. As a former English teacher, Abby also assists with the Writing Assistance program.
Abby received her B.S. in English Literature and Secondary Education from Emmanuel College and her M.Ed. in Student Affairs from Bridgewater State University. Before joining the ARC, Abby worked as a high school English teacher.
Caroline Talton, Adminstrative & Writing Specialist/DSS Test Proctor
As the Administrative & Writing Specialist/DSS Test Proctor, Caroline facilitates the immediate operations of the ARC, provides guidance to student aides, and serves as a test proctor for Disability Support Services. In addition, Caroline works with the ARC staff to compile statistics and complete payroll for student employees.
Caroline received her B.A. in English at Clemson University and her MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College.
Joe Linitz, Lead Writing Specialist
As a Writing Specialist at the ARC, Joe works with students individually and in workshops to provide guidance on writing in a wide range of rhetorical modes and academic specializations.
Joe has taught writing and literature at Newbury College and Boston University, and has also worked as an editor in corporate, literary, and freelance settings. Joe earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in English from Boston University, and his B.A. in English from Oberlin College.
Chris Strand, Writing Specialist
As a Writing Specialist at the ARC, Chris works with students to support them throughout the writing process. During individual sessions, Chris assists students as they draft and revise their work while encouraging them to develop their writing skills and voice as a writer.
Chris has taught writing, literature, and ESL at numerous institutions across the US. He received his M.A. in English from Portland State University and his B.A. in English and History from the University of Sioux Falls. He currently also teaches and manages one of the writing programs at UMass Boston.
Amanda Brandt, Writing Specialist
As an ARC Writing Specialist, Amanda meets individually with students to provide support and assistance at any stage of the writing process. Through her sessions, Amanda aims to engage students fully in the drafting and revision of their work while empowering them to build the writing skills necessary to become academically successful.
Amanda also teaches Introduction to Academic Writing at Emmanuel.
Seth Garcia, Writing Specialist/DSS Test Proctor
As an ARC Writing Specialist, Seth works with students individually to assist them with their diverse writing needs. Additionally, he serves as a test proctor for Disability Support Services. In his sessions, he believes in supporting and developing the unique voice and skills each writer already possesses on their own.
Seth has worked as an English language and college admissions tutor for several years. He earned his B.A. in Writing and Literature from Emmanuel College and his MFA from the University of New Mexico, where he taught numerous courses.
