UMASA Executive and Committee Positions & Departmental Committee Student Positions
There are many ways to get involved in UMASA or in the department as a student representative. Below is a listing of the current executive members and those holding committee positions. Elections for executive positions take place at the end of the academic year, while committee positions are elected in the fall. See Getting Involved, for more details about upcoming opportunities.
2020-2021 UMASA Executive
PRESIDENT: Brittany Guarino
umasa@myumanitoba.ca
Brittany Guarino first came to the University of Manitoba in 2016 initially with the hopes of pursuing psychology and Japanese for her studies. During 2017-2018 she took a year off school to spend a year living in New Zealand. While living there she discovered her passion for anthropology and sustainability. Since 2018 she has returned to pursue a major in environmental/cultural anthropology with a minor in history. Brittany is hoping to get into the program of marine and coastal management in the university center of Westfjord in Iceland. Her end goal is to have a career in environmental and cultural resource management. In the university she worked along with groups such as the sustainable working group under UMSU, UMEARTH as promotions director and is a member of the sustainability ambassador program. Some of the things she enjoys doing is playing piano, singing, painting, drawing and lastly hiking. Her aspirations for UMASA is to build a stronger relationship with students and to increase the groups visibility on campus!
Brittany: [Image description: Female university student with dark brown hair, smiling, in front of trees with white and pink blossoms under a bright blue sky.]
umasa@myumanitoba.ca
Brittany Guarino first came to the University of Manitoba in 2016 initially with the hopes of pursuing psychology and Japanese for her studies. During 2017-2018 she took a year off school to spend a year living in New Zealand. While living there she discovered her passion for anthropology and sustainability. Since 2018 she has returned to pursue a major in environmental/cultural anthropology with a minor in history. Brittany is hoping to get into the program of marine and coastal management in the university center of Westfjord in Iceland. Her end goal is to have a career in environmental and cultural resource management. In the university she worked along with groups such as the sustainable working group under UMSU, UMEARTH as promotions director and is a member of the sustainability ambassador program. Some of the things she enjoys doing is playing piano, singing, painting, drawing and lastly hiking. Her aspirations for UMASA is to build a stronger relationship with students and to increase the groups visibility on campus!
Brittany: [Image description: Female university student with dark brown hair, smiling, in front of trees with white and pink blossoms under a bright blue sky.]
VICE PRESIDENT ( UNDERGRADUATE) : Madelaine Ricard
ricardm1@myumanitoba.ca
Madelaine Ricard enrolled at the University of Manitoba in the fall of 2018, after gaining direct entry in the Faculty of Arts, pursuing Anthropology. She is now in her third year of her undergraduate degree, and is enrolled in the Honours Anthropology program. She works as a work study student for Dr. H. Greenfield, after volunteering for a short time in the NEBAL lab in St.Paul's college. She looks forward to participating in field schools in the future and further pursuing her academic career in Graduate and PhD studies abroad. She hopes to aid the president of UMASA, Brittany Guarino in creating an inclusive community and to provide more exposure and opportunities for U of M students and the community to connect with the field of Anthropology and Archaeology.
[Image description: Female university student with long black hair and tortoiseshell coloured glasses grinning for a photo in her car.]
ricardm1@myumanitoba.ca
Madelaine Ricard enrolled at the University of Manitoba in the fall of 2018, after gaining direct entry in the Faculty of Arts, pursuing Anthropology. She is now in her third year of her undergraduate degree, and is enrolled in the Honours Anthropology program. She works as a work study student for Dr. H. Greenfield, after volunteering for a short time in the NEBAL lab in St.Paul's college. She looks forward to participating in field schools in the future and further pursuing her academic career in Graduate and PhD studies abroad. She hopes to aid the president of UMASA, Brittany Guarino in creating an inclusive community and to provide more exposure and opportunities for U of M students and the community to connect with the field of Anthropology and Archaeology.
[Image description: Female university student with long black hair and tortoiseshell coloured glasses grinning for a photo in her car.]
COMMUNITY LIAISON COORDINATOR: Breanna Vitti
vittib@myumanitoba.ca
Breanna is currently a second degree student in the second year of her undergraduate degree with a minor in religion...or history. Her focus is archaeology but has a love for all aspects of anthropology!
She has a variety of interests and has been working during the summer as a Field Technician at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Center in Morden, Manitoba for the last three summers giving tours and happily prepping out fossils in the lab.
In her future Breanna hopes to further her education with grad school and to work in a museum as a collections manager, lab technician, or both combined with being able to teach others. Of course working in the field would make her the happiest!
Her interests flow from pottery and fabrics to art history to bones. Nothing makes her happier except her cat Tigger. She is constantly furthering her knowledge in new directions through multiple sources and is happy to recommend a book or podcast!
With UMASA Breanna hopes to work alongside her fellow executives to make sure that UMASA is accessible to all and to show people anthropology is more than just "hands on history!"
She also hopes to influence the perception people have of those with invisible disabilities. Since 2007, Breanna has been diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder and even though there are difficult days she has never let it stop her.
[Image description: Female university student with long brown hair and a big smile is sitting in the sun wearing a black tank top that has a setting sun shadowing palm trees and grey shorts and a book on her knee.]
vittib@myumanitoba.ca
Breanna is currently a second degree student in the second year of her undergraduate degree with a minor in religion...or history. Her focus is archaeology but has a love for all aspects of anthropology!
She has a variety of interests and has been working during the summer as a Field Technician at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Center in Morden, Manitoba for the last three summers giving tours and happily prepping out fossils in the lab.
In her future Breanna hopes to further her education with grad school and to work in a museum as a collections manager, lab technician, or both combined with being able to teach others. Of course working in the field would make her the happiest!
Her interests flow from pottery and fabrics to art history to bones. Nothing makes her happier except her cat Tigger. She is constantly furthering her knowledge in new directions through multiple sources and is happy to recommend a book or podcast!
With UMASA Breanna hopes to work alongside her fellow executives to make sure that UMASA is accessible to all and to show people anthropology is more than just "hands on history!"
She also hopes to influence the perception people have of those with invisible disabilities. Since 2007, Breanna has been diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder and even though there are difficult days she has never let it stop her.
[Image description: Female university student with long brown hair and a big smile is sitting in the sun wearing a black tank top that has a setting sun shadowing palm trees and grey shorts and a book on her knee.]
TREASURER: Taylor Neustaeter
neustaet@myumanitoba.ca
Taylor is a Cultural Anthropologist who is interested in human rights, social justice, and global human issues. In 2017, Taylor had the opportunity to travel internationally for 9 months as a volunteer with a non-profit humanitarian aid organization. Since her return, she has worked with local non-profit organizations and immigration agencies in Manitoba. Since she began attending classes at the U of M in 2018, Taylor has been invested in campus life by building relationships with other students and being involved in student groups. She has been involved with several different student groups on campus, donated baked goods for UMASA's bake sale, and served as the Social Media Coordinator for UMASA in 2019-2020 school year. Taylor is passionate about creating an inclusive and welcoming community for everyone at the university. She is currently in her third year of her undergraduate Honours degree and is looking forward to pursuing a JD and PhD in human rights and international law.
[Image description: Female university student with blonde hair and a big smile standing on a rock path with tall grass on either side. She is wearing a black and white striped jumpsuit and tucking her hair behind her ear with one hand.]
neustaet@myumanitoba.ca
Taylor is a Cultural Anthropologist who is interested in human rights, social justice, and global human issues. In 2017, Taylor had the opportunity to travel internationally for 9 months as a volunteer with a non-profit humanitarian aid organization. Since her return, she has worked with local non-profit organizations and immigration agencies in Manitoba. Since she began attending classes at the U of M in 2018, Taylor has been invested in campus life by building relationships with other students and being involved in student groups. She has been involved with several different student groups on campus, donated baked goods for UMASA's bake sale, and served as the Social Media Coordinator for UMASA in 2019-2020 school year. Taylor is passionate about creating an inclusive and welcoming community for everyone at the university. She is currently in her third year of her undergraduate Honours degree and is looking forward to pursuing a JD and PhD in human rights and international law.
[Image description: Female university student with blonde hair and a big smile standing on a rock path with tall grass on either side. She is wearing a black and white striped jumpsuit and tucking her hair behind her ear with one hand.]
SOCIAL AND FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR: Steven Smeltz
smeltzs@myumanitoba.ca
Steven is a fourth year undergraduate student at the University of Manitoba who enrolled in the fall of 2016. After spending a year in the Science program he realized he felt far more connected to Anthropology, and switched to an Honours Degree in the program, while using his Science experience in the form of a Biology minor. Steven hopes to find work in archaeology or forensic anthropology after graduating, and will be going to graduate school at some point to continue his education with a Masters degree. He has been a part of UMASA for two years, and decided to join the Executive Committee as the Social and Fundraising Director after returning from an exchange term at Cardiff University. Steven hopes to help UMASA continue to provide fun, safe, and successful social and fundraising events despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
[Image description: Male university student with black hair wearing a Jets baseball cap. He is sitting in a bright classroom with a big grin on his face as he is looking through an ostrich eggshell bead with his right eye.]
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Bailey Palamar
palamarb@myumanitoba.ca
Bailey Palamar is in the fifth year of an undergraduate Honours degree in anthropology with a minor in psychology. Before becoming a U of M student in 2019, she was a student at Université de Saint-Boniface from 2016-2019. Bailey enjoys the biological, the cultural and the archaeological parts of anthropology. After completing her undergraduate degree, she looks forward to pursuing graduate studies and becoming a museum curator. Currently, Bailey works part-time at Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum where she cleans artefacts, gives tours and gets people excited about history. She is also thrilled to be on the cabinet (organizing committee) of the Parlement jeunesse franco-manitobain, Manitoba’s French-language youth parliament. In her free time, you can find her salsa dancing, knitting, and spending time with her friends. Bailey wants to make sure that all anthropology students have a place to connect, even if the format looks different for the time being!
[Image description: Female university student wearing a black blouse smiling for photo in front of a building with a lush green shrub.]
CO- VICE PRESIDENT GRADUATE: Olajumoke Olalere
My name is Olajumoke Olalere, a graduate student of the department of anthropology, University of Manitoba, currently residing in Nigeria. My research interest aims to evaluate and develop different low and higher cost solutions for the digital imaging and archival of archeological collections. This would be immensely helpful to many researchers, both across Africa and globally. Aside from my studies and other activities, I have strong interests in reading, music and travel. I enjoy reading a variety of books, ranging from historical biographies to fictional fantasy. These fictional stories have created a huge environment for imaginative thinking as imagination is essential for development. Albert Einstein famously said that: "Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." I enjoy traveling especially with the purpose of learning other cultures and archaeological sites. Music is a universal language and I enjoy listening to various musical pieces across the globe.
Currently, I am a member of One African Child Organization founded by Victoria Ibiwoye and ONE founded by Bobby Shriver and Paul David Hewson. I have helped in educating and empowering young children and helped in fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, by raising public awareness. Also, I belonged to the Reproductive Health and HIV/Aids Group, Community Development Scheme of which I was the General Secretary and I organized and documented all public sensitization programs and educate students and adults on topics related to their overall well-being.
[Image description: Female student posing for a photo in front of a lush garden of various assortments flora. She is wearing a white blouse, accompanied with a gold chain necklace, and a red polka dot skirt.]
CO-VICE PRESIDENT GRADUATE: Francois Jordann
I am a PhD candidate at the University of Manitoba in the Department of Anthropology. My research looks at how social identities are constructed through material culture, specifically ceramics, amongst past Indigenous communities in South Africa. I am originally from South Africa and came to Canada in 2015 to pursue my PhD degree with Kent Fowler. I have been a member of UMASA since then and was the UMASA Graduate Vice President and editor for the UMASA Journal in 2016. I would love to have a more active role with UMASA this year and also be a part of the Journal team.
[ Image description: Male university student poised against a white backdrop smiling with a black button down dress shirt.]
I am a PhD candidate at the University of Manitoba in the Department of Anthropology. My research looks at how social identities are constructed through material culture, specifically ceramics, amongst past Indigenous communities in South Africa. I am originally from South Africa and came to Canada in 2015 to pursue my PhD degree with Kent Fowler. I have been a member of UMASA since then and was the UMASA Graduate Vice President and editor for the UMASA Journal in 2016. I would love to have a more active role with UMASA this year and also be a part of the Journal team.
[ Image description: Male university student poised against a white backdrop smiling with a black button down dress shirt.]
2020-2021 UMASA Project Coordinator
'LETS TALK SCIENCE' INITIATIVE COORDINATOR: Cheneé Merchant
My name is Cheneé and I am a second year Master’s student studying human skeletal variation, specifically of cranial traits, and their usefulness for estimating ancestry. During my undergraduate, I volunteered my time with students of all ages (Grades 1-12 and adults) teaching them about forensic and biological anthropology. I loved sharing my knowledge with others and listening to them share what they learned with me. When I arrived at the University of Manitoba, I found a severe lack of volunteer opportunities that involved members of the public within the anthropology department. This year I want to get the students and department more involved with sharing anthropological knowledge with the public, and provide undergraduates the same opportunities I had when I did my undergraduate. I ended up finding the program Let’s Talk Science, which is a great program for teaching grades 1-12 complex science topics by breaking information down into digestible, easy to learn bits through hands-on activities. I plan on fostering awareness of the science that anthropologists use through this program. My academic interests include forensic anthropology and archaeology, dental anthropology, and juvenile osteology. Outside of school I like doing art, playing games, and going to music and art festivals.
[Image description: Female university student with red hair and a purple scarf smiling for a photo in the forest]
My name is Cheneé and I am a second year Master’s student studying human skeletal variation, specifically of cranial traits, and their usefulness for estimating ancestry. During my undergraduate, I volunteered my time with students of all ages (Grades 1-12 and adults) teaching them about forensic and biological anthropology. I loved sharing my knowledge with others and listening to them share what they learned with me. When I arrived at the University of Manitoba, I found a severe lack of volunteer opportunities that involved members of the public within the anthropology department. This year I want to get the students and department more involved with sharing anthropological knowledge with the public, and provide undergraduates the same opportunities I had when I did my undergraduate. I ended up finding the program Let’s Talk Science, which is a great program for teaching grades 1-12 complex science topics by breaking information down into digestible, easy to learn bits through hands-on activities. I plan on fostering awareness of the science that anthropologists use through this program. My academic interests include forensic anthropology and archaeology, dental anthropology, and juvenile osteology. Outside of school I like doing art, playing games, and going to music and art festivals.
[Image description: Female university student with red hair and a purple scarf smiling for a photo in the forest]
