Degrees:

• Ph.D., Leadership in Education, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
• Ed.M. Counseling, Sport Psychology, Boston University
• B.S. Athletic Training, Springfield College

Biography:

Dr. Maria Cristina Haverty (Cris) is Assistant Vice President for Workforce Development and Global Engagement. With over thirty years of higher education experience as an educator, administrator, and practitioner, Cris provides leadership and strategic direction for the planning, delivery and reporting of workforce training programs, customized skills development training, and community education programming activities responsive to industry-driven needs, both global and domestic.

As the founding Dean of the School of Health Science at Lasell, she took an active role in creating an optimal educational experience for students of all levels. Cris supports students and faculty through global and domestic collaborations, professional development, advocacy, and academic program development. Cris’ expertise, including the establishment of partnerships, the development of educational experiences and programs, and spearheading external accreditation processes, led to the rapid expansion of the School of Health Sciences before her departure from the position in 2023.

Prior to her arrival at Lasell University in 2000, Cris was the Coordinator of Sports Medicine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA, and an athletic trainer for the US Soccer Federation. As a professor of athletic training, Cris’ passion for active learning serves as the foundation of the programs she creates and delivers, placing focus on student engagement, experiential learning, and professional technical skills that lead to jobs.

Cris earned her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts, her Master of Education in Counseling - Sports Psychology, from Boston University, Boston Massachusetts, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership in Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.