Renée Starek Selected for NACE Board
Renée Starek, Executive Director of the Career and Professional Development Center at Seton Hill, has been selected to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Starek was elected by more than 17,000 NACE members to serve a two-year term, which began in July 2026.
"Seton Hill University is immensely proud of Renée Starek's election to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Board of Directors,” said Seton Hill University Provost Susan Yochum, SC, Ph.D. “Renée has consistently pioneered innovative ways to integrate career readiness with Seton Hill’s liberal arts tradition, and her appointment to this national board is a testament to her expertise and dedication to student success. We know she will bring that same transformative leadership to NACE, and help shape the future of workforce development on a national scale.”
NACE is a leading professional association that connects higher education, employers and workforce leaders to advance career readiness and equitable employment outcomes for college students and graduates. The organization sets national standards, develops competencies, and provides professional development that guides institutions and employers in preparing, recruiting and hiring talent.
Through frameworks such as the NACE Career Readiness Competencies, the association helps shape best practices in career services, campus recruiting and early talent development across higher education.
Starek’s professional work is grounded in the strategic advancement of the NACE Career Readiness Competencies and the implementation of the First Destination Standards and Protocols as tools for accountability, equity, and continuous improvement. She also maintains a growing focus on the ethical and effective integration of artificial intelligence in career services, with particular attention to assessment, data-informed decision-making, and student-centered practice.
Starek has maintained a long-standing and active relationship with the National Association of Colleges and Employers. She is an alumna of the NACE Leadership Advancement Program, a three-time NACE conference presenter, a contributor to the NACE Journal, and the recipient of the NACE Career Services Excellence Award. Her service to NACE includes participation on the First Destination Task Force and the Conference Planning Committee, and she has also been published in other professional and higher education-focused outlets.
In her work as a board member, Starek will help guide the overall direction, strategic priorities and professional standards of the organization while working to support the organization’s mission of advancing career readiness, college recruiting, and the connection between higher education and employers.
“I am incredibly honored to serve on the NACE Board of Directors,” Starek said. “This opportunity allows me to contribute to important conversations about career readiness and talent development while ensuring that the perspectives of small, liberal arts institutions like Seton Hill University are represented nationally.”
Starek has more than 30 years of experience advancing student career readiness and post-graduate success and provides strategic oversight for institution-wide career development efforts that connect academic learning with workforce expectations and long-term career outcomes.
In addition to her leadership and scholarship, Starek serves as an adjunct instructor in the Liberal Arts at Seton Hill University, where she teaches courses that integrate communication, career development, and professional preparation. Across her roles, she is committed to advancing the career services profession through leadership, teaching, and scholarship focused on student career readiness.
Starek was elected by more than 17,000 NACE members to serve a two-year term, which began in July 2026.
"Seton Hill University is immensely proud of Renée Starek's election to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Board of Directors,” said Seton Hill University Provost Susan Yochum, SC, Ph.D. “Renée has consistently pioneered innovative ways to integrate career readiness with Seton Hill’s liberal arts tradition, and her appointment to this national board is a testament to her expertise and dedication to student success. We know she will bring that same transformative leadership to NACE, and help shape the future of workforce development on a national scale.”
NACE is a leading professional association that connects higher education, employers and workforce leaders to advance career readiness and equitable employment outcomes for college students and graduates. The organization sets national standards, develops competencies, and provides professional development that guides institutions and employers in preparing, recruiting and hiring talent.
Through frameworks such as the NACE Career Readiness Competencies, the association helps shape best practices in career services, campus recruiting and early talent development across higher education.
Starek’s professional work is grounded in the strategic advancement of the NACE Career Readiness Competencies and the implementation of the First Destination Standards and Protocols as tools for accountability, equity, and continuous improvement. She also maintains a growing focus on the ethical and effective integration of artificial intelligence in career services, with particular attention to assessment, data-informed decision-making, and student-centered practice.
Starek has maintained a long-standing and active relationship with the National Association of Colleges and Employers. She is an alumna of the NACE Leadership Advancement Program, a three-time NACE conference presenter, a contributor to the NACE Journal, and the recipient of the NACE Career Services Excellence Award. Her service to NACE includes participation on the First Destination Task Force and the Conference Planning Committee, and she has also been published in other professional and higher education-focused outlets.
In her work as a board member, Starek will help guide the overall direction, strategic priorities and professional standards of the organization while working to support the organization’s mission of advancing career readiness, college recruiting, and the connection between higher education and employers.
“I am incredibly honored to serve on the NACE Board of Directors,” Starek said. “This opportunity allows me to contribute to important conversations about career readiness and talent development while ensuring that the perspectives of small, liberal arts institutions like Seton Hill University are represented nationally.”
Starek has more than 30 years of experience advancing student career readiness and post-graduate success and provides strategic oversight for institution-wide career development efforts that connect academic learning with workforce expectations and long-term career outcomes.
In addition to her leadership and scholarship, Starek serves as an adjunct instructor in the Liberal Arts at Seton Hill University, where she teaches courses that integrate communication, career development, and professional preparation. Across her roles, she is committed to advancing the career services profession through leadership, teaching, and scholarship focused on student career readiness.