Professor, Chair of Education Department, Coordinator of Teacher Education at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York
(CUNY), and founding member of Peer Observations Improvement Network for Teaching.
Director of Special Projects & Student Engagement at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY); she is committed to student success, and her work has focused on designing and implementing a wide array of initiatives to improve students’ college experiences and academic attainment.
Felisha A. Herrera, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Postsecondary Education,
Director, Research & Equity Scholarship Institute,
San Diego State University
Felisha A. Herrera, PhD is the Director of the Research & Equity Scholarship Institute on Student Trajectories in Education (RES-ISTE). She is also an associate professor of Postsecondary Education and Community College Leadership and affiliated faculty in the Joint PhD Program at San Diego State University (SDSU). Prior to joining SDSU, she served as an assistant professor of Community College Leadership and affiliated faculty in Public Policy at Oregon State University from 2012-2015. Dr. Herrera completed her Ph.D. in Education (emphasis in Higher Education & Organizational Change) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she was a research analyst for the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute (HERI). She also earned a master’s degree from UCLA, master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and an associate’s degree from UNM-Taos (branch community college). Her scholarship is enhanced by nearly two decades of experience as a higher education professional at two- and four-year institutions, several Minority-Serving Institutions/Hispanic-Serving Institutions, including faculty and professional positions in student affairs, institutional research, and administration. Her work is also informed by her own educational history as a community college graduate, low-income, first-generation college student, and mother scholar.
Dr. Herrera is a consummate scholar, who has published in top tier, peer-reviewed journals and has procured over $3.9 million in funding to support her research. She serves as the PI for several large-scale research projects, including two current NSF funded projects—ED-SYSTEMS (NSF DUE-1644990) & HSI-STEM (NSF DUE-1832528)—investigating the role of community colleges and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and as Co-PI for ADAPT: A Pedagogical Decision-Making Study (NSF HRD-1759947). To inform system-wide change, her research employs advanced statistical techniques to examine contextual factors—institutional (structure, process, and policy), geographic, demographic, political and economic contexts—that impact postsecondary outcomes for students of color. Her work encompasses several strands of scholarship including student mobility; community college pathways; underrepresented students in STEM; and a critical examination of policy issues related to diversity & equity in education.
Contact information:
Email: felisha.herrera@sdsu.edu
Website: http://res-iste.sdsu.edu/ ; felishaherrera.sdsu.edu
Victoria C. Rodriguez-Operana, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Research & Equity Scholarship Institute, San Diego State University; and
Lecturer, Human Developmental Sciences,
University of California, San Diego
Victoria C. Rodriguez-Operana, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for the Research and Equity Scholarship Institute on Student Trajectories in Education (RES-ISTE). Dr. Rodriguez-Operana co-leads RES-ISTE on two NSF-funded projects examining the role of community colleges and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the STEM pathways of underrepresented students of color: ED-SYSTEMS (NSF DUE-1644990) & HSI-STEM (NSF DUE-1832528). She also teaches courses in Human Developmental Sciences at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
With more than a decade of research experience in education, psychology, and human development, and publications in the Journal of Early Adolescence, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Asian American Journal of Psychology, her research examines how social identities and relationships within proximal contexts (e.g., family, school) influence the developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, psychological) of students of color. Prior to joining RES-ISTE, Dr. Rodriguez-Operana was a member of UCLA’s Children’s Understanding of Economic and Social Inequality Lab and worked on several projects, including studies examining: persistence among community college students in CalWORKs, psychosocial benefits of racial/ethnic diversity in urban schools, children’s social identity development, and an elementary school dual-language immersion program. Her mixed-methods dissertation examined how family, peer, and school-based relationships shape the academic achievement and psychological adjustment of Filipina/x/o American adolescents, an understudied segment of the Asian American/ Pacific Islander population. Dr. Rodriguez-Operana’s research reflects her commitment to understanding how to best support the academic success and well-being of individuals from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Dr. Rodriguez-Operana earned her B.A. in Psychology from UCSD, and completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Human Development and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Contact information:
Email: vrodriguezoperana@sdsu.edu
Website: http://res-iste.sdsu.edu/
Victoria G. Black, PhD
Director of PACE Mentoring,
Texas State University
Victoria Black is the Director for PACE Mentoring at Texas State University. In her current position at Texas State, she provides leadership and support to a team of over 100 individuals who work with first-year students, first-year faculty development, and Title V grant management. She has shared her passion on mentoring in a 2018 TedX talk at Texas State University titled No One is Talking to the Mentees on how to prepare ourselves as we enter into developmental relationships. Her experiences with mentoring include several publications on mentorability, various state and national presentations, and providing mentoring consultation and training internationally at Technologico de Monterrey – Queretaro, Queretaro, MX. Her publications also include college access for first-generation students, first-year student success, higher education finance, and working mothers in student affairs. Originally from La Joya, TX, she received a BA in Psychology from the University of Texas San Antonio, a M.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in Higher Education Leadership.
Contact information:
Email: Victoriablack@txstate.edu
Phone: 512-245-3579
Gloria P. Martinez-Ramos, PhD
Professor of Sociology, Latina/o Studies Program Director, and Director of The Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, Texas State University
Dr. Gloria P. Martinez-Ramos is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and the inaugural Director of Latina/o Studies minor at Texas State University. Dr. Martinez-Ramos earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a B.A. in Child Development from San Jose State University, and an A.A. from Hartnell College, Salinas, California. Gloria has over 15 years of teaching Sociology, such as, Race and Ethnic Relations, Medical Sociology, Social Stratification, Introduction to Sociology, Latinos and Immigration, Latina/os and Education, and Latina/o Studies courses at Texas State. She has published articles on Latinx college students’ retention and persistence. mentored over 30 undergraduate and graduate students, many who are working in community-based and advocacy research in health and education.
Contact information:
Email: gm21@txstate.edu
Phone: 512-245-2470
Sylvia T. Gonzales, M.Ed.
Director of Developing HSI Programs
Texas State University
Sylvia T. Gonzales is the HSI STEM Impact & MAESTROS Director, member of the Hispanic Policy Network, and US1100 faculty. Sylvia is the first in her family to go to college and is working on her Ed.D. in Positive Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University. Sylvia continues to ensure the undergraduate student experience is authentic as she has served as an advocate, mentor, and leader to underrepresented college students for 21 years. She has helped with the grassroots development of 6 federal grant programs in TX/NM, including Title III, V, and TRIO grants. She is also an active member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institutional Educators and helped establish the Bobcat Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) certificate program and serves as co-chair on the First Gen Proud Working Group at Texas State University. Sylvia has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions, including Angelika Lester Wahl Diversity Award, HPN’s Latinx Star Award, a “Program to Watch” designation by Excelencia in Education, Bright Spots in Hispanic Education, and NASPA’s & Studer Foundation First-Gen Forward designation.
Contact information:
Email: sylviatgonzales@txstate.edu
Phone: 512-245-2080
Dr. Carlos R. Morales Irizarry
President, TCC Connect Campus
Tarrant County College
Before becoming TCC Connect’ s President in 2013, Dr. Carlos Morales was the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Distance Education Programs at Ana G. Méndez University- Virtual Campus. As such, he provided leadership, vision and planning for the implementation of courses and programs for online delivery. Previously he was the Executive Director of Academic Technology at Lock Haven University responsible for the delivery of online courses, the incorporation of technology for teaching and learning, faculty development, the STEP program (a student laptop initiative) and also facilitated campus conversations on academic technology. Prior to Lock Haven University, Carlos was the Instructional Designer for the Center for Instructional and Technological Innovation (CITI) at New Jersey City University, responsible for instructional technology staff. Carlos has extensive online and classroom teaching experience in the areas of: Biology, Science Teaching and Instructional Technology. Dr. Morales also holds professional certifications as Distance Learning Administration Professional from Texas A&M University and Certified Online Instructor (COI) from Walden University. Morales graduated from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, with bachelors and master’s degrees in Biology and Science Education, and received his doctorate, with a dissertation on Constructivist Learning Environments in Online Course Design, from Capella University. He was a Frye fellow in 2009.
Contact information:
Web: https://www.tccd.edu/
Dr. Alice J. Casanova Ocasio
EDP University
La doctora Alice J. Casanova ha laborado en sector de la educación superior por más de 15 años, en la academia y la administración de esta. Posee un doctorado en Filosofía de la Educación con especialidad en Docencia y un Certificado en Educación Superior de Harvard University. Coordina el nodo de investigación en Puerto Rico de la Red Internacional de Investigadores en Educación a Distancia en Línea y Abierta (REDIC), es investigadora invitada en la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia en Costa Rica, imparte cursos en línea del nivel graduado y subgraduado. Colabora como especialista Desde 2016 es la Decana Institucional de Educación a Distancia en EDP University.
Contact Information:
Email: acasanova@edpuniversity.edu
Dr. Marcos Torres-Nazario teaches online and face-to-face courses of statistics and research, at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR) Ponce Campus. He received the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from the Inter American University Metro Campus. Also completed a Post Master Certificate in Institutional Research from Florida State University. In 2013 completed a Master Degree in Research and Evaluation at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. During the Summer of 2015 completed the ELearning Expert Certificate from FATLA.
Contact information:
Email: mtorres@ponce.inter.edu
Phone: (787) 284-1912 X-2049
Fax: (787) 841-0103
Prof. Mayra L. Mojica Butler
Lecturer, Business Department
Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)
Mayra L. Mojica Butler is a Lecturer in the Business Department at Hostos Community College (CUNY). She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting with a minor in finance from The University of Puerto Rico and the Master Degree in accounting from The University of Phoenix.
She has several years of experience in the field of accounting. Her extensive experience includes various accounting positions as Accountant at the Department of Labor (DOL) and Human Resources at Puerto Rico and Intern at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC, as well as Community Education Assistant at Bronx – Lebanon Hospital Center. In 2010 participated in Postgraduate Professional Development Program – PPDP in The Washington Center Education in Washington, DC.
She is the adviser of the Accounting Club at Hostos Community College, and every semester she hosts workshops designed to expand knowledge about the field of accounting and the many career paths and opportunities available in the accounting profession.
Also worked as a volunteer for New York Cares, a nonprofit volunteer organization in New York City in the Tax Preparation Program. The purpose of the program is to help people and communities in need of tax preparation support during the tax season.
Contact Information:
Email: mlmojica@hostos.cuny.edu
Dr. Floralba Arbelo
Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Professor
Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus
Dr. Floralba Arbelo currently serves as the Dean of Student Affairs and as Associate Professor at Albizu University in Miami, Florida. Dr. Arbelo has held several positions in higher education including distance learning director, academic program director, research associate, curriculum specialist, and Title V Project Director in the United States, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Guatemala, Cuba, and in the Dominican Republic. Her research centers on Hispanic student success, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Hispanic student retention, and online teaching and learning. Her research has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, HETS Online Journal, International Journal of Doctoral Studies, and Journal of Teacher Action Research, among others. Dr. Arbelo has an earned Doctor of Education degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, a Master of Science from The New School for Public Engagement in NY, and a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Her research has been presented at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators, The College Board, the Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Conference, and the National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies. In 2016, Dr. Arbelo was the recipient of the Women that Transcend Award for Global Leadership in Education and Community Service from the New Jersey Hand Foundation and was awarded Senatorial Citation for her volunteerism, activism, and mentoring activities among young adults and youth. She is an alum of the inaugural class of the HACU Instituto de Liderazgo Fellowship.
Contact Information:
Email: farbelo@albizu.edu
Phone: 305 593 1223 ext. 3227
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/floralbaarbelo/
The authors of this article were members of the Instructional Evaluation Committee at Hostos Community College for the 2017-2020 term. This committee informs the College Senate of best practices in student evaluation of teaching (SET) and presents potential revisions to the SET process and the instrument to governance. It also addresses the faculty peer-observation process and, in 2019, it approved the peer observation form created by the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching Committee (POINT).
Sherese Mitchell, Ed.D., is Associate Professor in Education Department, served multiple terms as Chair of the Instructional Evaluation Committee, and is a member of the College-Wide Curriculum Committee.
Asrat Amnie, M.D., Ed.D., is Assistant Professor in Education Department; his publications focus on high-risk health behavior, including causes and consequences of stress, and strategies to cope with stress.
Jacqueline M. DiSanto, Ed.D., is Professor, Chair of Education Department, Coordinator of Teacher Education, and founding member of Peer Observations Improvement Network for Teaching.
Allison Franzese, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in Natural Sciences Department, and Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, where she studies paleoclimate using geochemical tools.
Carlos Guevara, M.S., is Director of Office of Educational Technology, Co-Director of Center for Teaching and Learning, book author, altruist, and frequent speaker at national and international conferences, where he provides vision to promote organizational culture change and innovation to teaching and learning through technology.
Juno Morrow, M.F.A., is Assistant Professor of Game Design and Game Design Program Coordinator, serves on Educational Technology Leadership Council, and recently published her first book.
Silvia Reyes, M.S.W., is Director of Special Projects & Student Engagement; she is committed to student success, and her work has focused on designing and implementing a wide array of initiatives to improve students’ college experiences and academic attainment.
Maria Subert, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in Humanities; her research focuses include intercultural communication and institutional assessment including utilizing findings for continuous improvement.
Amber M. González, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Child and Adolescent Development Program,
California State University Sacramento
Amber M. Gonzalez (Ph.D. UC Santa Barbara; she/ella) is an Associate Professor in the Child and Adolescent Development program at the California State University, Sacramento. Utilizing a multidisciplinary perspective including human development, educational psychology, as well as critical race theory she centers her research on examining Latinx academic aspirations and motivations through and across the P20 education pipeline. Her research examines the influence of social support networks and institutional structures on college student identity development and educational and career aspirations and motivations. In addition, she explores the ways in which students use these aspirations and motivations to ensure their success, manage failure, and persist. Dr. Gonzalez teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on motivation, quantitative research methods, and cross-cultural human development. Her scholarly work has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Educational Research, and College Student Journal.
Contact information:
Email: amber.gonzalez@csus.edu
Dr. David H. Luciano
Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus
Dr. Luciano work as a full-time Assistant Professor at the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey campus. Born in New York and then moved to Puerto Rico, and his hometown is Adjuntas. He has worked as a teacher-professor for almost thirty years now. Among his interests have always been to help English majors in their quest to become language experts as well as pedagogy students (elementary and secondary level) who want to become English teachers. Here in Puerto Rico English is taught as a second language (ESL), it is also a compulsory subject in schools from the elementary level. Luciano has worked as a teacher in all levels from the elementary to higher education. In addition, he has conducted research with middle, high school and college level ESL students. He is interested in conducting research with technological tools that can be used to bridge the gap between teaching and learning. Abut himself: I am a lifelong learner, and my biggest goal is to instill in my students the need for learning languages. My motto is: Learning is Fun, and It is A Lifelong Journey!
Contact Information:
Email: david.luciano@upr.edu | dhluciano@gmail.com
Phone: (787) 398-6671
Dr. Neal Malik
Assistant Professor, California State University, San Bernardino
Dr. Neal Malik is an Assistant Professor, researcher, and podcaster. He has taught at Minority-Serving and Hispanic Serving Institutions for 13 years. In addition to receiving numerous pedagogy certifications, he been featured as a nutrition and wellness expert on CBS local radio in Los Angeles, CA, USA as well as a number of online and print publications including eHow.com and Men’s Fitness Magazine. Dr. Malik has also published peer-reviewed scientific literature on diet and its effects on appetitive hormones, type 2 diabetes, blood lipids, and body weight. In December 2020, he will be presenting on how Motivational Syllabi may improve student engagement in an online environment at the ITLC Lilly Conference. http://www.oldpodcast.com
Contact information:
Address: 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA
Email: neal.malik@csusb.edu
Phone: 1 + (909) 537-4588
Prof. Hector W. Soto, J.D
Assistant Professor of Law and Public Policy
Hostos Community College
Hector W. Soto has been teaching courses regarding the U.S. legal system, criminal law, U.S. policing and police- community relations for more than 12 years. He is the founder of the Center for Neighborhood Leadership, a school for the training of community organizers and the promotion of community civic engagement. He is also a founding board member of Community Learning Partnership, a national organization that promotes the development of community change studies degree programs in community colleges. Professor Soto is a graduate of Queens College CUNY and the New York University School of Law.
Contact information:
Email: hsoto@hostos.cuny.edu
Telephone (mobile): 917-557-7925
Telephone (office): 718-518-6718
Floralba Arbelo, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Education
Title V. Project Director
Carlos Albizu University, Miami
Dr. Floralba Arbelo has had the privilege of teaching, mentoring students, and participating in community based education in the United States and in the Caribbean. Her areas of expertise include research methods, curriculum development, distance education, youth development, nonprofit management, and grant writing. Dr. Arbelo mentors graduate students in their research for qualifying degrees. Her own research centers on Hispanic student achievement, Hispanic Serving Institutions, student retention, and online teaching and learning. Dr. Arbelo earned her bachelor degree from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, a master’s degree The New School for Public Engagement, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Liberty University.
Contact information:
Email: farbelo@albizu.edu
Karli Martin, M.S.
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student
Carlos Albizu University
Ms. Karli Martin is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Albizu University in Miami, Florida. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology from SUNY Oneonta in New York. Her clinical interests include neuropsychological assessment, behavior therapy, traumatic brain injury, neurodevelopmental disorders, dementia, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. She enjoys hiking, bowling and relaxing at home with her two dogs for self-care. Karli aspires to learn more about a variety of cultures through her work and travel.
Contact information:
Email: kmartin002@sunmail.albizu.edu
Ailema Frigerio, PsyD
School Psychologist
Miami Dade Public Schools
Dr. Ailema Frigerio is a licensed psychologist with the Miami Dade County public school system. Formerly Assistant Director of Clinical Training and Associate Professor at Carlos Albizu University, she has mentored countless students through to degree completion at the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels. Dr. Frigerio has earned her bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees from Carlos Albizu University.
Contact information:
Email: afrigerio@sunmail.albizu.edu
Dr. Elys Vasquez-Iscan, Ed.D., MPH
Assistant Professor
Hostos Community College
Dr. Elys Vasquez-Iscan teaches online and hybrid courses in the Health Education Unit at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York. Her research interests entail analyzing HIV and its intersection with gender and violence and health inequities; online research to identify coping responses to stress among vulnerable populations; developing strategies for multicultural competence among health professionals; evaluating the impact of e-health on health disparities; capacity building for local and international disease prevention efforts; utilization of community based participatory research for health promotion and community empowerment. She has been the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship and an ELEVATE Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania Center for Minority Serving Institutions. She enjoys teaching the diverse Hostos student population due to the wealth of life experience that they bring into the classroom.
Contact information:
Email: evasquez-iscan@hostos.cuny.edu
Jacqueline M. DiSanto, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
Education Department
Coordinator of the Early-Childhood Education Program
Hostos Community College
Dr. Jacqueline M. DiSanto area of expertise include curriculum, administration and supervision, online learning, and open-educational resources. She has served as school administrator for pre-school through grade 12. Dr. DiSanto is a founding member and former chair of the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching (POINT); she serves on the Instructional Evaluation and Hostos Online Learning Assessment committees. Her most recent publications focused on student perceptions of online learning and on a college-wide assessment initiative that addressed measuring skills development through general-education competencies and program-learning outcomes. She is the vice-chair of the board of trustees of the New York City Montessori Charter School.
Contact Information:
Phone: 718 518-4437
Email: jdisanto@hostos.cuny.edu
Sandy Figueroa, M.S.
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College
Professor Sandy Figueroa, M.S., has been at Hostos Community College since 1976 as an adjunct and then from 1979 as an instructor in the Secretarial Science Department. In 1980, the College went through a re-organization process and the Secretarial Science Department became one of three units in the Business Department. The other units were: Business and Accounting and Data Processing. Since 1999, Professor Figueroa has been teaching in the Computer Information Systems Unit. From 2003 until 2006, she was the chair of the Business Department. Currently, Professor Figueroa is the Coordinator for the Office Technology Unit of the Business Department. Professor Figueroa is chair of a number of college-wide committees, including the Curriculum Committee, and has served on a number of committees in the Business Department and the College. She is a founding of member of the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching (POINT).
Contact information:
Phone: 718 518-6512
Email: sfigueroa@hostos.cuny.edu
Carlos Guevara, M.S.
Director
Office of Educational Technology
Hostos Community College
Mr. Carlos Guevara, was born in Quito (Ecuador), and is an innate leader and fighter and first-generation college student. He holds B.S. and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from CUNY and NYU Poly, and is currently pursuing his doctorate in Instructional Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University. With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Mr. Guevara currently works at Hostos Community College as Director of the Office of Educational Technology, where he provides vision to strengthen and bring innovation to teaching and learning through technology. He has established a successful organizational culture shift around technology adoption, implementing initiatives centered on mentoring and communities of practice. He is a frequent presenter of a variety of academic technology topics at national and international conferences. His main research areas of interest are online learning, social networking in education, and game-based learning.
Contact information:
Phone: 718 319-7915
Email: cguevara@hostos.cuny.edu
ePORTFOLIO: http://hostos.digication.com/carlosguevara
Antonios Varelas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College
Dr. Antonios Varelas is Associate Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York. He is an Applied Behavior Analyst whose research interests include concept-formation protocols and clicker technology in the undergraduate classroom, and the impact of supplemental instruction programs on students who serve as peer leaders. He currently serves on the college-wide Personnel and Budget committee and on POINT.
Contact information:
Phone: 718 518-6886
Email: avarelas@hostos.cuny.edu
Diana Macri, M.S.Ed., R.D.H.
Assistant Professor
Hostos Community College
Professor Macri teaches three core courses in the Dental Hygiene unit: Oral Pathology, Oral Microbiology and Ethics, Jurisprudence and Practice Management. Her publications can be seen in medical and dental hygiene journals and she is a frequent contributor to online industry publications. She has presented at professional conferences nationally and internationally. She is the current chair of POINT. Professor Macri is involved in many advocacy efforts, specifically those which seek to resolve health disparities seen in Hispanic populations, both nationally and abroad. She is currently collaborating with dental faculty from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and New York University College of Dentistry, through an ADEA/Gies Foundation grant, to increase dental and dental hygiene student interest in academic careers. She has been appointed to the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee of the American Dental Education Association; is a Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Dental Education, and MedEdPORTAL Publications; was the editorial director for RDH Graduate, a newsletter for dental hygiene students and recent graduates published by Pennwell Corp; and is the Treasurer of the American Academy of Dental Hygiene.
Contact information:
Phone: 718 319-7970
Email: dmacri@hostos.cuny.edu
Andrea Fabrizio,Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Chair of English Department
Hostos Community College
Dr. Andrea Fabrizio received her B.A. in English from Fordham University and her Ph.D. in English with a Certificate in Women’s Studies from the Graduate Center of The City University of New York. Her scholarly interests include 17th century women’s spiritual writing and writing pedagogy. She currently co-coordinates the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Initiative at Hostos and was a founding member of POINT.
Contact information:
Phone: 718 518-6697
Email: afabrizio@hostos.cuny.edu
Sherese Mitchelle, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College
Dr. Sherese A. Mitchell has served as an Assistant Professor at Hostos Community College for nine years. She holds an Educational Doctorate in Instructional Leadership with a focus on Learning Styles. Prior to working in academics, she spent 20 years in the field working with children in various settings and leadership roles. Dr. Mitchell has brought that experience in her current instructional position to future educators enrolled in methods courses at Hostos. In those courses, she constantly invites student- and colleague-feedback to revise course organization and content to meet the varied learning needs of all students. She is passionate about student accountability and classroom management and provides staff development on such. Dr. Mitchell serves as a chair of the Student Disciplinary and Instructional Evaluation committees at Hostos. She is an executive board member of NACCTEP (National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs) and the Children’s center at Hostos. Additionally, she provides voluntary services of staff development in educational settings and is the Academic Director at a summer camp. Beyond her learning-style and note-taking research, Dr. Mitchell has presented many papers at national, local, and regional conferences.
Contact Information:
Phone: 718 518-4413
Email: smitchell@hostos.cuny.edu
Sean Gerrity, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, English
Hostos Community College
Dr. Sean Gerrity earned his Ph.D. in English with a Certificate in American Studies from The City University of New York’s Graduate Center in 2017. Since then, he has been Assistant Professor of English at Hostos Community College, where he teaches first-year composition, first-year seminar, and various other courses in writing and literature. His scholarly writing has appeared in Journal of the Early Republic, Journal of American Studies, and MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States. He has also written about maintaining an active research agenda as a community-college instructor for Inside Higher Ed and has had his research featured on WAMC Public Radio’s “The Academic Minute” program. He regularly presents his research at both local and national conferences. He is trained as a scholar of early nineteenth-century American literature and slavery, and he is also interested in anti-racist pedagogy and assessment practices at the community college as well as Writing Across the Curriculum. He is a member of POINT.
Contact information:
Email: sgerrity@hostos.cuny.edu
Webpage: https://www.seangerrity.com
Twitter: @g3rrity
Dr. Liana Iveth Gutiérrez Moreno
Professor
School of Business Administration
Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto Río Piedras
She has a Master Degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching in Mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Her topic of research was the evaluation of an online Mathematics course. She worked on various professional development projects for teachers and as designer of online Mathematics modules. In addition, she has a Certification in Construction of Virtual Environments.
Contact information:
Email: liana.gutierrez@upr.edu
Yasmine Edwards, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Bronx Community College
Dr. Yasmin Edwards is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Bronx Community College. Her research focus is DNA Repair Systems. Her most recent article “An Msh3 ATPase domain mutation has no effect on DNA Mismatch Repair, published by BioMed Central Research Notes in November 2017 reveals the limited effect of the protein on DNA Mismatch Repair. She is also currently engaged in pedagogical research projects focused on the impact of accelerated workshops/courses on students’ long-term performance as well as the effective use of technology to enhance student comprehension in undergraduate science courses. Dr. Edwards is the program coordinator for the Biotechnology Program at Bronx Community College, a student research mentor and Biology Club faculty advisor.
Contact information:
Email: Yasmin.edwards@bcc.cuny.edu
Dr. Hisseine Faradj
Assistant Professor
Political Science/Sociology
Department of Social Sciences
Dr. Hisseine Faradj is an Assistant Professor of Political Science/Sociology at the Bronx Community College of the City University Of New York. His research interest is in the area of political/social theory focusing primarily on the intersectionality between religion and politics. Dr. Faradj is also interested in pedagogical methodology in face-to-face environment as well as online.
Contact information:
Address: Colston Hall, Room 329/327, 2155 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453
Email: hisseine.faradj@bcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-289-5822
Fax: 718-289-6099
Tamara JG Barbosa, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Business Communication Department
College of Business Administration
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
Dr. Tamara JG Barbosa has spent over two decades working in the areas of Distance & Online Education, Business Communication & Technology, in-service and Pre- service Teacher Education with an emphasis in TESOL, STEM, Evaluation & Assessment, Leadership & Organizational Development, Executive Education, Public Policy & Management in academia, government and non-profit institutions. She has designed and developed over 1,347 hours of eLearning courses for Federal Senior Executive Service training, and Skills Training at the USDA and 1,071 hours of Graduate online courses at various universities in the USA. Dr. Barbosa has been named an Edmodo Spanish-speaking Ambassador (top user out of 90+ M) at the global education social learning network. She holds a PhD in Educational Policy, Leadership & Technology and an MA in Higher Education Administration from The Ohio State University and an MA in TESOL in College from New York University.
Contact Information:
Email: tamara.Barbosa@upr.edu
Mary Jo Barbosa, M.S.
Professor
Biological Sciences Department
College of General Studies
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
Professor Mary Jo Barbosa spent over six decades teaching Biological Sciences. She was a pioneer integrating technology into the classroom. From audio-visual materials to Zoom. She began her career in 1960 as a high school Biology teacher. She worked at the Biological Sciences Department where she taught first-year Biology for 53 years. She created the first audio-visual course for the Biological Sciences department. In 2004, after 39 years of pencil and bubble testing, Prof. Barbosa changed to online assessment using the Blackboard LMS for all tests. She input her entire item pool that had been researched and fine-tuned in the previous 39 years with a base sample of over 42,000 first-year students. Prof. Barbosa was the first Director of Environmental Education at the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, where she created the first high school biology research-based course about Puerto Rico. At the PRDNR, she created videotapes for the classroom and for teacher training. In 2012 she created videos for her YouTube channel (Induktiva), in the areas of Mendelian Genetics and Drosophila melanogaster culturing techniques. In 2017, she integrated Zoom to teach live-online. Prof. Barbosa holds an MS in Biology from Rutgers University and Doctoral Studies in Higher Education from New York University. In the Spring of 2018, Prof. Barbosa became a Distinguished Honorary Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for her contributions to Leadership, Scholarship and Service.
Professor, Biological Sciences Department
College of General Studies
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus
Professor Mary Jo Barbosa spent over six decades teaching Biological Sciences. She was a pioneer integrating technology into the classroom. From audio-visual materials to Zoom. She began her career in 1960 as a high school Biology teacher. She worked at the Biological Sciences Department where she taught first-year Biology for 53 years. She created the first audio-visual course for the Biological Sciences department. In 2004, after 39 years of pencil and bubble testing, Prof. Barbosa changed to online assessment using the Blackboard LMS for all tests. She input her entire item pool that had been researched and fine-tuned in the previous 39 years with a base sample of over 42,000 first-year students. Prof. Barbosa was the first Director of Environmental Education at the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, where she created the first high school biology research-based course about Puerto Rico. At the PRDNR, she created videotapes for the classroom and for teacher training. In 2012 she created videos for her YouTube channel (Induktiva), in the areas of Mendelian Genetics and Drosophila melanogaster culturing techniques. In 2017, she integrated Zoom to teach live-online.
Prof. Barbosa holds an MS in Biology from Rutgers University and Doctoral Studies in Higher Education from New York University. In the Spring of 2018, Prof. Barbosa became a Distinguished Honorary Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for her contributions to Leadership, Scholarship and Service.
Assistant Professor
Business Communication Department
College of Business Administration
Rio Piedras Campus
University of Puerto Rico
Dr. Tamara JG Barbosa has spent over two decades working in the areas of Distance & Online Education, Business Communication & Technology, in-service and Pre- service Teacher Education with an emphasis in TESOL, STEM, Evaluation & Assessment, Leadership & Organizational Development, Executive Education, Public Policy & Management in academia, government and non-profit institutions. She has designed and developed over 1,347 hours of eLearning courses for Federal Senior Executive Service training, and Skills Training at the USDA and 1,071 hours of Graduate online courses at various universities in the USA.
Dr. Barbosa has been named an Edmodo Spanish-speaking Ambassador (top user out of 90+ M) at the global education social learning network. She holds a PhD in Educational Policy, Leadership & Technology and an MA in Higher Education Administration from The Ohio State University and an MA in TESOL in College from New York University.
Contact Information:
Email: tamara.Barbosa@upr.edu
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College, Bronx, New York
Sherese A. Mitchell has served as an Assistant Professor at Hostos Community College for 12 years. She holds an Educational Doctorate in Instructional Leadership with a focus in Learning Styles. Prior to working in academics, she spent 20 years in the field working with children in various settings and leadership roles. Dr. Mitchell has brought that experience to her current instructional position to future educators enrolled in methods courses at Hostos. In those courses, she constantly invites student- and colleague- feedback to revise course organization and content to meet the varied learning needs of all students. She is passionate about student accountability and classroom management and provides staff development on such. Dr. Mitchell is a strong advocate of student accountability and serves as a chair of the Student Disciplinary and Instructional Evaluation committees at Hostos. She is an Executive board member of NACCTEP (National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs) and the Children’s center at Hostos. Additionally, she provides voluntary services of staff development in educational settings and is the Academic Director at a summer camp. Beyond learning-style and note-taking research, Dr. Mitchell has presented many papers at National, local and regional conferences.
Contact information:
Sherese A. Mitchell
Associate Professor
500 Grand Concourse (Room A107)
Email: smitchell@hostos.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-518-4413
Assistant Professor of English
Hostos Community College, CUNY
Dr. Sean Gerrity earned his Ph.D. in English with a Certificate in American Studies from The City University of New York’s Graduate Center in 2017. Since then, he has been Assistant Professor of English at Hostos Community College, where he teaches first-year composition, first-year seminar, and various other courses in writing and literature. His scholarly writing has appeared in Journal of the Early Republic, Journal of American Studies, and MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States. He has also written about maintaining an active research agenda as a community-college instructor for Inside Higher Ed and has had his research featured on WAMC Public Radio’s “The Academic Minute” program. He regularly presents his research at both local and national conferences. He is trained as a scholar of early nineteenth-century American literature and slavery, and he is also interested in anti-racist pedagogy and assessment practices at the community college as well as Writing Across the Curriculum. He is a member of POINT.
Contact information:
Email: sgerrity@hostos.cuny.edu
Webpage: https://www.seangerrity.com
Twitter: @g3rrity
Assistant Professor
Hostos Community College, CUNY
Professor Macri teaches three core courses in the Dental Hygiene unit: Oral Pathology, Oral Microbiology and Ethics, Jurisprudence and Practice Management. Her publications can be seen in medical and dental hygiene journals and she is a frequent contributor to online industry publications. She has presented at professional conferences nationally and internationally. She is the current chair of POINT. Professor Macri is involved in many advocacy efforts, specifically those which seek to resolve health disparities seen in Hispanic populations, both nationally and abroad. She is currently collaborating with dental faculty from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and New York University College of Dentistry, through an ADEA/Gies Foundation grant, to increase dental and dental hygiene student interest in academic careers. She has been appointed to the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee of the American Dental Education Association; is a Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Dental Education, and MedEdPORTAL Publications; was the editorial director for RDH Graduate, a newsletter for dental hygiene students and recent graduates published by Pennwell Corp; and is the Treasurer of the American Academy of Dental Hygiene.
Contact information:
Phone: 718 319-7970
Email: dmacri@hostos.cuny.edu
Associate Professor
Dr. Antonios Varelas is Associate Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York. He is an Applied Behavior Analyst whose research interests include concept-formation protocols and clicker technology in the undergraduate classroom, and the impact of supplemental instruction programs on students who serve as peer leaders. He currently serves on the college-wide Personnel and Budget committee and on POINT.
Contact information:
Phone: 718 518-6886
Email: avarelas@hostos.cuny.edu
Associate Professor and Chair
English Department
Hostos Community College, CUNY
Dr. Andrea Fabrizio received her B.A. in English from Fordham University and her Ph.D. in English with a Certificate in Women’s Studies from the Graduate Center of The City University of New York. Her scholarly interests include 17th century women’s spiritual writing and writing pedagogy. She currently co-coordinates the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Initiative at Hostos and was a founding member of POINT.
Contact information:
Phone: 718 518-6697
Email: afabrizio@hostos.cuny.edu
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College
Professor Sandy Figueroa, M.S., has been at Hostos Community College since 1976 as an adjunct and then from 1979 as an instructor in the Secretarial Science Department. In 1980, the College went through a re-organization process and the Secretarial Science Department became one of three units in the Business Department. The other units were: Business and Accounting and Data Processing. Since 1999, Professor Figueroa has been teaching in the Computer Information Systems Unit. From 2003 until 2006, she was the chair of the Business Department. Currently, Professor Figueroa is the Coordinator for the Office Technology Unit of the Business Department. Professor Figueroa is chair of a number of college-wide committees, including the Curriculum Committee, and has served on a number of committees in the Business Department and the College. She is a founding of member of the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching (POINT).
Contact information:
Phone: 718 518-6512
Email: sfigueroa@hostos.cuny.edu
Assistant Professor
Political Science/Sociology
Department of Social Sciences
Dr. Hisseine Faradj is an Assistant Professor of Political Science/Sociology at the Bronx Community College of the City University Of New York. His research interest is in the area of political/social theory focusing primarily on the intersectionality between religion and politics. Dr. Faradj is also interested in pedagogical methodology in face-to-face environment as well as online.
Contact information:
Address: Colston Hall, Room 329/327, 2155 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453
Email: hisseine.faradj@bcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-289-5822
Fax: 718-289-6099
Assistant Professor of Law and Public Policy
Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY).
Hector W. Soto has been teaching courses regarding the U.S. legal system, criminal law, U.S. policing and police- community relations for more than 12 years. He is the founder of the Center for Neighborhood Leadership, a school for the training of community organizers and the promotion of community civic engagement. He is also a founding board member of Community Learning Partnership, a national organization that promotes the development of community change studies degree programs in community colleges. Professor Soto is a graduate of Queens College CUNY and the New York University School of Law.
Assistant Professor
Health Education Unit
Hostos Community College, CUNY
Dr. Elys Vasquez-Iscan teaches online and hybrid courses in the Health Education Unit at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York. Her research interests entail analyzing HIV and its intersection with gender and violence and health inequities; online research to identify coping responses to stress among vulnerable populations; developing strategies for multicultural competence among health professionals; evaluating the impact of e-health on health disparities; capacity building for local and international disease prevention efforts; utilization of community based participatory research for health promotion and community empowerment. She has been the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship and an ELEVATE Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania Center for Minority Serving Institutions. She enjoys teaching the diverse Hostos student population due to the wealth of life experience that they bring into the classroom.
Contact information:
email: evasquez-iscan@hostos.cuny.edu