Welcome to our Newest Staff Members
Heather Pixley – The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) is pleased to welcome Heather S. Pixley to the University of Maine as our new Assessment and Evaluation Specialist. In her role, Heather will provide assessment support to more than 150 graduate degree programs and facilitate qualitative research for program improvement within UMS Transforms. Heather brings extensive experience in academic research and program management from previous positions at Harvard University and Dartmouth Medical School. She holds a B.A. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from Dartmouth College, with an academic citation for Statistics and Data Analysis, as well as an M.B.A. in Leadership from Franklin Pierce University.
Samantha Allen – Sam Allen is a doctoral student in the Anthropology and Environmental Policy program. They also have a master’s in Applied Sociology with a focus on globalization and sustainability from Southeastern Louisiana University. They currently work as a teaching assistant within the Anthropology department. Originally from Chalmette, Louisiana, they are intimately aware of the devastation that coastal communities face as sea levels rise, as environmental disasters become more frequent and the ways in which it compounds to further harm communities already struggling against toxic pollution. Sam is therefore interested in researching local knowledge systems and seeing how they can be applied to help coastal communities not only withstand current and upcoming environmental threats, but to also build towards a more sustainable thriving future.
Sarah Johnson – Sarah Johnson is a fourth-year student in the Maine Business School, double-majoring in Accounting and Business Information Systems. Originally from Clifton, Maine, she has spent much of her undergraduate career working with the Maine Business School on student success initiatives that support her peers. Sarah is looking forward to expanding her technical skills while contributing to efforts that use data to strengthen student outcomes at the University of Maine System. Outside of her academic and professional interests, she enjoys reading, going for walks, and playing tennis. She is excited to continue learning and making a positive impact on the UMaine community.