Leadership
Sean Kilpatrick,
Executive Director
Sean is a two-time alum of the University of Miami, and he has worked for the University in various student services capacities since 2006. In his role as Executive Director, Sean oversees the 'Canes Central operation and works with team members to create a culture of service and experience excellence.
Betsy Lopez,
Director
With over 17 years of higher education experience, Betsy comes to the University of Miami with a wealth of knowledge in the areas of student accounts, financial aid, management, and overall student services.
'Canes Central Team
Ajhine Seay,
Associate
Ahjine is a recent graduate of the University of Miami, completing her Bachelor's of Arts dgree with a major in Psychology, minor in Human and Social Development, and cognates in Biology & Chemistry for Pre-Health and The African Diaspora. After working with 'Canes Central as a Junior Associate for the past couple of years, Ahjine agreed to stay onboard as an Associate to continue working closely with students as they pursue their academic endeavors.
Abby Rodriguez,
Associate
Abby earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from National Taiwan University, and she plans to pursue a graduate degree at UM. Her desire to help others led her to pursue a career in customer service. Before joining the ’Canes Central team, Abby worked as a Liaison and Interpreter for the Taiwanese Council of External Trade and as an Adjunct Associate for Central American Technological University in Honduras.
Brittany Fairley,
Specialist
Brittany is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with her Master's in Business and Sports Management. Brittany has over 7 years of customer service experience and, before joining us as an Associate, she worked as a member of our call center for approximately 2 years, managing the team for the last year of her tenure.
Carlos Millan,
Associate
Carlos earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Supervision and Management at Miami-Dade College, and he plans to pursue his Master's degree in Higher Education Administration at UM. Before his time at ’Canes Central, Carlos served as a Military Police Officer in the United States Marine Corps from 2017-2021, and he finished his service as a Sergeant.
Gretel Perkins,
Sr. Associate
Gretel is a Florida International University graduate where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Public Administration, as well as a certification in Human Resources Management and Policy. Before joining 'Canes Central, Gretel worked as a Data Entry Clerk with the Department of Financial Affairs here at the University of Miami. Gretel is excited to join the ’Canes Central team and help contribute to Service & Experience Excellence at the U.
Jennifer Labranche,
Associate
Jennifer has over 17 years in the higher education industry, and she has a wealth of knowledge in all student services realms. Jennifer earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Supervision and Management from Miami Dade College. Jennifer is excited to join the ’Cane Central team and help contribute to Service & Experience Excellence at the U.
Lori Roomes,
Sr. Associate
Lori has over 15 years experience most recently serving as a Sr. Advisor and a key member of the Client Services Team in the Office of Financial Assistance and Employment.
Madison Rodas,
Team Lead
Madison is a graduate of the University of Florida, and she is now pursing her graduate degree in Higher Education Administration at Florida International University. Before her time at 'Canes Central, Madison worked as an Ambassador for Multicultural Affairs, a Division under the University of Florida's Department of Student Affairs.
Monica Guerrero,
Associate
Monica is a Florida International University graduate where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and she looks forward to continuing her education in the near future. With over six years of customer service experience, Monica comes to UM excited to join the world of higher education and to help students achieve their goals by providing holistic service and eliminating obstacles to their education.
Oscar Medina,
Sr. Associate
Oscar played a key role in student record keeping, college/school engagement in case resolution, and all-around customer service as a Sr. Student Rep in the Registrar and has held service-related roles in retail and education for over 13 years.
Samantha Valea,
Team Lead
Samantha formerly assisted the College of Engineering with course scheduling and curriculum management, and she has prior experience as a Bursar Cashier Specialist. She is a recent UM alum after finishing her Master's of Science in Education with a concentration in Higher Education Administration.
Wanda Gaitan,
Associate
With over 7 years of customer service experience, including experience in evaluating foreign academic credentials, Wanda continues to pursue her passion of assisting students through her work as an Associate. Wanda looks forward to pursuing further education at UM in the future.
Yasmeen Celestrin,
Associate
Prior to joining 'Canes Central, Yasmeen worked at Miami-Dade College as an Information Specialist in the Office of Admission and Registration where she also completed her Associate’s degree in Speech Pathology. Yasmeen has over six years of experience in the higher education sector, and she is well-versed in all facets of student services. She is super excited to be part of the University of Miami and she looks forward to assisting students and families.
Student Assistant Team

’Canes Central Student Assistants are highly-trained undergraduate and graduate students who play a direct role in the execution of the ’Canes Central mission. This team consists of 8 students who work in the office year-round, as well as 15-20 temporary student employees who assist the team during peak seasons. Student Assistants serve primarily as customer service agents who answer caller inquires, greet visitors, resolve ’Cane Card issues, etc., and they play a critical role in our marketing and outreach efforts.
Are you interested in joining our Student Assistant team? Keep an eye out for our open position postings on Student Employment’s JobX system.
Ariana
Miami, FL
Ariana joined 'Canes Central in Summer 2022. She is an undergraduate student who is double-majoring in Anthropology and Criminology and minoring in Psychology. With her many years of customer service experience, Ariana hopes to bring an optimistic and welcoming experience to the 'Canes Central team.
Daniela
Genova, Italy
Daniela is pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in the School of Architecture. She has 5 years of experience in customer service and interior design, and she joined the ’Canes Central team in December 2021. After graduation, Daniela plans to start her own business flipping houses.
Emmaus
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Emmaus is an undergraduate student in the School of Architecture, planning to graduate in May 2023. After working as a temporary Student Assistant during our Summer 2022 peak season, Emmaus secured a permanent spot at 'Canes Central where he enjoys using his creativity and customer service skills to assist students in any way he can.
Ruben
Hialeah, FL
Ruben is an undergraduate student and is pursuing a major Aerospace Engineering. He has worked for ’Canes Central since his freshman year. Apart from providing world-class customer service, Ruben uses his photography, videography, and overall graphic design skills to assist with ’Canes Central’s market efforts.
Susan
Miami, FL
Susan is an undergraduate student who is majoring in Political Science (Pre-Law track) and minoring in Law & Politics. Susan joined ’Canes Central as a temporary Student Assistant in Winter 2021/2022 and later re-joined our year-round Student Assistant team in Summer 2022. Through her role, Susan strives to always demonstrate service excellence through her tireless efforts as she is always eager to jump in and assist the UM community.