Heads of Transfer Advising (HOTA)
Heads of Transfer Advising (HOTA)
HOTA is comprised of 8-10 seasoned transfer advising professionals from colleges and universities across the province. HOTA meets monthly and works closely with ONCAT to build capacity and efficiency in transfer advising, both at individual institutions, and across the broader system. HOTA contributes to knowledge mobilization and professional development activities that support the wider Transfer Advisor Group (TAG).
Meet the HOTA Members:
Ryan Snowdon (Co-Chair)
Ryan Snowdon is a Senior Admission Coordinator in Undergraduate Admissions at Queen’s University. In this role, Ryan assists in strategic enrolment planning, recruitment and application assessment of the incoming undergraduate classes and works with faculties on the development of transfer opportunities and pathways. Ryan has 15 years of experience working in various roles at Queen’s and has been integral in the development of a First-Generation Pathway, managed key initiatives such as the Indigenous Admission Policy and non-traditional programs. Ryan has presented on transfer options and processes at several conferences and colleges throughout Canada and the United States.
Victoria Baker (Co-Chair)
Victoria Baker is the Manager of Academic Pathways at Seneca and has worked within the post-secondary education sector in Ontario for over 15 years. Her role involves working closely with Academic areas to establish, develop, negotiate and update new and existent articulation agreements with institutions both locally and abroad for inbound and outbound pathway opportunities. Victoria has presented at provincial, national and international conferences on the topic of pathways, advisement and transfer and has experience with the development of transfer credit policy, process implementation and research.
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn
Sharon Estok
Sharon is the Senior Manager in the Office of Academic Partnerships and Pathways, at Centennial College with close to 30 years of experience in the Ontario College system. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Waterloo, and Master’s Degree from McMaster University, where her studies focused on labour market issues and globalization. Sharon works with Academic Schools, International Education and external institutions at all levels, both within and outside Canada to create collaborative partnership agreements, involving articulation and transfer, degree completion, and both incoming and outgoing pathways for Centennial College students. She leads a team which also has responsibility for overseeing PLAR and Transfer Credit assessment.
Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn
Alexandra Bursey
Alexandra Bursey is a proud graduate of Trent University, where she began her journey in post-secondary education as a tour guide during her undergraduate studies. In 2019, she transitioned to the college sector, joining Durham College as a Pathways and Recruitment Assistant. Since then, she has remained dedicated to roles focused on pathways and transfer, despite a few title changes along the way. Alexandra’s daily mission is to advocate for transferability across the sector and to enhance the services her team provides to students, driven by a deep passion for student success.
Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn
Judy Tavares
Judy Tavares holds a Master's in Postsecondary Education from Memorial University, TESL from George Brown College, and a BA-Linguistics from York University. Judy is the Manager Student Mobility and Pathways at Humber Polytechnic, where she has worked for 20 years. Judy leads enrolment management, recruitment, student mobility. Judy shares that working with new and emerging transfer professionals is one of the best parts of her job. Judy advocates for creating professional networks of support for these professionals.
Tawny Flude
Tawny Flude is the Team Lead and Coordinator for Articulation and Transfer Pathways at Trent University. She has held various transfer roles at Trent for over a decade. Tawny’s time in the Articulation and Transfer Pathways Office includes collaborating with partner institutions and academic departments to develop new and innovative pathways, conducting research, developing resources, sharing knowledge, and analyzing data to ensure pathways meet student needs and foster success. She has had the pleasure of experiencing many postsecondary institutions, completing a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature at Trent University, a Bachelor of Education at Ontario Tech University, and a Master of Education in Postsecondary Studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland. With a passion for lifelong learning, Tawny values making transfer as accessible as possible.
Connect with Tawny on LinkedIn
Hilary Holmes
Hilary Holmes (she/her) is an Admission Counsellor at the University of Guelph. In her role she sits on Admission Committees, adjudicates applications, and assigns transfer credit for Science, Mathematics, Computing, and Landscape Architecture programs. She is also involved in the maintenance and development of U of G's pathways and articulation agreements on behalf of Admission Services. Hilary loves the advising part of her job, and specifically watching worry melt away when she's able to answer a question or help a transfer student with a challenging step in their journey. She is a proud U of Guelph graduate, most recently from the Ontario Agricultural College's Master of Science in Capacity Development and Extension program.
Connect with Hilary on LinkedIn
Shelby McClelland
Shelby grew up just outside of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and began her college journey at Georgian College before transferring to Laurentian University. As a transfer student during a time when the process was still relatively new, she gained firsthand experience of the importance of creating pathways for others. This experience ignited her passion for assisting students in similar situations. With 18 years in the college sector, 16 of which have been with Sault College, Shelby started her professional journey as a Recruitment Officer for eight years, helping students navigate their educational journey. Shelby's enthusiasm for student mobility led her to assume the role of the Pathways Coordinator at Sault College. For nearly a year, she has been dedicated to enhancing student pathways, assisting students with their educational endeavors, and increasing the college’s involvement in this critical area.