Vaishali Gakhar
About Vaishali Gakhar
Vaishali Gakhar serves as the Partnership Development Director at Mentor Collective, focusing on strategic partnerships in higher education. With over 10 years of experience in career services and student success, she has held various roles at institutions including Carnegie Mellon University and the University of South Florida.
Current Role at Mentor Collective
Vaishali Gakhar serves as the Partnership Development Director at Mentor Collective, a position she has held since 2022. In this role, she focuses on building strategic partnerships within the higher education sector. Her work aims to enhance student success through effective mentoring initiatives, addressing the equity gap in educational access and outcomes.
Previous Experience at Carnegie Mellon University
Vaishali Gakhar worked at Carnegie Mellon University for a total of six years, holding two significant roles. From 2019 to 2022, she was the Director of Career Services for the Computational Finance Graduate Program. Prior to that, from 2016 to 2019, she served as the Student/Alumni and Corporate Relations Manager for the Software Engineering Professional Programs. In these positions, she contributed to the development of career services and fostered relationships between students and industry partners.
Educational Background
Vaishali Gakhar has a strong academic background in psychology and human resource development. She earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Amity University and a Master of Science in Personnel and Human Resource Development from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Rajasthan.
Career Services and Strategic Partnerships Experience
With over 10 years of experience, Vaishali Gakhar has developed expertise in career services, student success, and strategic partnerships. She has held various roles in organizations such as the University of South Florida, where she was an Employer Relations Consultant and Career Advisor from 2013 to 2016. Her career also includes positions at Cummins Inc., IIT Stuart School of Business, and LexisNexis, contributing to her comprehensive understanding of the educational landscape.
Skills and Strengths
Vaishali Gakhar possesses a diverse skill set, highlighted by her strengths in Ideation, Relator, Significance, Analytical, and Individualization, as identified by StrengthsFinder. These strengths support her ability to foster relationships and develop innovative solutions in her roles, particularly in the context of mentoring and career development initiatives.