Cecilia Olivares is the Director of Academic Advising Initiatives at the University of Missouri, where she is developing onboarding, training, and professional development programs for academic advisors. She also collaborates with campus stakeholders and leads advocacy for policy and process changes that enhance the student experience and promote student success outcomes. Cecilia actively represents academic advising across various university committees and UM System initiatives, including the transfer coordinating committee and the UM Advise facilitation team for system-wide advisor professional development.

Previously, Cecilia led both the Transfer Center and Discovery Center at Mizzou, where she oversaw operations, personnel, and strategic efforts focused on supporting transfer and exploring students. In these roles, she collaborated with campus partners to foster seamless transitions for students through advising and recruitment efforts. Additionally, Cecilia has held multiple leadership positions within NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, including serving as President and as a mentor in the Emerging Leaders Program.

Cecilia is a doctoral candidate in the Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis EdD program at Mizzou. She earned her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies with a higher education emphasis from Iowa State University and her B.A. in Foreign Languages and International Affairs (Spanish emphasis) from the University of Puget Sound, with a study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain.

When she’s not working, Cecilia enjoys spending time with her family and their three dogs, cooking, and balancing travel adventures with being a homebody.