Alissa Gardner is currently the director of The Grad Academy, where she oversees professional, academic, and leadership development programming for graduate and professional students at UNLV. Bringing more than a decade of experience supporting early career professionals and researchers, Gardner joined the Grad College team in the spring of 2023 and was delighted to be recognized by the UNLV Graduate & Professional Student Association as a recipient of the GPSA Distinguished Contribution Award in the spring of 2024. Gardner is deeply committed to empowering students to embrace their potential, build community connections, and reach their goals during school and beyond. In her free time, she relishes spending time with her sweet dog and tabby cats, travel hacks vacation adventures with her husband, explores the great outdoors, and volunteers for local and national animal rescue organizations and Free Haven Community Initiative, an international NGO devoted to education, nutrition, health, and empowerment programs.