Portland, Oregon, United States
I’m passionate about creating inclusive learning environments and I’ve done that as a project manager, facilitator, and curriculum and instructional designer. I have extensive experience creating and sustaining programs for first generation, low-income, and BIPOC undergraduate and graduate students in private and public institutions. I’m deeply invested in the retention and success of diverse students in higher education. In addition to my work experience, I believe my scholarly expertise in Ethnic Studies, Disability Studies, and Critical University Studies make me an effective leader in higher education.
Purpose: Sisters In Conference workshops aim to create space specifically for Women of Color (WOC) to build community through trust building, dialogue and care-free energy. We focus on the holistic development of women, being intentional about cultivating the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being of women of color by creating a community of sisterhood. Goal: For women to gain tangible methods and skills to cultivate their whole self. We often invite women from the campus and community to engage in the process, which provides capacity building and leadership development. Process: The facilitators lead presentations, discussions, exercises and activities that create interactive, thought-provoking workshops for young teenage to college-age women and beyond through a half-day of activities.
Office of the Senior Vice Provost, The University of Texas at Austin
•Developed and launched a suite of virtual programs to recruit, retain and support Black, Indigenous, and students of color who also identify as first-generation graduate students •Managed a $5,000 budget to identify and invite speakers ranging in expertise including navigating the academic and industry job market, mental health, and financial literacy •Designed professional development curriculum rooted in culturally sustaining pedagogies •Presented my program development methods at the Regional Graduate Career Consortium Conference, American Council of Learned Societies Intention Foundry and the Modern Language Association
•Organized and co-led the Progressive Pedagogy Reading Group •Co-designed and co-taught second iteration of E310C, Literature and Social Justice community engagement class •Established community-engaged learning programs and opportunities at UT Austin and beyond •Maintained, updated, and expanded the Literature and Social Justice website
• Mentored and taught incoming 35 first-year, first generation, and low-income college students in the 2016, 2017, and 2018 LUSSI summer cohort • Designed curriculum for an introductory English Composition course at the intersection of social justice, popular culture, and literature
•Collaborated with the Director of Multicultural Affairs to ensure the accomplishment of Lehigh University Summer Scholars Program (LUSSI) mission and goals •Created a literature review that explores identity development, academic support, social integration, human capital and holistic development •Mentored over 90 LUSSI students in their academic and social life at Lehigh through bi-weekly meetings •Developed programs and projects that supported student academic success
•Designed and taught (ENGL001)-Research and Argument and (ENGL001)- Critical Reading and Composition in a two-semester first year writing sequence •Provided students with a critical approach and perspective to the subject through an interdisciplinary pedagogy that engages with literature, popular culture and social justice •Facilitated the development of students’ writing and critical thinking skills through workshops and readings •Maintained regularly-scheduled office hours to assist students in implementing plans for improving and clarifying their writing
•Led a team of 5 undergraduate students in archival research of the Black Campus Movement •Directed a 45 minute documentary on the history and growth of Lehigh’s Africana Studies program over the past 6 years that will serve as time capsule for Lehigh’s institutional history •Conducted interviews with scholars, students, and community members to investigate how Africana Studies addresses intellectual and cultural questions of race within the campus environment