Danielle Daniels
Workshop Presenter
Danielle Daniels
Workshop Presenter
Danielle Daniels
Danielle Daniels is the Director for Diversity in STEM at the David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Development at the University of Rochester. She is also a doctoral student at the Warner School of Education. Her research interests include the intellectual risk-taking practices of minoritized students in STEM classrooms.
Jazmin Dunham
Workshop #2
Jazmin Dunham
Workshop #2
Jazmin joined the college advising team at the David T. Kearns almost 2 years ago. As an Academic Advisor, Jazmin also teaches a section of CAS 145, a course designed to help first-generation, low-income, and minority students navigate the college experience at a PWI. Jazmin’s favorite aspect of being a college advisor is building relationships with her advisee’s and witnessing them achieve their goals.
Jessica Guzman-Rea
Workshop Presenter
Jessica Guzman-Rea
Workshop Presenter
Jessica Guzman-Rea
Dr. Jessica Guzmán-Rea is the director of the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center (BIC) at the University of Rochester. The BIC promotes cultural awareness and engagement, educates on issues of identity, culture, and diversity, and provide avenues for intersection and opportunities for collaboration. In addition, she responds to the bias-related incident reports where she contacts the individuals involved in the report, coordinates a response with an executive team, and communicates with the University community. Dr. Guzmán-Rea also chairs the College Diversity Roundtable (CDR), which is a student-centered task force where campus climate and quality of life issues and/or concerns can be voiced, heard, and acted upon, especially those affecting racial, ethnic and cultural groups on campus. The CDR is also a focal point for diversity discussions, initiatives, and best practices.
Dr. Guzmán-Rea facilitates workshops, trainings, and restorative circles in response to bias-related incidents, but also to educate our campus community. These workshops include topics such as implicit bias, microaggressions, understanding privilege, allyship, creating an inclusive environment, Safe Zone, and practicing cultural humility, just to name a few. Dr. Guzmán-Rea enjoys facilitating these conversations because she gets to watch folks explore how they self-identify and learn new ways to express themselves authentically. She believes that in order to cultivate global citizens, we need to have open and honest dialogue with each other and with folks that differ from us.
Dr. Guzmán-Rea obtained her Doctor of Education in Higher Education from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester and is a Licensed Master Social Worker. Dr. Guzmán-Rea received her Masters of Science in Social Work from Columbia University and her Bachelors of Arts in Sociology and Spanish from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Guzmán-Rea has taught undergraduate courses at the University of Rochester and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She has also taught graduate courses as an adjunct faculty at the Warner School of Education and Walden University.
Haerreem Hyun
Workshop 1
Haerreem Hyun
Workshop 1
Haerreem Hyun has worked at the University of Rochester’s David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity in Arts, Science, and Engineering for two years as an Academic Advisor. She has been involved in the center’s work advising students and developing holistic college-going programming among Federal TRIO Programs; Upward Bound Classic, Upward Bound Math/Science, and Educational Talent Search. She has a strong interest in data management and utilization, and helps lead data efforts across programs.
Gina Ignatti
Workshop 1
Gina Ignatti
Workshop 1
Gina Ignatti
Gina Ignatti has worked with the University of Rochester David T. Kearns Center for Diversity in the Arts, Science and Engineering since 2014 as an Academic Advisor. She has been involved in the Center's work advising and developing a cohesive college-going environment among Federal TRIO Programs; Upward Bound Classic, Upward Bound Math/Science and Educational Talent Search.
Melissa Raucci
Workshop #2
Melissa Raucci
Workshop #2
Melissa Raucci
Melissa has been working in the TRiO community for more than seven years; serving as Assistant Director of College Programs in the David T. Kearns Center at the University of Rochester. In this role, she oversees the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program and newly awarded Student Support Services Program. Additionally, Melissa has worked to implement a first-year curriculum and course meant to support first-generation college, low-income and students of color in their transition to college. Her educational background and previous research interests include the experiences of first-generation women in doctoral programs.
Justis Lopez
Workshop Presenter
Justis Lopez
Workshop Presenter
Justis Lopez
Justis Lopez is an educator, organizer, DJ, and is a TRIO alumni of the SSS program at The University Of Connecticut. As an organizer he focuses on ways to create spaces of radical Joy, Justice, equity, and possibility through community. He is currently a strategic project consultant for the Council for Opportunity in Education and was previously the director of TRIO alumni relations for COE. Before joining COE he was a social studies teacher in CT, the Bronx, and was a guest lecturer/teachers assistant at Teachers College, Columbia University focusing on using hip-hop as a pedagogical practice in schools. His experiences in education lead him to the creation of Just Experience LLC, a start up company that strives to educate, entertain and empower communities across the country. When Justis isn’t teaching he can be found DJing or dancing down the street. He enjoys long hikes, walks on the beach, funfetti cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies.
Joshua Perry
Workshop Presenter
Joshua Perry
Workshop Presenter
Joshua Perry
Joshua Perry came into the trio family in May 2014, and immediately fell in love with the mission and the students. However, Joshua’s academic roots lie in Music and Medieval history. He is passionate about learning, and making connections between disciplines that, on the surface, we don’t think are connected. Recently, he has been increasingly interested in mindfulness, meditation, and spirituality. This has led Josh to explore Taoism, and look for ways to apply that wisdom to the world of higher education in order to empower and strengthen the students he interacts with. College is a great time for identity development, and he sees a thirst for meaning in his students, as well as a desire for strategies to combat stress, anxiety, and depression.
Romy Toussaint
1
Romy Toussaint
1
Romy Toussaint
Often called “The Energy Queen,” I am a transformational trainer and coach, motivational speaker, and certified yoga instructor for over 20 years. As a conscious leadership life coach, I empower people to create a complete practice of intentionally leading their lives; to manage their energy and to have constant access to their vitality so they can do their best work. In my practice as a health and fitness coach, I guide participants in embracing the benefits of physical and mental wellness by mastering the skill of movement, breathing, and meditation. As a national and international retreat leader, I enjoy teaching ayurvedic habits and leadership skills so that one can garner their courage and tools to show up as their best self.
Vanessa Peavy
1
Vanessa Peavy
1
Vanessa is a psychotherapist, facilitator, and teacher. She works at the University of Rochester in the university’s counseling center. As the owner of Take Counseling and Consultation Services, Vanessa provides psychotherapy and curated workshops to address holistic healing and wellness. She also teaches at two local colleges on the topics of death and dying and social work practice. In supporting others she comes from an attachment based, systemic holism perspective with the underlying belief that internal wellness that leads to external fulfilment, and happens when we care for all the parts of ourselves.
Vanessa Peavy received her Bachelors of Science from the State University of New York (SUNY) The College at Brockport, where she double majored in Sociology and Communication (Interpersonal Organizational Specialty). Vanessa Peavy graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College in 2014 with a Master Degree in Social Work (Mental Health Concentration) and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Vanessa is very passionate about working with people of all ages and takes special joy in coming alongside individuals on their life journey.
Richard Taylor
1
Richard Taylor
1
Richard Taylor
Born and raised in Chicago, TRiO SSS alum Richard Taylor has created an impact over the past decade as a powerful leader and voice of impact for men, women, and children around the world. Richard Taylor is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Corporate and Organizational Communication. Richard Taylor is the Founder of TaylorMade Empowerment, a parent company that oversees the Richard Taylor Jr. brand, publishing and several consulting ventures for corporate clients, a respected self-published author of 6 published books (selling over 30,000 copies), and hosts a Global Podcast. Richard Taylor has become a highly sought-after speaker who brings an empowering message of victory by creating a unique way to make the conversation of mental health easier and digestible for all of his audiences. He has been recognized for normalizing the conversation and helping people shift from “talking about mental health” to actually “mobilizing in their efforts towards healing and freedom.” Richard’s story of overcoming morbid obesity, depression, multiple suicide attempts, failing in college and domestic abuse, have struck a change within people throughout different walks of life. The impact in his interactions with audiences has been life changing and have provided the range for him to reach, impact, and have breakthrough with over 100,000 students & professionals. Richard’s goal is to create safe spaces for difficult conversations and encourage empathy in a society that is clouded with apathy. His message breaks cultural boundaries and challenges bias social norms. Richard inspires the masses to tap into their inner potential to create the change they want to see. Over the years he has intertwined his background and experiences into a vulnerable message of love and empathy that surpasses motivating audiences. The end goal continues to be real life transformation.
Heather Hagenbuch
1
Heather Hagenbuch
1
Heather Hagenbuch
Heather Hagenbuch has been working with the TRIO programs for ten years and been a member of the Association for Equality and Excellence for almost as long. Currently, Heather serves as the Coordinator for the McNair Scholars program at the University at Buffalo, the Western New York representative for AEEE, a doctoral candidate studying first-generation college students, and chair of the UB Professional Staff Senate Committee for Inclusion and Diversity. As a member of AEEE, Heather has served the organization in a variety of ways. Heather has been a member of the Emerging Leaders, Conference, and Membership committees. Furthermore, she has serves as an educator and instructor for four separate Emerging Leaders Institutes. Heather served as conference co-chair (with Abena Douglas) in 2015 (Niagara Falls, NY), has helped subsequent conference committees with a variety of tasks, and now looks forward to serving the association through 2021 conference planning.
Stephen Rebello
1
Stephen Rebello
1
Stephen Rebello
Stephen Rebello has been working in the field of education for nearly fifteen years, with ten of those years in TRIO. As a New York state Certified teacher, Stephen started his career teaching middle and high school science in a low-income school district and also spent two summers teaching for the Binghamton University UB Program. He joined TRIO as a full-time staff member when Binghamton University received an SSS STEM grant and was offered an Academic Counselor position. Over the next eight years, Stephen advanced to Assistant Director, Associate Director, and finally Director.
Alex Grote
Workshop #5
Alex Grote
Workshop #5
Alex Grote, Vice President, has been with Heiberg Consulting, Inc. since 2004. He works with all versions of StudentAccess in both development and support. He has also trained hundreds of TRIO staff at grants nationwide on how to use StudentAccess to track student services and academic progress. Alex has previously attended and/or presented at each of the regional conferences.
