About the Dean of Students Office
The Dean of Students Office focuses on crisis management and fosters a safe and healthy campus environment where students grow and develop personally, socially, and emotionally.
Staff
As Dean of Students, Monique Pillow Gnanaratnam oversees the Dean of Students Office, Department of Student Rights and Community Standards, Department of Student Engagement, and the Care Team.
She holds a bachelor's degree from Wilmington College and a master's degree from Bowling Green State University, both in Ohio. She previously worked at Northeastern University in Boston; Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky; and the University of Dayton in Ohio.
Alex's role focuses on helping students navigate challenges and choices through an educational lens, while empowering students to find who they are as individuals and bring the best and most unique aspects of themselves to each experience they create here at Brandeis.
Alex holds a bachelor's degree from SUNY Cortland and a master's degree from Central Connecticut State University. She has worked in various small to mid-sized private institutions around New England. Her experience has spanned wellness education, career services, orientation, residence life and community standards.
Alyssa is the co-chair of the Brandeis Care Team. She provides individualized support and resources to students experiencing personal, health and other challenges that impact their well-being and success at Brandeis. She is a Brandeis alumna, where she received her BA in HSSP. She went on to receive her master's degree in social work at Boston University in 2018. Before Brandeis, she worked as a clinician at Harvard University's Counseling Center for five years, providing individual case management, psychotherapy and crisis response to undergraduate and graduate students.
Alyssa is passionate about supporting students' well-being and mental health and aims to help set students up for success at Brandeis and beyond. Outside of work, she loves staying active outdoors, cooking and doing crossword puzzles.
As the Program Director of Student Support and Initiatives, Cathy is a key member of the Dean of Students Team . She supports both Student Rights and Community Standards and Care teams, assisting with the adjudication of conduct and academic integrity cases, assisting in managing crisis situations involving undergraduate and graduate students and creates and delivers training opportunities for students and campus community members.
Cathy has worked in higher education for her entire career. She worked in career development for over 10 years, followed by administrative roles at CC of Vermont and the State of Vermont. She then worked at the University of Vermont in the School of Business heading academic advising and moved to Massachusetts in 2014 to take a position at Bentley in academic affairs. Cathy received her bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg College, master’s from Penn State University and doctorate from the University of Vermont. In her off hours, she enjoys hiking, gardening, biking and watercolor painting.
Karen supports the Dean of Students office as well as the Department of Student Engagement, the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards and the CARE Team.
Karen holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology from Southern CT State University. Her working experience includes student records administration, budget management and financial analysis. Outside of work, Karen enjoys family time, traveling and participating in community theater.