Staff

Kimberly Goff-Crews is the Secretary and Vice President for University Life at Yale. The University Secretary role dates to the founding of Yale, with Secretaries appointed pro tempore until 1770, and thereafter created by vote of the Yale Corporation, now known as the Yale Board of Trustees. The University Secretary oversees university ceremonies, diplomas, the academic calendar, and other university functions.

Ms. Goff-Crews is the 20^th trustee-appointed University Secretary and the first to hold the joint title of Vice President for University Life. As Vice President for University Life, she oversees non-academic aspects of student and university life in service of the university’s mission, including the university chaplaincy, free expression and peaceable assembly, and institutional equity and accessibility.

Carolyn Claflin serves as Chief Resource Officer for two key divisions of the university – Alumni Affairs & Development and Secretary & University Life.  In this role, she provides senior leadership and guidance in budgeting and finance, human resources, operations, and strategic planning.  She currently also serves as a member of the university’s Emergency Operations Team and as health and safety leader for her two divisions.  Prior to her current position, she helped lead Yale Alumni Association as Deputy Executive Director.  Between 1984 and 2003, Claflin worked in the Yale University Library system, ultimately serving as Director of Library Development. She received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Providence College and attended the Université de Fribourg.

Ryan Croteau is the assistant director of university events and communications. She joined the Office of the Secretary and Vice President for University Life in March 2017 as a program coordinator. In her role she produces major University events and ceremonies including Commencement, Baccalaureate, and Opening Assembly. She also leads various communications initiatives, including website development and strategy. Ryan has been at the university since 2011, and previously served in various administrative and communications roles at the Office of the Vice President for West Campus and Human Resources.

Dean Burgwell “Burgie” Howard joined the Yale College Deans Office in August 2015, and serves as the Dean of Student Engagement within Yale College and Associate Vice President of Student Life at the University.

Dean Howard has made a career supporting students at colleges and universities, including those at Bowdoin College, Colgate University, Santa Clara University, Dartmouth College and, most recently, Northwestern University where he served as Asst. Vice President and Dean of Students.

He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Stanford University. He loves dogs, lacrosse, tennis, skiing and meeting, and helping students. He never ceases to be amazed at the creativity and capacity of students. He enjoys exploring and contributing to the Yale community.

Earle Lobo joined the office in February 2025 as the associate director for university life. He works with Pilar Montalvo in supporting student life at the university level, particularly student and campus crises and responses and operational support for free expression and peaceable assembly. Earle partners with colleagues across campus in support of student safety and wellness initiatives and other broad student/university life issues.

Earle joined the Yale College Dean’s Office in 2019 as the inaugural Assistant Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards. He served as Assistant Secretary to Yale College’s Executive Committee, overseeing disciplinary procedures. Earle’s role expanded as a Program Manager for Student Affairs, where he supported student organizations, First-Year Affairs, the First-Year Scholars at Yale (FSY) Program, Advisor to Yale’s Black Men’s Union (BMU), a Berkeley College Fellow, and a member of the Yale College Postgraduate Fellowships Committee. He is an Emerge at Yale graduate and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Association of Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA) Conflict Resolution Community of Practice. Earle is a passionate practitioner of Restorative Justice, earning certifications in Restorative Justice Facilitation & Leadership from the University of San Diego and Social Justice Mediation from the Social Justice Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Earle is a proud Greater New Haven native with a deep passion for family, friends, music, art, and, of course, New Haven pizza! He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Hampton University and has dedicated his career to education, student development, and community engagement.

Pilar joined the Office of the Secretary and Vice President for University Life 2021 after leadership roles in the Office of the President and the Yale School of the Environment. Collaborating with deans of students and other student-facing administrators, she facilitates student affairs at the university level. She identifies, tracks, and resolves issues of concern for a wide range of student and campus needs particularly in the nexus of student life, mental health, and public safety. Pilar leads the implementation of the university’s guidelines on freedom of expression and peaceable assembly. She also oversees Yale Votes, the university’s student civic engagement initiative.

Pilar began her Yale career in 2002 in what is now the Yale School of the Environment. As an assistant dean, she managed every aspect of academic administration and assisted the dean in the development and implementation of strategic initiatives and programs. Pilar was recruited to the Office of the President in 2012 to assist the president on special projects. In 2013, she was appointed the director of administrative affairs to work with faculty and staff across the university on major initiatives and advance the president’s goals and priorities. As the public face of the Office of the President, Pilar was the point of contact for students, faculty, and staff on a broad array of emerging matters.

She is a fellow of Branford College.