Leaders of Volunteers Learning Forum

Matt Burns is Director of Development for the Schulich School of Engineering (SSE) at the University of Calgary (UCalgary). Matt’s team leads fund development and alumni engagement work on behalf of the faculty.

Prior to joining SSE, Matt was Director of Development, Campaign at UCalgary where he helped lead fund development efforts as part of the university’s recently completed $1.4 Billion fundraising campaign Energize: the Campaign for Eyes High.

Matt has over 20 years of communications, stakeholder engagement, and business development experience in the corporate and public sectors. He holds his MBA from the University of British Columbia (UBC)’s Sauder School of Business, a Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), and a Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie University.

Jessica brings her experience to her role at the Student Success Centre, where she is responsible for the First Year Scholar and Scholars Academy, programs for high potential undergraduate students. She thrives on helping students navigate through the bewildering maze of post-undergraduate options. Beyond the university’s walls, she is the Program Director for Shad Calgary and Chair of the not-for-profit, AASEE, whose mission is to deliver science and engineering educational programming to underserved areas in Alberta. Jessica holds a PhD in Educational Studies from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Comparative and International Education. 

Lasha Haché is an experienced Community Engagement Specialist at the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation with the Haskayne School of Business from the University of Calgary. One of her responsibilities includes recruiting entrepreneurs to volunteer in the classroom to help students refine their business pitches. She is a University of Calgary alumna and holds for Master of Business Administration from the Haskayne School of Business.

Manager - Peer Support & Outreach, University of Calgary

Nada Rustom has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and English from Athabasca University and is the Alumni Leadership Engagement Specialist with the UCalgary Alumni team.  Her work focuses on two areas of alumni engagement - Affinity Communities and UCalgary Mentor Link.  This work supports Nada’s belief that all of us have a responsibility to build and shape the communities we live in.  She demonstrates that by volunteering her time teaching English as a Second Language with the LINC program at YMCA Calgary and by working with agencies around the city to help interpret for Arabic speaking newcomers to Canada.