Yelena Shuster joined the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) in 2024 as the assistant to the Associate Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development.
Yelena has an academic background in anthropology, global development, and pedagogy, combined with a passion for projects aimed at improving the world for its inhabitants. She values the pursuit of knowledge as both a means to an end and a journey, and appreciates efficiency, creativity, and optimized user experience.
Before joining Cornell, Yelena worked as a project manager on a large-scale assessment administered in 85 countries. This assessment, targeting randomly but purposefully selected 15-year-olds, enables countries to compare their education systems with peers and implement improvements.
Born in Ukraine and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Yelena has also spent time traveling to and living in various parts of the world.
