Elaine Palinkas Sanches is the Executive Assistant to Dean Kathleen Canning. In this role, she works closely with the dean and associate deans; members of the school’s advisory board; faculty chairs of the school’s eight departments, seven centers and 10 interdisciplinary programs; and members of the school’s communications, events and development teams.

She joined the Dean’s Office in August 2022 as the Events and Office Manager. She was previously the administrator of the school’s departments of Philosophy and Religion and program administrator for the Humanities Research Center and the Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures. Fluent in English and Portuguese, Elaine worked at the Consulate General of Brazil in Houston prior to joining Rice, where she served as an administrative staff member and as the Executive Assistant to the Brazilian Ambassador.