Kayla Hood joined the Penn State Chaiken Center team in May 2025 as a Student Success Advocate. In her role, Kayla oversees the LEAP Program for first-year students start their Penn State journey in the summer. She is also an Academic Success Coach for students and advisor to the Eta Psi chapter of Tri-Alpha. Prior to coming to Penn State, Kayla held the title of Assistant Director for Student Diversity and Inclusion at Davidson College. A “southern bell” at heart, Kayla is originally from Houston, TX and holds a Master’s in Counseling Education from Clemson University as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University.