Laura Elizabeth Hand

Assistant Director of Career Services | Writing, Research, and Technology SME | MA, BA

Top Skills

  • Leadership
  • Research
  • Public Speaking
  • International Recruitment
  • Workshops
  • Program Management
  • Survey Design

Languages

  • English (Native or Bilingual)
  • Spanish (Fluent Literacy)

Experience Highlights

Assistant Director of Career Services – Hostos Community College of CUNY

November 2023 – Present

  • Implemented technology and best practices to increase engagement.
  • Transitioned systems from Simplicity to Handshake.
  • Trained staff on EdTech implementation and created accessible materials.
  • Compiled and analyzed data for reporting and requisitions.
  • Wrote grants that substantially increased funding and resources.
  • Audited materials and programs for accessibility compliance.

Program Manager – Hostos Community College of CUNY

September 2023 – Present

  • Managed 2024 NACE Career Excellence Honoree program.
  • Tracked student engagement, obtaining >$12,000 in additional funding in the first two months
  • Designed curriculum, wrote grants, and planned activities, increasing completion to >1100 (from 8 in 09/2023)

Associate Director and Education Specialist – Spark Growth

April 2020 – Present

  • Designed WordPress websites, marketing materials, and accessible content.
  • Published a textbook chapter on multimodal teaching and learning.
  • Proposed and implemented a web redesign and rebranding effort.

Career Services Specialist – Research Foundation of CUNY

March 2021 – September 2023

  • Advised students on career services and supported workforce initiatives.
  • Developed and refined curriculum for various programs.
  • Coordinated partnerships for meaningful work experiences.

Workforce Development Coordinator – Research Foundation of CUNY

May 2021 – August 2023

  • Led career development workshops and entrepreneurship training.
  • Managed partnerships for IT and technical education courses.
  • Provided case management and advisement for 50+ participants.

Instructional Designer – CRD Impact

July 2020 – December 2020

  • Developed ELL programs and supporting documentation.
  • Designed compliance tools for grant-funded programs.

Graduate Teaching Assistant – Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

January 2020 – May 2020

  • Supported graduate-level coursework on the Caribbean revolutions.
  • Led discussions and assisted with grading and course logistics.

ESOL Teacher Coordinator – Community Impact at Columbia University

January 2018 – May 2020

  • Oversaw 90+ volunteers and coordinated curriculum planning for ESOL courses.
  • Managed scheduling and communications across multiple sites.

Reading and Writing Development Workshop Program Assistant – Johns Hopkins University

June 2019 – August 2019

  • Designed and led daily activities (~5-55 students ea.), receiving positive feedback.
  • Instructed children 5 to 12 in advanced reading and writing, including poetic analysis and scansion.
  • Inventoried materials and requisitioned items to meet course needs.

Education

    • Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences – Master’s degree in English and Comparative Literature (4.0 GPA)

 

  • Columbia University – Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature, Mathematics, and English

     

    • Medicine, Literature, and Society Specialty Track
  • Pine View School for the Intellectually Gifted – Diploma