Our Staff

Amber Ali, a strategic leader with over 25 years of experience in management, business, and finance, joined UNC-Chapel Hill in 2019. She holds a bachelor of science in accounting and an MBA with a concentration in business analytics. With a background spanning higher education, federal government, and corporate sectors, she specializes in strategic planning, budget management, financial analysis, and stakeholder engagement. Passionate about student and staff success, Amber leads Student Affairs finance with a focus on process improvements, operational efficiencies, and fostering strong campus partnerships.

Dean has worked in Student Affairs at Carolina for over 20 years, and has worked in the field of health education/health promotion and primary prevention work for almost 30 years. He enjoys working with students, staff, faculty, alum, parents, and community partners to create an atmosphere that promotes students’ healthy decision making regarding their health and safety. Dean is interested in the intersections of identity, culture, education, politics, and economics as they impact the health outcomes, disparities, and access to wellness for all students. He believes that breaking down barriers, developing coalitions, and advocating for equitable access is primary to ensuring every student has the necessary resources to be both healthy and whole, as well as personally and academically successful at Carolina and beyond. He enjoys doing this work through individual conversations with students; teaching; outreach to larger groups; collaborating with colleagues across campus and the community; broad based committee involvement; research/policy development; and state and national involvement and leadership in the field.

Dean received his formal education in social work and psychology through an undergraduate degree from Elon University and later a graduate degree from Duke University, but considers himself a student of life, and enjoys reading on public health and just about every other topic. When not having a great time with his Wellness colleagues and students on campus, he enjoys outdoor activities, public service, traveling to new places, time with family and friends, and hanging out with his two amazing Labrador mix rescues, Sampson and Sebastian.

Zack is a leader in the field of Student Affairs Development with close to a decade of experience. Zack was named the Director of the Student Affairs Development Office in 2017 and works with alumni, parents, friends, foundations, and corporations to enhance engagement and cultivate support for students and programs across Student Affairs.

Barbara Lesane serves as the Senior Director of Human Resources for Student Affairs. Barbara started at UNC in 2012, working as an Employment Consultant at Central OHR. Barbara is a UNC alumnus receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications in 1994 and a Master of Science Degree in Human Resource Development from Villanova University in 2016. Barbara has a long work history in the field of human resources and has been PHR certified since 2008.

Alexandra Marchesano has served as Executive Director of the Carolina Union since September of 2019, overseeing six offices that carry out the Union’s mission to create safe, inclusive and educational experiences that enable students to maximize their time at Carolina. Marchesano brings a wealth of experience to her role with more than two decades of higher education and student affairs leadership, including director level management at three universities. 

Before coming to Carolina, Marchesano served for eight years as Director of Campus Activities and Programs at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she provided management and strategic direction for co-curricular programming and student engagement. She has extensive experience in planning and implementing major campus events, including leadership development programs; oversight for fraternity and sorority life and student organization management; student government and graduate student life advisement; support of student union operations; leadership for budget management and student fee allocations, along with strategic planning and assessment. 

Some of her major accomplishments at UNCG included increasing weekend programming on campus, implementing a risk-management assessment plan for student events; establishing a Greek Life Task Force; and implementing a Triad Music Fest with area colleges in Greensboro.

Ken Pittman has over 25 years of experience in hospital and healthcare leadership. During his career, he has served as Chief Operating Officer of a 300-bed community hospital in eastern North Carolina, CEO/Turnaround Specialist for three operationally and financially challenged rural hospitals in the Southeast, and a healthcare management consultant. A graduate of Duke, Ken holds a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Ken is currently immediate past president of the Southern College Health Association.

Elizabeth is a strategic communications leader with more than 15 years of experience in creating and managing teams that create content across digital, social, and print media. She has a strong background and broad knowledge in content creation and strategic planning; issue management; news judgment and storytelling; user experience; and graphic design. Her special projects role typically encompasses University-wide initiatives.

Yalitza is a double Tar Heel, having earned from UNC-Chapel Hill a Master’s in Social Work in 2014 and a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish in 2005. Between studies, Yalitza has worked for Carolina on local, statewide, and global projects in the areas of program evaluation, early childhood education, high-quality instruction, educational access, asset development, and financial empowerment. As part of her field work and in partnership with Volunteers for Youth, Yalitza taught a service-learning course for Buckley Public Service Scholars in the SMART Mentoring program.

For over a decade she volunteered in the community with organizations such as the Orange County Literacy Council, Girls on the Run of the Triangle, former Family Violence Prevention Center, and Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools. Most recently, she was at Durham’s Partnership for Children working to ensure high-quality standards and compliance for funded partners, build strong partnerships within communities, and engage families and communities in leadership and advocacy. Yalitza lives in Durham with her husband and daughters.

Jenni received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of MN, Duluth, a Master’s of Public Administration from MN State University, Mankato and a Master’s Certificate of Higher Education: Student Leadership and Development from University of Miami. She is currently working toward an EdD in Higher Education Administration at East Carolina University.

Jenni began her student affairs career path in Residence Life serving in multiple roles from RA at UMD, Graduate Hall Director in MNSU, Mankato, and Assistant Area Director, Area Director, and Assistant Director for first-year students at University of Miami. She also served as Assistant Dean of Students/Director of the Sandler Center for Alcohol and Drug Education in the Dean of Student Office at UM. Jenni worked at Elon University as Associate Director of Residence Life for Leadership and Development before transitioning into her most recent role as Elon’s Director of Student Conduct. During her tenure, Jenni developed collaborative relationships to support the student conduct program and contributed to integrating restorative practices, conflict resolution resources, enhancing the Bias Response System, strengthening the student organization misconduct processes, supporting Title IX and sexual misconduct processes, and centering equitable processes and student wellbeing throughout the student conduct program.

In her free time, Jenni can be found spending time with her family, enjoying watching her two kids engage in sports and other activities, and playing volleyball (beach and indoor) as often as possible.