Student Success + Experience Leadership Team

Shana Dion (she/her)

Assistant Dean, First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students

tânisi nitotemtik. Shana Dion, nitisiyihkâson ekwa nehiyaw iskwew niya Kehewin Cree Nation ochi niya.

Hello, my friends. My name is Shana Dion and I am a Cree woman from Kehewin Cree Nation. It is important that I introduced myself in Cree because it grounds me in who I am, where I come from and who I am accountable to.

As Assistant Dean of First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students, Shana Dion (BA NS, MSc) is dedicated to supporting the development of institutional culture, space, systems and support that nurtures FNMI student success now and for the next seven generations yet to come. Previously she was the Director of First Peoples' House for over 9 years, nurturing relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities on and off campus. Prior to joining the U of A, she managed the National Addictions Awareness Week Campaign for 5 years with the Nechi Institute and traveled across Canada to promote healthy addictions-free lifestyles to First Nation communities. She believes the work of decolonization requires people that are willing to challenge policies and historical practices. At times it means breaking generational curses, institutional barriers, systemic racism, and micro and macro aggressions that are endemic within all of our institutions. This journey requires us all to be innovative, inspirational and impactful enough that the students generations from now feel the legacy of love we have left behind. She prays that she can soften the trails with her moccasins just a little bit more as her nehiyaw Ancestors gracefully did for her.

Kevin Friese (he/him)

Assistant Dean, Health and Wellness (Currently on secondment to the Information, Privacy and Records Management Office)

Kevin Friese’s (MEd) career has focused on a diverse set of commitments relating to students and student affairs taking him from student recruitment to student affairs and student health and wellness. With over twenty years of experience in the field of health and wellness, Kevin has the privilege of leading a multidisciplinary team of health professionals on campus who use a holistic health and wellness framework to support the well-being of students, their families, faculty, and staff. He has a passion for supporting the health and well-being of our campus with a vision of creating communities in which each person is empowered to flourish and achieve their full academic and life potential. Kevin completed his MEd at the University of Alberta in 2017 in the Higher Education Administration and Leadership program and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta.

Blessie Mathew (she/her)

Assistant Dean, Student Success, Careers and Experiential Learning

BBlessie Mathew (BSc, CCDP) leads the Career Centre, Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI), Orientation and Transition Programs, and Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science (WISEST). Each area broadly aligns in its goals to support individuals in engaging in career development, experiential learning and student engagement activities that help them build the skills, knowledge, experience and connections they need to progress in their academic lives and careers resourcefully, and with hope and resilience. Blessie has worked in student services at the University of Alberta for 30 years, and her deep-rooted connection to the campus informs her student-centric approach. She is a leader in the Canadian post-secondary landscape, working with national professional associations and advocating for the advancement of experiential learning and the integration of career development into the academic journey. Her commitment to cross-institutional collaboration ensures that the University of Alberta remains at the forefront of student success and workforce readiness.

Dr. Dunsi Strohschein (she/her)

Assistant Dean, Community Wellness Supports

Dr. Dunsi Strohschein (PhD) leads the Wellness Supports unit and the Sexual Assault Centre, overseeing a multi-disciplinary team that includes psychological support and crisis management services for sexual or gender-based violence survivors, community well-being programs, education and health promotion initiatives. She is also an adjunct professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. She has over 20 years of experience working in diverse corporate and academic environments. Through her experience in healthcare, public health, and the social services sector, she is deeply committed to advancing the health and well-being of communities by integrating community voices with evidence-based methodologies. Over the last two decades, her contributions span critical areas where she has driven impactful change and innovation in public health, healthcare and the social services sector.