Rhonda Todd began in CALS on January 3, 2022, as the inaugural Director of Inclusive Academic Advising (IAA) and as of February 1, 2025, she is now the inaugural Director of Student Success Navigators and Pathway Development Programs. Rhonda’s career has been in education where she began as an elementary school teacher and spent six years at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan as their Director of Academic Success. Rhonda directly and indirectly led a team of 50+ staff focused on academic and social support of 100+ Michigan Ross Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), undergraduate, and high school students. She created and managed pathway programs while establishing and launching community in pertinent program components to enhance student experience, agency, retention, academic understanding, program involvement and skill-set building resulting in increased quality of applicants and higher scoring course grades. In CALS, Rhonda implemented an asset-based approach to centering students and procedures. She highlighted inclusive language and mindsets and influenced the rebranding of the Academic Success Program. Currently, she is focused on supporting and building relationships with campus partners, community-based organizations, high schools, community colleges, and excitedly, the local Ithaca community. Rhonda is responsible for developing and implementing programming that will engage students in new and innovative pathways to belonging, from the moment they are identified as prospects, through graduation, and as a member of our passionate community of alumni. Rhonda is a biological mom of two and campus mom or auntie of many across the US. She holds a Master of Arts in Urban Diversity Education and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, both from Eastern Michigan University. When she is not working with or thinking about access for all, you might find her watching Star Wars, Black Panther or football, line dancing, listening to a good podcast, or simply relaxing at home playing Monopoly Go.
If you have questions regarding the Navigator Initiative, please email cals-navigator [at] cornell.edu.
