In July, Helen Tewolde, Director, Access Strategy and Partnerships Office (ASPO), welcomed two new staff members to her team: Anda Petro, Programs and Pathways Officer, and Chinelle Mcdonald, Partnerships and Development Officer.  

 
Anda (she/her) has over 10 years’ experience in post-secondary education and is most passionate about the ways in which universities reflect and work with our communities.  

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know the U of T community – all the staff, faculty and students – that makes the great access programs possible with their passion and expertise,” says Anda.  

“I’m honoured to be a partner in this work and thrilled that I get to do it alongside my very talented ASPO colleagues.” 

Anda started her career at U of T’s Centre for Community Partnerships as a Community Liaison Assistant, but most recently she held the position of Community Projects Coordinator at York University’s TD Community Engagement Centre where she supported access to post-secondary education in the Black Creek/Jane Finch community as well as more broadly.  

In her new role as the Programs and Pathways Officer in ASPO, she will focus on supporting a range of collaborative learning and capacity-building initiatives and opportunities for tri-campus access programs. 

Chinelle (she/her) was previously a Program Coordinator based in the Office of Access and Outreach at Temerty Faculty of Medicine (FoM), where she dedicated her time to the development of access initiatives for communities that are underrepresented within the health sciences field. At the FoM, Chinelle spearheaded the rebranding and expansion of their STEAM Design (STEAM-D) access program, which developed significantly during her tenure through forging new partnerships with institutions across the Greater Toronto Area and Northern Ontario.  

“It’s an honour to be a part of the ASPO team where I get to work with incredible folks who are championing access initiatives across our campuses,” says Chinelle.  

“I look forward to contributing to the growth and continued success of ASPO and the broader community.” 

Chinelle’s new role as Partnerships and Development Officer in ASPO will centre on access-focused partnerships and promoting opportunities for access programs at the University. 

As Director, Helen is keen to further develop her broad, tri-campus vision for ASPO. 

“I’m delighted to be at this point, bringing ASPO into the next stage of its evolution,” says Helen. 

“After decades of investment in access programs across a broad range of tri-campus divisions, academic programs, and student services, with the addition of both Anda and Chinelle, our now more fully formed ASPO team further helps students overcome barriers to education and will support the ambitions of prospective and current students to learn and thrive while they’re studying at U of T.” 

Both Anda and Chinelle will be based in the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students (Room 221) on Wednesdays and Thursdays.