Team

Tyler Walsh, MA, MA

Director & Google GSV Higher Ed Leadership Fellow

Focus Area: Leads cross-unit strategy and implementation across initiatives including Operation Insights, AI-enhanced student support, workforce-aligned learning pilots, and national partnerships.

Tyler Walsh is the Director of the Center for Higher Education Innovation (CHEI) at the University of Central Florida and a Google & GSV Higher Ed Leader Fellow, where he leads cross-unit initiatives focused on accelerating student success, well-being, and institutional innovation. At CHEI, Tyler provides strategic leadership and project management across campus and with national partners, helping UCF design, test, and scale evidence-based, data-informed approaches that support both students and the staff who serve them. In 2024, he served as UCF’s University Innovation Alliance Fellow, contributing to national efforts to advance student success at scale.

Prior to UCF, Tyler served as a Senior Program Advisor at the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University, where he developed and managed projects with dozens of colleges and universities nationwide focused on dismantling systemic barriers to student success, improving student outcomes, and reducing equity gaps.

Tyler’s professional background includes a range of student support and teaching roles, which inform his approach to building practical, replicable models for institutional decision-making and student success work. He holds master’s degrees in Anthropology and Political Science from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Florida.

Kelsie Dawson, PhD

Associate Director, Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Data

Focus Area: Leads evaluation, assessment, and reporting across student success initiatives, translating data into actionable insights that inform strategy, program design, and institutional decision-making.

Kelsie Dawson is the Associate Director of Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Data (READ) at the Center for Higher Education Innovation at the University of Central Florida. As the Associate Director of READ she leads the development of student success data analytics reports, with a focus on improving student success and well-being outcomes. She is responsible for translating these insights into accessible, shareable reports that can drive actionable change across the institution.

Prior to joining UCF, Kelsie worked at a nonprofit in Maine where she evaluated numerous educational programs for students and professional development workshops for educators. In this role, she focused on identifying barriers to environmental education and communicated key results to the community. Kelsie was also with the University of Alabama for five years, where she taught undergraduate students and conducted research focused on moral identity and purpose. Kelsie is passionate about finding ways to help students thrive and foster their well-being.  She is currently on the editorial board for NASPA’s Journal of College and Character.

Kelsie received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Alabama and her B.S. in Psychology from Florida State University.

Justin Kingsland, PhD

Assistant Director, Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Data

Focus Area: Designs and implements data systems, analytics, and research infrastructure that support student success initiatives, chatbot deployments, and cross-unit decision-making.

Justin Kingsland is Assistant Director of Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Data at the Center for Higher Education Innovation at the University of Central Florida. His work focuses on the design and implementation of data systems, analytics, research, and reporting to support student success initiatives, strategic planning, and evidence-based decision-making in higher education.

Justin holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Georgia State University. His research examines how complex and technical information can be effectively communicated to the public, particularly in the areas of science, environmental, and political communication, and has been published in peer-reviewed journals across these disciplines.

Maryann Orawczyk, PhD

Project Manager

Focus Area: Leads implementation of student-facing programs and institutional initiatives, with a focus on academic momentum, student thriving, and cross-unit coordination.

Maryann Orawczyk is a higher education professional with nearly 20 years of experience working in and researching academic success in postsecondary education. She is dedicated to making higher education a better place in which to both work and learn. In her role as a Project Manager with the Center for Higher Education Innovation at the University of Central Florida, Maryann collaborates with institutional partners on designing, implementing, and evaluating programs that endeavor to help college students reach their academic and career goals.

Maryann earned her Ph.D. in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University where her research focused on supervisory learning for student affairs administrators in higher education. She has also conducted higher education research relevant to academic advising, low-income student experiences, academic success coaching, developmental course placements, among other student success subjects.

Previously, Maryann worked in graduate outreach, admissions, and recruitment for the Student Affairs Administration MA Program at Michigan State University where she coordinated complex events, supervised committees, managed projects, and conducted assessments. She also worked in academic advising at the University of Illinois at Chicago and as an academic success coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In addition to her research and administrative work, Maryann has experience teaching coursework relevant to professional development in student affairs as well as first-year seminars for liberal arts students, has presented on student success programs and research at several national conferences, and has served as an editorial review board member for NASPA’s Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.

In addition to her Ph.D. from Michigan State University, Maryann holds a M.Ed. in Higher Education and a B.A. in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Darwins Olcima, MA, PMP

Project Manager & UIA Fellow

Focus Area: Leads implementation and facilitation of strategic initiatives, including UIA engagement, onboarding systems, and student thriving work, with a focus on organizational alignment and change management.

Darwins Olcima is the University Innovation Alliance Fellow and Administrative Project Manager at the University of Central Florida (UCF). With a background in higher education and a passion for institutional transformation, Darwins works at the intersection of equity, strategy, and innovation to help organizations design systems that better serve their people and mission.

Before joining UCF, Darwins partnered with institutions like Broward College and later founded Human Edge Consulting LLC, an independent firm that supports mission-driven organizations in unlocking the full potential of their teams. Through initiatives in performance management, employee development, culture strategy, and digital transformation, Human Edge helps organizations align their vision with the people doing the work, bridging the gap between aspiration and execution.

Darwins is a strategic facilitator and systems thinker who builds the conditions for transformational change. Whether leading cross-functional initiatives or advising senior leaders, he specializes in making big-picture ideas actionable, translating complex organizational challenges into operational strategies that drive results. Their approach is rooted in design thinking, change management, and the belief that human-centered systems are essential to sustainable innovation.

Darwins holds a B.S. in Psychology from UCF with a Certificate in Leadership Studies, and a M.A. in Higher Education from Bowling Green State University. As a first-generation college graduate, Darwins is deeply committed to designing environments where people, from learners to leaders, can thrive. His work is guided by a core belief: that meaningful change happens when we honor complexity, invest in people, and act with purpose.