Professional Staff
Learn more about Jess
Jess joined the Clark community in August of 2021 and currently serves as the Director of Residential Life & Housing. Jess’s primary role centers around supporting the development of an inclusive residential experience for all Clark students. Whether it’s designing a programming model to engage students today or crafting a strategic plan for the future, Jess is always considering the ways the Residential Life & Housing team can best uplift students.
Before finding their way to Clark, Jess has worked in residence life at several institutions over the last six years, focusing on curriculum development, accessibility, and addressing barriers in Title IX and conduct processes. Jess earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and American Studies from Smith College. Further pursuing his passion for student-centered support, Jess earned a Masters degree in Higher Education Administration with a focus on sexual violence prevention from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Originally from Rhode Island, Jess is thrilled to call Massachusetts home. In his spare time, you can find Jess trying not to kill his house plants, hunting down the best food MA has to offer, and catering to the whims of his two dogs.
Eden Edwards-Harris
Associate Director of Residential Life & Housing
1-508-793-7453
Learn more about Eden
Eden joined Clark University in June of 2023 and serves as the Associate Director of Residential Life and Housing. Eden’s role includes assisting our Community Directors and aiding in their development and growth while implementing training and residential curriculum for our student staff. She is very excited to bring her passions to the department and the University that include mentorship, JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) initiatives and programming, empowerment, and more!
Prior to working at Clark, Eden returned to her undergraduate alma mater of Western Connecticut State University, serving as a Resident Director for the past 3 years. Eden earned her Master’s of Science in Counseling with a specialization of Student Development in High Education with honors from Central Connecticut State University in May 2023. She completed her practicum at Western’s Intercultural Affairs Office and her academic internship in the Center for Academic Success and Accessibility Services at Southern Connecticut State University. Before Western, she worked at Fisher College as a Student Activities Coordinator and Resident Director for the year following her undergraduate graduation. During her undergraduate experience at Western, Eden found herself to be very involved in Housing as well as Student Affairs as a whole serving as an RA and on several clubs Executive Boards. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Art in Sociology in 2019.
Eden is currently a first year PhD student at Springfield College’s Educational Leadership program. In her free time, you can find Eden exploring her home of Worcester, making new creations on her Cricuit, spending time with family and friends in the NY and CT area, catching up on the latest TV show, or listening to a podcast. She also enjoys cooking, trying new recipes she sees on Instagram, and trying new foods. When not in the office, Eden is likely traveling either locally, domestically, or internationally while practicing Arabic. Eden continues to look forward to becoming that much more immersed in the Clark community!
Oli Galvin
Housing Operations Coordinator
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Learn more about Oli
Oli joined Clark University as a staff member in 2022 and currently serves as the Housing Operations Coordinator for Residential Life and Housing. They also serve as a Strategic Learning Services Coach, and love providing their students with academic, social, and community support at Clark.
Originally from New Hampshire, they have settled in Worcester after being a student at Clark, where they completed their Bachelor of Arts in Screen Studies with a minor in Political Science, and a master’s degree in management. They worked as a TA in both their undergraduate and graduate years, and enjoyed guiding students through projects and assignments.
In their free time, you can find Oli working on film productions, hanging out with friends, listening to their favorite podcasts, and spending time with their brat-of-a-cat, Moony.
Michael Giusti
Community Director
Dana Hall, Hughes Hall, and Main St. Houses
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Learn more about Michael
Michael joined the Clark University staff in August of 2024. Michael oversees Dana, Hughes, and Main St. Houses.
He is from Hopkinton Massachusetts where the starting line of the Boston Marathon is, but he spent the past four years living in Waterville Maine where he was a Community Advisor and Area Residence Director at Colby College. While at Colby he majored in psychology and had a minor in East Asian Studies. He is excited to get involved at Clark and explore all the opportunities it has to offer.
In his free time, he enjoys baking and decorating cakes, whatever the craft of the week is, watching new shows, and trying to find the next Target Bird release. Michael is a big fan of chocolate cake and chocolate croissants and is always looking for a recommendation.
Kayla Lonneman
Community Director
Blackstone Hall and Wright Hall
1-508-793-7453
Learn more about Kayla
Jalexie Rios
Community Director
Dodd Hall, Johnson Sanford Center, and Affinity House
1-508-793-7453
Learn more about Jalexie
Jalexie joined Clark University in August 2024 as a Community Director for Residential Life and Housing. She is currently overseeing Johnson Sanford Center, Dodd Hall, and Affinity Housing. Jalexie’s primary role involves supervising the resident advisors and supporting students as they live and navigate their lives on Clark’s campus. She is excited to bring her ideas and passions to the role, the department, and the University.
Before coming to Clark, Jalexie worked in Student Union Operations at Central Connecticut State University, where she also earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. This past May, she graduated from Central with a Master of Science in Counselor Education, specializing in Student Development in Higher Education. With her background in operations, she possesses a wide range of skills in supervision, building operations, and programming for students, both educational and recreational.
Originally from Connecticut, Jalexie is enthusiastic about exploring the city of Worcester and discovering what it has to offer. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, cuddling her dogs, and spending time with family and friends.
Emma Smith
Community Director
Bullock Hall, Maywood Hall, and Maywood Houses
1-508-793-7453
Learn more about Emma
Emma joined Clark in August of 2024 as a Community Director for Residence Life and Housing. Emma is the go-to person for everything happening in Bullock Hall, Maywood Hall, and Maywood Houses. As a live-in professional, she’s here to help make the residence halls a great place to live and thrive. Whether it’s managing day-to-day activities or lending a hand with student concerns, Emma’s here to support our community. Emma loves working with students and collaborates with Hall Councils and the building representative for Student Council, making sure everyone’s voice is heard. Feel free to reach out to Emma—she’s excited to be a part of your Clark experience!
Emma served as a Resident Assistant and Graduate Assistant for Housing Operations at Johnson & Wales University during her Undergraduate and Graduate studies. Emma also served as an Assistant Residence Director prior to joining Clark. Emma earned a Bachelor of Science in Restaurant, Food and Beverage Management with a minor in Human Resources from Johnson & Wales University. Further pursuing their Education, Emma earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Organizational Leadership from Johnson & Wales University at the end of August 2024.
Originally from Vermont, Emma loves outdoor activities and spending time with family and friends. In her free time, she enjoys baking, jewelry making, and crafting with clay. As a Vegan foodie, Emma enjoys trying new restaurants, recipes and culinary innovations.