Renea Forde brings to UMD a 16-year career in higher education student success, with expertise in student leadership development, faculty engagement, academic and career coaching, and adult learning. Most recently, as the Program Director of Academic Initiatives and Living Learning Communities at the University of South Florida, she managed 13 LLCs – including faculty engagement and live-on programs – and implemented an annual slate of signature academic initiatives and student programming. Concurrently, she was Program Director of the Provost’s Scholars Program in USF’s Judy Genshaft Honors College. She was awarded the Outstanding Staff Award in 2025 and selected for the 26-27 Leadership Academic cohort within the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International. Ms. Forde, whose career in education began in advising and student success, holds a BA in Psychology and a BSW in Social Work from the University of Central Florida, and an MA in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. When not singing karaoke or trying out new restaurants, she enjoys live music, concerts, musicals, traveling, trivia, and quality time with loved ones.