Staff Directory

Carlos J. Alonso
Dean
Vice President for Graduate Education
gsas-dean [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-2861

Rebecca Hirade
Associate Dean for Finance and Operations
rhirade [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-3789

Areas of Responsibility:

• Oversight of budget and financial operations, financial and strategic planning, institutional research, finance compliance, and HR operations
• Supervision of Financial Aid, Admissions, and Information Technology

Ann Madigan
Director of Administrative Operations
amadigan [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-2319

Areas of Responsibility:

• Oversight of day-to-day operations, HR policies, and candidate searches
• Coordination of GSAS events, including Convocation and Orientation
• Oversight of GSAS spaces, including the Graduate Student Center, Graduate Writing Studio, Graduate Grading Room, and library carrels
• Advisement for GSAC-recognized student groups

Tanya Nguyen
Associate Director of Administrative Operations
tnguyen [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-2865

Areas of Responsibility:

• Management of day-to-day operations for the Office of the Dean
• Executive support for the Dean and Vice Dean, management of calendars, communications, and projects

Harold Ansah
Assistant Director of Budget Planning and Finance
hansah [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-6726

Areas of Responsibility:

• Management of day-to-day financial operations, including accounts payable/receivable and purchasing
• Monitor of Financial Aid and administrative budgets

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Richard Slusarczyk
Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs
rs37 [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-8428

Areas of Responsibility:

• Supervision of academic and student affairs staff Student advisement on GSAS policies, procedures, and opportunities
• Urgent student issues and concerns; primary liaison for Public Safety, CPS, ISSO, and Global Travel
• Student misconduct, grievances, and academic integrity
• Review of proposals for international agreements; course proposals

Thalyana Stathis
Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs
ts2980 [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-4738

Areas of Responsibility:

• Teaching Scholars Program
• GSAS internal fellowships; GSAS nominations for external fellowships
• Visiting students: exchange, non-degree, and cross-registration (IUDC, Ivy Plus Exchange)
• Academic standing and transfer credit

Julissa Peña
Academic Affairs Manager
jpena [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-6723

Areas of Responsibility:

• Management of the Dissertation Office: committees, defenses, and deposits
• Dissertation Progress Reports and registration holds
• Convocation eligibility and PhD conferrals

Manoah Finston
Graduate Student Affairs Officer
maf2278 [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-5972

Areas of Responsibility:

• Registration and enrollment concerns
• Reporting on academic progress and milestones
• Library access for MA students
• Compliance communications

Kei Phillip
Graduate Student Affairs Officer
k.phillip [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-7892

Areas of Responsibility:

• Liaison to Disability Services and testing accommodations
• Liaison to University Apartment Housing
• PhD and MPhil procedures
• Inquiries library study carrels

Sarah Jackman
Graduate Student Affairs Officer
s.jackman [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-6724

Areas of Responsibility:

• Leaves of absence, withdrawals, and reinstatements
• Parental Accommodations and Childcare Subsidy
• Fellowships in Academic Administration
• Master’s SynThesis Competition

Esmeralda McCormick
Student Affairs Assistant
emccormick [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-2854

Areas of Responsibility:

• General administrative support to student affairs staff and the Dissertations Office

Barbara Nesmith
Academic Affairs Assistant
bnesmith [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-8903

Areas of Responsibility:

• General administrative support to academic and student affairs staff

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Assistant Dean for Academic Diversity
Search in progress

Areas of Responsibility:

• Development of policies, initiatives, and activities to enhance the Graduate School’s diversity and inclusion efforts
• Summer Research Program, C3-LADO (Creating Connections Consortium and Liberal Arts Diversity Officers), recruitment events, and other programs

Afiya Wilson
Administrative Assistant
afiya.wilson [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-2866

Areas of Responsibility:

• Assistance in coordinating Office of Academic Diversity programs
• General administrative support to academic and student affairs staff

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Tom Tarduogno
Director of Financial Aid
ttarduogno [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-3809

Areas of Responsibility:

• Supervision of Financial Aid staff
• Financial Aid liaison with Natural Sciences departments
• Coordinating official for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Sandra Peters
Associate Director of Financial Aid
speters [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-6725

Areas of Responsibility:

• Financial Aid liaison to Social Science and Humanities departments
• Administrative oversight of Title IV and private student loan programs, and the Summer Tuition Fellowship
• Coordinating official for the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program

Gennet Black
Assistant Director of Financial Aid
gblack [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-6727

Areas of Responsibility:

• Financial Aid liaison to Social Science and Humanities Departments
• Processing of Title IV and private loan program funds
• Administrative oversight for FISAP
• Coordination of NYSED Report

Shawn Ramirez
Financial Aid Counselor
sgramirez [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-3808

Areas of Responsibility:

• Financial Aid resource for visitors to the Graduate School and informational inquiries

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Renée Schwarz
Director of Admissions Operations
rschwarz [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-2436

Areas of Responsibility:

• Oversight of graduate admissions process
• Documentation of graduate admissions policies

Coral Mercedes
Associate Director of Admissions Operations
cmercedes [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-8395

Areas of Responsibility:

• Admissions data reporting
• Communications to prospective and admitted students

Anna Marie Sell
Admissions Officer
amsell [at] columbia.edu
(212) 851-9919

Areas of Responsibility:

• Graduate admission support to faculty, department administrators, and applicants
• Application software maintenance and support

Marisa Phillip
Administrative Assistant
marisa.phillip [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-6729

Areas of Responsibility:

• General administrative support to the Office of Admissions and Office of Financial Aid

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Ryan Wenzel
Director of Communications
r.wenzel [at] columbia.edu
(212) 851-0716

Areas of Responsibility:

• Strategic planning to promote wider recognition and awareness of the school to internal and external audiences
• Oversight of email communications, publications, website, blog, advertising campaigns, print materials, and social media channels

Jahsie Ault
Assistant Director of Communications
j.ault [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-2889

Areas of Responsibility:

• Production and design for all GSAS communications
• Maintenance of the GSAS website and other digital channels
• Photography

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Iralba Castillo
Associate Director of Alumni Relations
ic2250 [at] columbia.edu ">ic2250 [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-5052

Areas of Responsibility:

• Management of programs that enhance alumni engagement with GSAS
• Liaison with staff partners and volunteer leaders, including the GSAS Alumni Association

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Mario Camaj
Director of Information Technology
camaj [at] columbia.edu
(212) 854-0504

Areas of Responsibility:

• Oversight of IT functions for the administrative units of the Graduate School
• Online application processes and audio-visual equipment

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