Meet Our Staff

Lucy Byrne is the Assistant Director of Coaching and Programming at TC NEXT. In this role Lucy helps expand career development workshops and program initiatives, as well as advising TC students and alumni. She has a Bachelor's degree in Criminology and Linguistics from Hofstra University and a Master's degree in Anthropology & Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her greatest passions are in social justice, specifically penal abolition and forensic linguistic research in capital cases. Lucy’s experience includes work in vocational rehabilitation with marginalized communities, linguistic analysis, along with public speaking and debate.

Laura M. Coleman (she/her) is the Director of TC NEXT at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she spearheads the strategic vision for student and alumni professional development. She leads a multi-functional team dedicated to scaling career impact through strengths-based coaching, robust employer partnerships, meaningful on-campus employment opportunities, and integrated digital systems, ensuring TC talent is both market-ready and connected to global industry leaders.

Laura’s expertise is built on years of leadership in career services, enrollment management, and alumni relations. This broad perspective allows her to navigate the complexities of the student lifecycle with a unique, holistic lens. A frequent speaker on graduate student career pathways and higher education sector transitions, she is an active member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and serves on the Executive Committee of the Columbia University Graduate Career Collective.

Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University and a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology & Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, where her research focused on the motivations behind adult continuing education. Beyond her professional work, she is a gardener, weightlifter, and theater enthusiast who loves spending time with her favorite humans and pets, and periodically escaping the concrete jungle of New York City for the mountains of Denver, Colorado.

Tiffany serves as the Associate Director of Coaching & Programming at TC NEXT. Through experiential learning opportunities, customized programs and up-to-date coaching models, Tiffany will guide the coaching & programming team to deliver high-quality opportunities for TC students and alumni through all stages of their career lifecycle. As a coach and higher education practitioner, she is extremely passionate about helping students navigate their professional and academic careers with ease. She believes in empowering students at every point of their career journey by identifying strengths, exploring their interests, and creating meaningful connections between their past and future aspirations.

Prior to joining TC NEXT, Tiffany served as the Assistant Director of Career Development at NYU, where she oversaw programming and operations as well as provided one-on-one coaching to support students as they developed their professional brand and navigated their job search. Prior to her time at NYU, she served in a variety of roles in higher education, serving students in residential life, multicultural affairs, admissions and access programs at FIU, CUNY, St. John’s, Johns Hopkins, and Harvard University.

She holds a BS in Legal Studies from St. John’s University, MS in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University, and is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation. She looks forward to working with you and being of service to the TC Community.

Uyanga is the Assistant Director of Employment Partnerships at TC NEXT. In this role she develops partnerships with employers to provide career networking opportunities for students and alumni. Uyanga has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Education from Clark University. Previously, Uyanga was a kindergarten teacher in the US and abroad in international schools across China. Additionally, she has worked with domestic and international students in a variety of roles, such as an Admissions Counselor and Risk and Safety coordinator, spearheading counseling in higher education and employment opportunities. Uyanga is more than happy to assist in Mongolian and in Russian.

Emily (she/her) is the Assistant Director of Data and Operations of TC NEXT. In this role, she manages office-wide operations and data-management in support of the ongoing development and execution of data-driven, strategic goals for the team at TC NEXT, with an emphasis on career outcomes for recent graduates. 

Prior to joining TC NEXT, Emily was a Clinical Case Manager with the NYC Criminal Justice Agency where she worked with individuals released under pretrial supervision, connecting them with necessary social services and advocating for them as they navigated the pretrial court process. Previously, she also developed strategic partnerships for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and supported research on mental health, resilience, and student career services in research labs at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Rutgers University. 

Emily holds Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and English Literature from Oglethorpe University, and a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She is eager to support the TC community through her work in TC NEXT. 

Karina began her career in higher education at UC Berkeley in Human Resources, supporting visiting scholars. Before joining TC NEXT, she managed student research programs at Columbia University Medical Center, developing resources to guide students through scholarly projects.

Originally from Oakland, California, Karina is a proud community college graduate with a BA in Sociology from UC Berkeley and an MA from TC’s Higher and Postsecondary Education program. She is dedicated to empowering students for professional success while simultaneously working to enhance institutional efficiency to improve the overall student experience.

Luke is a first-year graduate student in the Elementary Inclusive Education program. He is passionate about teaching diverse learners in the classroom, especially helping support students with disabilities and their success in the classroom. As a Career Peer with TC NEXT, Luke supports both graduate students and alumni, offering services in the area of resume creation, job searching strategies, and interview preparations. He graduated from Binghamton University in May 2025 with a B.S. in Human Development. Luke is excited to help all students widen their skill sets in career planning and to use his skills to best support students to help them be as successful as possible.