The Student Advocate Fellowship Program is comprised of recet graduates who will drive student-centric policy initiatives across SUNY. The first class of the first-ever Student Advocate Fellowship Program includes Kaitlyn Bertleff, Shay Gauthier, and Taryn Rackmyer.
SUNY Management Fellow focusing on developing policy to address a wide range of student-facing issues in the Office of the Chancellor. Bertleff was an inaugural member of the SUNY Student Voices Action Committee established by Chancellor Malatras in October 2020, a group working closely with SUNY’s Student Government Assembly that has championed for resources to bolster mental health resources for students and combat food insecurity across campuses. She was also President of SUNY Geneseo’s Student Association and an assistant residence director. Bertleff graduated from SUNY Geneseo in May.
SUNY Communications Fellow will develop and implement a communications strategy to address issues and opportunities raised by students, as well as help promote SUNY programs that make it one of the most affordable and accessible in higher education. She joins the Communications and Marketing team at SUNY, following extensive experience as a reporter and on-air personality, where she presented on important conversations such as, mental health, racial injustice, and issues surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to numerous broadcast awards, Gauthier was recognized as one of this year’s Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence and a recipient of SUNY Brockport’s President’s Citation Award for outstanding achievement. She graduated in May after completing her studies in journalism and broadcasting in three years.