Meet the Team

Christine "Chris" Allard

Rural Job-Seeker Network Coordinator/Network2Work Coach 
callard@pvcc.edu

Chris is very excited and honored to have recently become a part of the Network2Work team! She serves as a Network2Work Coach as well as holds the newly created role of Rural Job-seeker Network Coordinator where she hopes to expand the profound success that Network2Work has had in Charlottesville into 6 counties surrounding Charlottesville – Nelson, Greene, Louisa, Fluvanna, Buckingham and Albemarle. 

Chris comes to us with a strong creative background – graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in Architecture, and an 18 year career as a graphic designer. However, all along the way she wished she could also play a part somehow in addressing poverty – one of the biggest problems our country and humanity faces - and finding a way to be a part of the solution to helping those who have been left behind in our economy find a path to changing their course and realizing their potential. Network2Work is all about helping people unleash their potential! 

One of Chris’ greatest inspirations in life, guiding her to be compassionate, accepting and hopeful about those we share this world with have been the countless pets she’s lived with and loved so dearly ALL her life. Animals have so much to teach us in how to love unconditionally and support all with all we have to give! Chris currently shares her life with her two adorable dogs who have taught her so much about kindness, patience and love, Tashi and Bijou.

Shannon Meade

Student Resource Center Manager
smeade@pvcc.edu 
Shannon serves as the Student Resource Center Manager for PVCC's Student Resource Center and Panther Pantry.  She graduated from Virginia State University and earned her Master's in Public Health from Capella University.  

Before this role, Shannon worked in both the nonprofit and public health sectors, with the last five years overseeing HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Housing and Harm Reduction services for the Blue Ridge Health District, our local state health department.

In this new role, Shannon will leverage her nonprofit and public health experience to provide support to credit students seeking resources from both on-campus and community-based partners.  

In her spare time, Shannon enjoys watching documentaries, baking, listening to podcasts, and spending time with her partner, Kia, and their dog, Reese.
 

Malena L. Smith 

Office Manager/Financial Assistance Administrator 
msmith@pvcc.edu

Malena joins Network2Work having thirteen years of experience working at the college in various roles, including previously managing PVCC's culinary campus at the Jefferson School City Center. While there she also obtained her Associates degree in Culinary Arts.  Malena also has an extensive thirty year background in executive and office management. 

Having served as the human resource manager for several years at an adolescent mental and behavioral health hospital she fully adopted the moto of circumstances do not define a person. She is excited to join Network2Work to be part of a collective team who shares this same outlook. Malena strives for excellent customer service and is eager to help our job seekers understand they too can overcome anything and make successful life and career changes. 

In her spare time Malena enjoys growing her photography portfolio specializing in nature and historical architecture. She is heavily involved in animal advocacy and rescue.  Prior to the pandemic she was an active member of a community emergency management animal response team. She also has a small farm where she cares for seventeen abused, neglected, and disabled farm and companion animals.

Bret Vollmer

Requests for Assistance Manager/Network2Work Coach 
bvollmer@pvcc.edu

Bret grew up in Texas, first San Antonio and then Houston. He moved to Charlottesville in 2009. Bret misses good Texas barbeque, so if you have any recommendations on where to get some, let him know. He enjoys reading and film.