Just weeks into her role as Director of Solutions, Christine Hall has already found her rhythm, and it shows. With more than 30 years of experience in higher education, spanning both campus roles and edtech, she brings a rare, dual perspective to the Student First team: she's lived the challenges institutions face firsthand, and she's spent decades helping solve them.

“Every day is different,” Christine says of her new role. “We work with a variety of institutions to find a solution that solves their specific goals and issues. Being able to brainstorm with some of the smartest people in the industry to bring an SIS solution to market is something I really look forward to.”

What drew her to Student First? The vision.

“It was the company's vision first and foremost, bringing a modern AI solution to non-traditional and career-focused institutions,” she says. “I was also excited by the number of former colleagues who'd joined the team, which gave me real confidence in where the company is headed, and headed there quickly.”

That confidence has already paid off. In her first week, Christine was up to speed enough on the platform to start contributing directly to the sales team, a milestone she counts among her earliest wins here.

“It's a culture built on inclusivity, momentum, and teamwork,” she says. “Everyone jumps in to help.” She adds that the pace of the work, paired with how much collaboration happens between employees, is something that might surprise people from outside the company.

With three decades in the industry, Christine has a clear read on where higher education is headed. “The industry has already started the shift to non-degree careers,” she says. “I feel this trend will only get stronger with workforce shortages and the cost of traditional higher education rising.” It's a shift she's glad to help institutions navigate, in a role built around finding the right solution for each one's goals.

Outside of work, Christine's world is just as full. She and her husband Scott, a retired law enforcement officer, are currently deep in wedding planning: her daughter Lyndon, a tax and contract attorney, is marrying her fiance Andrew next September. When she isn't buried in wedding details, Christine is likely reading, traveling abroad, or at the beach, a near-daily habit whenever the weather cooperates. Fun fact for the coworkers who don't know it yet: she spent three and a half years living in Dublin as an expat.

Asked what superpower she'd want at work, Christine didn't hesitate: the ability to see the future. “It would let me anticipate change in the higher education space so we could craft the right solution ahead of time, rather than reacting to it,” she says, a fitting answer from someone whose job is doing exactly that, one institution at a time.

Her advice for anyone starting out in the field or joining Student First: “Don't hold back on your ideas or thoughts on where we can go with our solution.”

In her own words, Student First is “an inclusive community with a strong mission.” And why should a potential customer choose Student First? “We have the best future forward solution in the marketplace.”

Welcome to the team, Christine. We're glad you're here.