Central Staff
Ann Bersani
Director of Residence Life and Housing
Ann (she/her/hers) is the Director of Residence Life and Housing. In this role, she's responsible for the evaluation and development of the residence life program, including creation of short and long range plans and goals for the department. She also manages the departmental priorities and budget for construction and renovations on new and existing halls. Ann also plays a large role in campus policy development. Ultimately, she works daily to foster a positive team culture of inclusion, collaboration, and strong purpose of core values.
Prior to coming to Cortland, Ann served as the Associate Director of Campus Life and Leadership and the Title IX Coordinator at Le Moyne College and an Assistant Director for Residence Life at Canisius College. She has a M.S. in College Student Personnel Administration from Canisius College and a B.A. in Sociology from SUNY Fredonia.
In her free time, Ann enjoys building things, cooking, crafting, decorating cakes, exploring, listening to music, and reading.
Evan Bigam
Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing for Housing and Operations
Evan (he/him/his) serves as the Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing for Housing and Operations at SUNY Cortland. In this role, he oversees room assignments, billing, technology, and residential operations. He also acts as the primary liaison with Student Accounts, Disability Resources, and Facilities Management.
Evan returns to SUNY Cortland after many years, bringing a wealth of housing experience from across the SUNY system. He previously served as a Residence Hall Director/Area Coordinator at SUNY Cortland from 2007 to 2012, a Community Development Specialist at SUNY Oswego from 2012 to 2016, Assistant Director at SUNY Purchase from 2016 to 2021, and most recently as Director of Housing & Residential Life at SUNY Broome.
He holds a Master of Science in Student Affairs Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilization and Near Eastern Studies, with a minor in Medieval Studies from Binghamton University.
Outside of work, Evan enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, traveling, playing and refereeing volleyball, building LEGO sets, and hanging out with his dog, Chip.
Asiana Smith
Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing for Staff Recruitment and Summer Conferencing
Asiana (she/her/hers) serves as the Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing for Staff Recruitment and Summer Conferencing. In this role, she leads efforts to identify, recruit, and retain a diverse and inclusive team of professional and student staff. Asiana is also the primary liaison for both internal and external partners, fostering strong cross-campus collaborations to support student success and operational excellence. In addition to her year-round responsibilities, Asiana works closely with our summer conference team ensuring a seamless experience for conference guests and campus partners.
Before joining SUNY Cortland, Asiana held leadership roles in residence life at several institutions, including Assistant Director of Residence Life at Mohawk Valley Community College, and Residence Hall Director at SUNY Morrisville and Fulton-Montgomery Community College. She holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications/Advertising, with double minors in Sociology and English, from Le Moyne College.
Outside of work, Asiana enjoys spending quality time with her family, traveling, reading, listening to podcasts, taking scenic drives, and binge-watching her favorite TV shows and movies.
Cindy Lake
Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing for Programming and Staff Development
Cindy (she/her/hers) is the Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing for Programming and Staff Development. She oversees the development and maintenance of the Program Curriculum in the residence halls and provides oversight for training and on-going development for our Resident Assistants and Residence Hall Directors. Cindy also supervises several professional staff members and serves on several campus committees.
Cindy previously worked in Residence Life at Stony Brook University as an Assistant Director and Cazenovia College as a Residence Hall Director. She has a M.A. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership in Higher Education from The College of William & Mary and a B.A. in Psychology from SUNY Potsdam.
In her free time, Cindy enjoys traveling, reading, watching movies, biking, antiquing, and the Adirondacks.
Alexander Savill
Assistant Director of Residence Life and Housing for Marketing and Technology
Alexander (he/him/his) is the Assistant Director for Residence Life and Housing for Marketing and Technology. He oversees the technology and marketing needs of the department. This includes acting as the technology and marketing resource for staff recruitment and training, serving as software administrator for our HMS (Housing Management System) and managing the Residence Life and Housing webpage/portal/social media accounts. Additionally, he is responsible for being the liaison between Residence Life and Housing and the Marketing and Communications Office as well as Campus Technology Services. He also supervises live-on staff members. His goal is to engage our students and staff with intention and purposeful technology and marketing.
Alexander previously served as an Assistant Director of Residential Life and Community Director at Binghamton University, a Residence Hall Director/Quarantine and Isolation Coordinator at SUNY Morrisville and a Residence Hall Manager at SUNY Oneonta. He has a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration with badges in Student Advising and Counseling and Higher Education Management and Operations from the Stony Brook University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Geography from Salem State University.
In his free time, Alexander enjoys spending time with his wife Felicia and his dog Emmy. Also, he enjoys fishing, couponing, video games, anime and caring for his pet axolotls.
Timothy Howard
Assistant Director of Residence Life and Housing for Operations
Timothy is the Assistant Director for Residence Life Facilities and Operation. In his role, he develops and implements policies and procedures related to fire safety, sustainability, keys, and general hall facility operations. Timothy oversees the replacement and management of furniture and appliances within residential buildings, including planning, budgeting, and scheduling, ensuring smooth operations throughout the year. He plays an integral role in coordinating residence hall openings and closings, as well as facilitating staff apartment transitions. As a liaison to Facilities Management, he addresses concerns, attends meetings, and collaborates on various residence hall projects. Additionally, he is responsible for monitoring furniture and equipment inventories and managing the full lifecycle of procurement processes, from bidding to installation and disposal.
Timothy was previously worked as a Residence Hall Director at Stony Brook University in Long Island, NY. While working at Stony Brook Timothy was a part-time graduate student and earned his Master of Arts in Higher Education.
When Timothy isn't working, her enjoys traveling and spending time with loved ones.
