Before joining Columbia Engineering in December 2015, Raina worked as an Employment Counselor with the Department of Labor and built her career prior to that working in human resources, recruiting and teaching positions. Her solid background and knowledge of the workforce and career development is attributed to 30 years of working in roles ranging from small businesses, large corporate environments, government and higher education. Some of her favorite industries she has worked in include education, finance, information technology and consulting.
Raina earned her BA in Sociology with a Minor in Communications from SUNY Cortland and MS in Career Development from the College of New Rochelle while working full-time. Upon completing her Master of Science Degree, she was hired as an Adjunct at the College of New Rochelle to teach Career Development courses at the graduate school. Her first full-time career services role was as Director of Career Services at Polytechnic University, where she managed all of the campus locations. She also worked part-time in career services as an Intern at Fordham University and Career Counselor at IONA University.
Since August 2019, Raina works as the Assistant Director of Graduate Career Placement in both the Chemical Engineering Department and the Earth & Environmental Engineering Department and teaches at Columbia Engineering elective classes for the Professional Development and Leadership course. She works primarily with the graduate students earning an MS in Carbon Management, MS in Earth and Environmental Engineering and MS in Chemical Engineering. She prides herself upon connecting her students with opportunities, employers and alumni as well as hosting events and conducting one on one career coaching. Previously, Raina worked in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering Program at Columbia Engineering and continues in her current role to build resources, programming and strong partnerships with staff and faculty within the Columbia community.
Summary of Achievements
Over the past year, Raina has developed new, well-attended workshops that demonstrate her commitment to student success. Her skilled schedule management across three departments has reduced urgent communications and created smoother workflows. She has shown exceptional accountability and collaboration through her active participation in CPO discussions, sharing best practices and strengthening partnerships to enhance student opportunities. Raina also exemplifies adaptability and mentorship, supporting colleagues’ onboarding and training with patience and care. By efficiently sharing reports and data with faculty and staff, she has fostered transparency and efficiency. Her dedication, innovation, and professionalism have made this her most impactful year yet; achievements that truly merit the Spot Award.
