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Ariane Montesinos Maclean is the administrative coordinator for Clinical Services, and the winner of a 2024 Support Staff Recognition Award. She’s also a mother of two teenage boys, a swing dance enthusiast and a lover of the great outdoors. Take a few minutes to learn more about Ariane!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born in Barcelona to a Spanish father and a Scottish mother, and my childhood unfolded across the world — Panama, Scotland, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Egypt, Spain, and France. Growing up in so many cultures shaped my curiosity, my love of discovery, and gave me the gift of three languages. Today, I am a mother of two teenage boys who teach me something new every day. I have fallen in love with camping and exploring the wilderness. I light up around fossils, ancient rocks, and traces of past civilizations. I also find joy in learning a new Lindy Hop step, savouring chocolate, exploring craft beers, experimenting with fermentation and world cuisines, loving the Alberta winters and the Mediterranean sea.

What brought you to Clinical Services, and what were you doing before?

Life first brought me to the clinic in 2001, not long after graduating from Grant MacEwan and working in the travel industry. My then father-in-law introduced me to the clinic, and I started volunteering. My first task was organizing stacks of psychological testing materials. The moment I stepped into the hustle and bustle of students, and the energy in the clinic, I was hooked. I fell in love with the place! That experience turned into 10 years before I stepped away to become a mom of two boys. I did not imagine I would return, but years later, the stars aligned, and I returned to a place I was excited to be part of again.

Tell us about your role at Clinical Services.

I am an Administrative Coordinator, which means I help the clinic run smoothly so students, faculty, and clients coming in for counselling or psychological testing have a supportive experience. Each day is a mix of preparing psychological testing materials, coordinating spaces, managing finances, welcoming clients and supporting students and colleagues. The clinic supports two graduate programs — the Counselling Psychology program and the School Clinical and Child Psychology program, with about 60 students, a dozen or more faculty members teaching in the clinic, two clinic supervisors and two directors. My role is to make sure everything flows and everyone who walks through our doors feels welcome and supported.

What drew you to the position, and what do you enjoy most about your work?

It is the people and the variety each day brings. Students come with questions, colleagues collaborate and problem-solve together, clients seeking support, organizing spreadsheets — being part of that rhythm feels rewarding. I love helping students and supporting them. And the colleagues I work alongside are just incredible! They are talented, dedicated, kind and generous. That mix of energy, learning and human connection makes every day dynamic and joyful!

What does a typical workday look like?

No two days are ever quite the same. Some start with greeting students and clients, answering questions, or preparing psychological testing materials. Others are spent managing finances or keeping the clinic running smoothly. There are days when logistics become the priority, and others when the flow is shaped by a steady stream of student needs, financial details, or questions about our services. But really, it comes back to making things easier for people and knowing the students well enough to call them by their name.

What is your favourite part of the work you do? What do you find most challenging?

My favourite part is the pace and the people. Days fly by because they’re filled with interactions with students, colleagues, clients, and diving into computer work. I love the mix of energy, laughter, focus and care that fills the clinic. The challenge is time. There is always more to do than hours in a day, especially with frequent interruptions. And truly, I love it all.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love exploring the past. Here in Alberta, that shows up as fossil cleaning, rockhounding, and wandering canyons and ravines, soaking in the geology, plants and history around us. I recently discovered that the ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ campus has nearly 5,000 trees. I was so happy to see pears on a couple of the trees and was mesmerized by the variety of cones some trees produce! I can’t help but notice them now! I also love Lindy Hop swing dancing, which brings so much joy and energy to my days. And whenever I can, I travel with my teenage boys to the Costa Blanca in Spain, where my parents live, for sea, food and family time that nourishes my soul.