Jan. 18—Niagara University has brought on some fresh faces as part of restructuring efforts for the College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management.

Brandi Guerinot and Alicia Sammarco will take on the roles of assistant dean for strategic initiatives and director of events and experimental operations, respectively. Their new additions were announced by the college's dean, Bridget Niland, and are part of a leadership restructuring that will facilitate an enhanced focus on experimental opportunities for students and support grand-funded programs, including the Project Play Western New York Cornerstone Program and the Statler Foundation's Hotel Industry Recovery Initiative.

The grants the college received will help create further opportunities in Niagara Falls for students to get real world experience. Niland, who has been the college's dean since June 2021, said what they have to offer the local hospitality industry was a pipeline of current or future workers.

"Our efforts are going to be focused on building closer ties with the hospitality and tourism industry in Niagara Falls," Niland said.

The college had received a $569,100 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation to launch the Project Play Western New York cornerstone project in Feb. 2022, which will work to educate those between 4 and 13 years old into being coaches. It also received grants from the Statler Foundation to support various efforts.

As an assistant dean, Guerinot will help Niland develop partnerships in ways that can provide for further help in their future careers.

"I knew it was going to be a great place to work when I interviewed for it," Guerinot said. "I love the direction the college is taking in terms of creating so many opportunities for students, and in the university as a whole. I wanted to be part of that."

Prior to NU, Guerinot worked for the America East Conference, serving as the associate commissioner of compliance and governance. In that role, she was the primary liaison to the league's nine member institutions in the areas of compliance, governance, and academics, headed all aspects of the conference's compliance program, and coordinated all legislative and governance activities, managing both conference and national issues for league members. She also held several positions at Daemen University and worked in athletic compliance at the University at Buffalo and Boston College.

"My background in college athletics is working in higher education," Guerinot said, adding that she has experience working as an adjunct and full-time professor. "I was developing programming for students and setting them up for success when they graduate. That correlates with the work I'm doing here."

Sammarco will oversee the college's various events, provide leadership to experimental learning opportunities, and guide students through the college's practicum programs. She will serve as the college's primary liaison to university offices and work in its communications initiatives.

She had previously served as the Project Play Western New York program manager at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, where she helped coordinate the collective impact model for Project Play WNY. She also held positions as Project Play coordinator and communication assistant, along with overseeing the program's interns.

"When the opportunity arose to move to Niagara, I had previously worked in restaurants, management, and brought major sporting events to the area," Sammarco said. "Bringing that skillset to work and helping students has made me extremely excited."

As part of this restructuring, Wendy O'Malley, the administrative assistant to the dean, will be taking on new responsibilities. The 14-year employee's role will be expanded to support the computer and information sciences and political science departments and the University Honor program, while continuing to support this college and its faculty members.