Office and People Directory

Rachel Sayward

Biography

Rachel joined the Housing and Residential Life team as an Area Coordinator in August 2024. In her role as an AC, she oversees several of the beautiful Victorian mansions on campus and with the help of her amazing team of Resident Advisors. Rach loves living on campus, breaking bread with her students, visiting the mansions for her RAs’ programs, and supporting students throughout their college experience. She hopes every eager Champlain beaver takes advantage of their time on campus to live life to the fullest, having fun at campus events and savoring all that Burlington has to offer!

Before landing at Champlain College, she hopscotched around northern New England. Born in Massachusetts but soul-tied to Maine, she attended Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire, where she studied psychology. During her time at FPU, she was a cheerleader, participated in Student Government, and most importantly, served her peers as a Community Assistant (Resident Advisor). After graduation, Rach moved to Vermont to work at Castleton University as an Area Coordinator. At Castleton, she primarily supported first-year students and oversaw gender-inclusive housing. A few years later, feeling a tug in her heart, she moved back to Maine to work at Husson University as a Resident Director. While it was fun to be back in Maine, Rach felt the Green Mountains of Vermont calling to her. Luckily, Champlain welcomed her back to Vermont with open arms!!

When Rach is not in her office or wandering campus, she can often be found crocheting one of her many projects. She loves to spend time with her two cats, Birch and Barbeque; they keep her great company while working on her book club’s next read! Folks walking through Finney Quad may spot her perched in her hammock while reading or crocheting in the sunshine. In the warmth of summer, Rach also loves to go for a swim with the help of her prized possession, a Vermont state park pass!

Hobbies

Crocheting, reading, swimming, and watching films at the cinema!

Favorite Local Eateries and Things to do in Vermont

Yates Family Orchard in Hinesburg for their Dreamees- a hot cider donut and creemee soft serve! The Village Scoop in Colchester or Judi’s in Williston for a sweet ice cream treat!

Boba tea from the Always Full Market on Church Street, Muddy Waters on Main Street for a maple iced latte, and Kountry Kart Deli (also on Main!) for a delish steak and cheese! McGillicuddy’s is also becoming a fast favorite of mine!

My favorite swimming spots throughout Vermont include Branbury State Park, Bomoseen State Park, Lake St Catherine State Park, and Camp Plymouth State Park!

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Eileen Schiffer

Biography

Eileen Schiffer is an Industrial Organizational Psychologist (PhD) who has been fortunate to have had a wide range of opportunities to support students’ and clients’ in their pursuits of their professional goals. Those experiences have included individual counseling, comprehensive project management, program development and evaluation, and training and support of others who shared a commitment to facilitating academic and professional growth of students and clients.

She began her career consulting for several Fortune 100 companies, creating career resources centers and services, developing leadership succession programs, and counseling and coaching employees at all levels in their career planning processes, including those who were in crisis as a result of organizational reductions in force. Eventually she transitioned into higher education, where she has served as a professor, course designer, program administrator and innovator, and faculty trainer, mentor and coach.

Since her transition to the world of academia, she has been an advocate and driver for high quality online adult education. She has developed processes, guides and tools that facilitated faculty and student transitions during significant change initiatives. She has served as the Curriculum Specialist for School of Business undergraduate and graduate programs, as a contributor to the School of Business Strategic Planning, Curriculum Mapping, and Accreditation processes, and as Faculty Lead for both Development in Excellence Initiatives and for New Faculty Onboarding and Support. In the past few years, as a Higher Education Consultant, she has partnered with Instructional Designers at several Universities in the creation and revision of undergraduate and graduate online courses across multiple disciplines. The focus in each of those roles was on program innovation, quality assurance, and ““ always – on support of faculty and students.

She is a lifelong learner. She has completed graduate hours in education and assessment, curriculum development, instructional design, research methods, and psychometrics, and earned a graduate certificate in Sustainable Food Systems Management. She also participated as a selected member of a year-long Online Teaching Innovations Cohort, focused on assessing and improving online course quality, and served an appointment as a peer reviewer of submissions made to the Scientific & Paper Review Committee of the Global Conference on Business and Economics. She has published articles in Faculty Focus, Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, and Supervision.

Distinctions & Awards

Recipient of Champlain College merit award and recognition for Exemplary Teaching.

Publications & Abstracts

• Schiffer, E. F. (February, 2018). Time-saving tips for teaching large online classes. Faculty Focus Premium.
• Schiffer, E. F. (November, 2017). Teaching adult students with considerable professional expertise. Faculty Focus.
• Schiffer, E. F. (2017). The dreaded team assignment: developing essential leadership skills. Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, 92(4), 30-35
• Schiffer, Eileen (February, 2017). Tapping into the power of your introverts. Supervision, 78 (2), 23-26. (February, 2017)
• Schiffer, E.F. (Feb, 2013). Tips for online instructors: Managing files, feedback, and workload. Faculty Focus.
• Schiffer, E.F. (Feb, 2013). The learning relationships of online education. Marylhurst University Blog.
• Schiffer, E.F. (May/June, 2012). Is an online MBA a worthwhile investment in your future? Oregon Planner’s Journal (23-24).
• Schiffer, E.F. (2011). Resistance to Change: Implications of Individual Differences In Expression of Resistance to Change. Dissertation. University of South Florida, 123; 3443923

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Edward Schlak

Biography

Edward Schlak is a Champlain College Alum of the class of 2013 graduating with a degree in Secondary Education. After graduation Edward spent several years working for the USPS as a Mail Carrier as well as managing shipping and receiving for other institutions. He returned to Champlain in 2021 as the Mail Center Coordinator managing a team of student workers who process all incoming and outgoing deliveries for the college. In his spare time he enjoys disc golf and gardening.

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Paul Schnabel

Biography

Paul Schnabel is an actor/director based in Vermont. In his long career, he has performed in leading theaters throughout the US and Europe and appeared in many feature films and shorts. More recently, he has shifted focus from performance to teaching. His work with Courageous Stage in Middlebury has taken him statewide as a teaching artist in schools at all levels. He has been at Champlain College since 2019 teaching directing and acting. He particularly enjoys working in this department and considers it his mission to strengthen the directing and acting components.
He is a long-standing member of the internationally acclaimed Riot Group out of NYC and has toured extensively with them. As part of the Riot Group, he has garnered many awards over the years, including twice for Best Ensemble from the Stage in London, and 5 Fringe First Awards from the Scotsman in Edinburgh including a First of the Firsts Award. He was a finalist for an Irene Ryan Excellence in Acting Award, and awarded Best Actor in the Vermont Stage and Screen awards.
He is co-founder and past president of Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, an incubator performance venue in the New North End of Burlington.
He has been a member of SAG AFTRA for over 25 years.

Distinctions & Awards

Irene Ryan Excellence in Acting Award, finalist
Vermont Stage and Screen Awards Best Actor, winner
Scotsmen Fringe Firsts Awards x4
First of the Firsts Award
The Stage London Best Ensemble x2
Herald Angel Awards x2

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

Favorite Quote

“The stars are matter. We are matter. But it doesn’t matter.”

—Don VanVliet

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Alexander Schraut

Biography

Alex Schraut served in the US Navy for almost 15 years primarily as an Intelligence Officer serving in various locations around the world. As a civilian, he has worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the Intelligence Specialist for the District of New Jersey consulting on national security criminal investigations as well as managing the Office’s ability to access and review classified materials. Since leaving federal service, he has worked at several international corporations in cybersecurity.

Currently, Alex is the Director of Cyber Threat Management and Response at Texas Health Resources in the Dallas metroplex. He is also heavily involved in Scouting America with his two children.

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Todd Schroeder

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Uli Schwendener

Biography

Uli is the Government, Corporations, and Foundations Relations specialist within Champlain College’s Advancement team. His work explores connections between funders and Champlain’s innovative approach to higher education. His prior experiences in the nonprofit world supported conservation work with organizations such as the New England Aquarium, the Appalachian Mountain Club, and Mass Audubon. He holds a BA from Kenyon College in International Studies with minors in Environmental Science and Spanish.

Outside of work, he plays piano and loves spending time outdoors: hiking, biking, backpacking, and lying in a nice patch of grass.

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Elizabeth Scott

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Lifelong skier at Smugglers Notch, big fan of breakfast at Sneaker’s in Winooski, and there’s nothing better than a maple creemee from Palmer Lane Maple in Jericho.

Hobbies

hiking, skiing, walking, and reading

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Shaylea Scribner

Biography

Shaylea Scribner has been serving in the Office of Institutional Advancement since 2019. Prior to this, she spent six years in the President’s Office. In her current role, she wears many hats but her focus is spent on event management, prospect management, and research. She loves being able to interact with not only staff, faculty, and students, but parents, alumni and donors on a regular basis. During her time at Champlain, Shaylea has served on the Staff Council in numerous roles including as President for four years.

Shaylea is a two-time Champlain alum, having received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business in 2010 and her MBA in 2017. In her free time, Shaylea likes to read, binge watch the latest TV shows, take walks, and play with her goldendoodle, Kenzie.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, travel, cooking

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont:

Favorite VT Eateries: The Whip, Burlington Beer Company, Folino’s, Grazers, The Village Scoop, Archie’s

Favorite things to do in VT: Get a creamee, walk at Shelburne Farms, go to Stowe, take in the foliage, check out local bookstores

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Gary Scudder

Biography

During his 20+ years at Champlain Professor Scudder has taught classes on topics such as history, literature, art, evil, film, and a variety of classes dealing with the Islamic world. He initiated and ran Champlain’s award-winning Global Modules program. In addition, he has created, taught, and led student classes with trips to Jordan, India, Zanzibar, Sri Lanka, Spain, and Portugal.

Distinctions & Awards

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Vermont Professor of the Year, 2010.

Community Contribution Award, National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), 2010.

Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education for Internationalizing the Curriculum, 2008-2009.

Edward Phelps Lyman Professorship, Champlain College, 2007-2008.

Teaching About Islam and Middle Eastern Culture Seminar, CIC Grant, Amman Jordan, January 2005.

Georgia Board of Regents Distinguished Professor for Teaching and Learning, 1999-2000.

Outstanding Award for Teaching, Georgia Perimeter College, 1997-1998.

Most Appreciated Faculty Member Award, Georgia Perimeter College, 1993-1994.

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Charles Dickens, Bleak House
• Fernando Pessoa, The Book of Disquiet
• Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past

Favorite Quote

“It was in vain that I lingered before the hawthorns.”

—Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past

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Michael Sealy

Biography

Mike is the Creative Director of his own graphic design business in Burlington, Vermont. Following the completion of his Studio Art degree at the University of Vermont, Mike has been working in the local design community. Working in small design companies as well as medium sized agencies, he has more than 25 years of experience fulfilling clients’ needs. Mike is a versatile art director and graphic designer, making sure every detail is scrutinized from project conception through completion, constantly striving to deliver better solutions for his clients.

Mike loves the creative energy inherent in education; he enjoys staying involved, having taught graphic design and web design as an adjunct professor since 2014.

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Tracy Seamster

Biography

Tracy A. Seamster has worked in the games industry for 30 years on projects ranging from text-based multi-user dungeons to live service products such as Elder Scrolls Online and EverQuest II. She currently lives near Burlington, VT, with her cat, Strider Littlespoon.

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Marie Segares

Biography

Marie Segares is a career intrapreneur in the non-profit health and education industries with expertise in program development, launch, and expansion. Her experience includes deployment as an assistant officer in the Community Relations unit at the American Red Cross in Greater New York during Disaster Response 787 (September 11 World Trade Center); managing administrative operations of a federally-funded public housing community health center for an academic medical center in the South Bronx; co-founding a public high school in Downtown Brooklyn; and developing an online bachelor’s degree-completion program for a faith-based, historically Black college in Dallas.

Dr. Segares earned her AB in Sociology from Barnard College, her MPH in Sociomedical Sciences with a concentration in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from Columbia University, her MBA in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and Leadership & Change Management from New York University, and her EdD in Organizational Leadership Studies from Northeastern University. Dr. Segares has taught business, entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship, human resources management, management and organizational behavior, marketing, health education and public health, health care management, and strategy courses at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate levels in traditional/face-to-face, online, and hybrid learning environments. Her previous appointments were as an associate professor and director of the MS in Management program at St. Francis College and as an auxiliary professor and coordinator of the Health Care Management MBA program at Molloy College.

Dr. Segares is also an artisan entrepreneur, creating digital content to self-publish and for major crafts manufacturers and publishers. Her areas of research interest include artisan entrepreneurship, creative business, microenterprise, leadership, small business marketing, and gender and diversity in entrepreneurship and organizations.

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Daniel Selicaro

Biography

Daniel Selicaro is an Assistant Professor and Program Director for Technology at Champlain College Online. He oversees bachelor degree programs for Software Development, Web Design and Development, and Computer Science, as well as the graduate program in Software Engineering and Project Management.

Dan has been at Champlain College since 2007, and has been teaching web design and development for Champlain since 2015. He began his career in print journalism as a newspaper reporter, and was the news editor for Upside magazine and the Red Herring magazine in California. After moving back to the East Coast, he worked on digital marketing at Champlain College, and was an active part of two redevelopments of the College website, champlain.edu, before he took a role in the Information Systems department.

Outside of Champlain, Dan runs his own website development company, and is on the board of directors for several local organizations — including as marketing chair at the Fellowship of the Wheel mountain biking club, the Green Mountain Montessori School, and the Essex United Soccer Club. He is an avid mountain biker, and loves to spend his time adventuring in Vermont with his two young children.

Distinctions & Awards

Outstanding Community Partner Award, ODI, 2009; Intercultural U Program 2013

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John Selig

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