About Us
Who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
Professional Studies at Queen’s University offers educational experiences that empower learners to excel at work.
At Professional Studies, we know that industry-recognized credentials help employers identify the best candidates for their teams. We provide quality, accessible and affordable courses that focus on the key skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s job market.
As part of Queen’s Faculty of Education, we understand teaching and learning. Whether you are building a foundation for new employment opportunities, seeking career advancement, or wanting to pursue a passion, Professional Studies at Queen’s can help you reach your full potential.
Our Team
Jessica Della-Latta (she/her)
Executive DirectorJessica believes that education has the power to transform careers, strengthen organizations, and create meaningful social impact.
As Executive Director, she provides strategic leadership for Professional Studies, working across Queen's University and with external partners to develop innovative educational opportunities that respond to emerging workforce and community needs. She is passionate about building collaborations that expand access to lifelong learning while creating programs that are practical, relevant, and learner-centred.
With a background in educational leadership and program innovation, Jessica believes the best ideas come from curiosity, creativity, and strong partnerships. She is committed to helping Professional Studies anticipate what's next and create learning experiences that empower individuals, organizations, and communities to thrive.
Brandon Ruck (he/him)
Director, Professional and Global ProgramsBrandon believes professional learning should solve real problems.
As Director, Professional and Global Programs, he works with school boards, employers, governments, and community partners to design educational opportunities that help individuals advance their careers while strengthening the organizations and communities they serve. His work focuses on strategic partnerships, lifelong learning, customized training, and expanding access to high-quality professional education.
Before joining Queen's University, Brandon built a career in business development and marketing, experiences that continue to shape his approach to educational leadership. He is passionate about finding creative ways for universities and communities to work together and believes learning has the greatest impact when it is practical, collaborative, and responsive to the needs of today's workforce.
Maria Andrade (she/her)
Business Development CoordinatorOriginally from Ecuador, Maria came to Canada as an international student, an experience that continues to shape the way she approaches her work. She holds two master's degrees earned in Canada and Italy, with backgrounds in business and marketing, and now works as Business Development Coordinator in the Faculty of Education at Queen's University.
In her role, Maria supports programs and initiatives focused on education, student success, and community impact. She develops marketing strategies, builds partnerships, and fosters connections that create new learning opportunities for students and educators from diverse backgrounds.
What drives her work is people. Maria is passionate about access to education, global learning, and mentorship, and believes that thoughtful, human-centred work can make a real difference in someone's life. That belief comes directly from her own experience navigating education as an international student.
Janette Jorgensen (she/her)
Program Administrator & Academic AdvisorJanette is an accomplished educator who has teaching experience in a variety of settings in both the Ontario and UK education system. Janette works closely with everyone in the team working on projects that range from course development to teaching onsite students in our Post Graduate Certificate for Internationally Trained Teachers. She supports students and instructors in both online and onsite courses, helping to ensure that the overall experience of taking a course with Professional Studies is a positive and enriching one. Janette enjoys meeting new people and making new connections, enriching courses and supporting students and staff in becoming a part of the Professional Studies community. Janette is passionate about education and completed her Master of Education at Queen’s University in 2020 – she has since worked for the Limestone District School Board and Continuing Teacher Education at Queen’s before moving to Professional Studies.
Our Mission
To design learning experiences that meet diverse needs and help learners achieve meaningful professional progress and have a positive impact on their communities.
Our Vision
To be a global leader in professional education, bold ideas, human connection, and lifelong growth transform communities.
Our Values
COMMUNICATION
We listen to a diverse range of experiences and perspectives, seeking to understand before acting so our responses genuinely meet the needs of our learners.
INNOVATION
We embrace bold ideas and take courageous steps to meet challenges with creativity and serve our learners better.
COMPASSION
We treat learners and colleagues with empathy, care, and respect, showing compassion for one another and our learning community.
GROWTH
We provide educational experiences that develop real-world skills, helping individuals translate their learning into measurable professional progress.
About Queen’s University
Queen’s University is highly ranked in Canada for student experience, taking an inclusive approach and offering learning beyond the classroom.
Queen’s has a research-intensive environment and interdisciplinary program offerings that provide students with the comprehensive and nimble skills required in today’s competitive and evolving workforce.
Bolstered by the outstanding reputations of its scholars and researchers—including 2015 Nobel Prize winner Arthur B. McDonald—a Queen’s education can provide unparalleled access to careers and personal development opportunities around the world. With particular academic strengths in physics, cancer research, geoengineering, data analytics, and social sciences like surveillance studies and mental health, the university sets graduates up for excellence across disciplines.
Queen’s boasts an undergraduate graduation rate of 93%, and 91% of Queen’s grads are employed within six months of graduating.
Acknowledgement of Territory
Queen’s University is situated on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. To acknowledge this traditional territory is to recognize its longer history, one predating the establishment of the earliest European colonies. It is also to acknowledge this territory’s significance for the Indigenous peoples who lived, and continue to live, upon it—people whose practices and spiritualities were tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the territory and its other inhabitants today. The Kingston Indigenous community continues to reflect the area’s Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee roots. There is also a significant Métis community and there are First Peoples from other Nations across Turtle Island present here today.
The members of Professional Studies make up a diverse group of people coming from different corners of Canada and the world. We are grateful for the opportunity to meet on these lands, while building relationships and learning from our connections. We acknowledge that for many of us, this journey was made possible in part by the direct consequences of colonization and the systematic marginalization of Indigenous Peoples. Subsequently, we recognize we have a responsibility to work toward reconciliation, to rebuild relationships with our Indigenous friends, family, and community members and to create inclusive and safe spaces for all.