Diversity Council
More information on Dutchess Community College's Diversity Council members.
| Council Member/Title | Background |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Aponte-Paez Academic Coach/Adjunct Faculty |
Jennifer has been at the College since September of 2018 and is dedicated to efforts that provide equitable educational opportunities. She has served on the Committee for Professional Staff Development since 2021 and the Consortium for Immigrant and Undocumented Students since 2018. (she, her) |
| Jay Brown | |
| Marcia Butland Assistant Dean, Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability |
An alumna of DCC, Marcia Butland returned to the College in January of 2015. She is a resource for students, informing them of their rights and how to exercise them while clarifying their responsibilities. Through the DCC CARES initiative, she connects students experiencing financial emergencies with on-campus and community-based resources. (she/her/hers) |
| Melissa Carlo-Gonzalez Director of TRIO |
Since 2001, Melissa Carlo-Gonzalez has worked to support access and equity for low-income, first-generation college and college-bound students as well as undergraduate students with disabilities. Melissa has been at Dutchess since fall 2016. She has served as chair of the Administrative Staff Council since spring 2021. |
| Bernadette Cekuta Coordinator of EMS Programs |
Bernadette has been working at the College ever since she graduated from DCC in January 2002. She has held various roles as adjunct faculty, lab faculty, clinical and lab coordinator and, since August 2011, as the Coordinator of EMS. “Emergency Medical Services are very diverse and we work in a diverse society,” she says, so her goals are to make safe learning spaces where everyone is respected and where we can all learn from one another. |
| Adjiwanou Gbagba Director of NYS-CSTEP and NSF-LSAMP |
Adjiwanou Gbagba has been with the College since June 2018. He has worked to support the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented minorities and economically disadvantaged students pursuing education in STEM fields, licensed professions and health-related careers. |
| Jessica A. Geer, PhD Associate Professor of Chemistry |
Professor Geer has been at the College since 2015. She believes that "diversity is acceptance, inclusion and equality amongst all races, genders and sexual orientation. Diversity is like an intricately woven quilt. Each tapestry, side by side, comes together to make a beautiful, and colorful work of art." |
| Shalon Hallager Instructor of History, Department of History, Government and Economics |
Shalon Hallager has been at DCC since August of 2017. She teaches courses in American History and Women's History. (she, her) |
| Ahmad Ismail | |
| Kevin is an assistant professor in the English and Humanities department. He started in 2009 and has been full-time since 2013. He served on the Black History committee from 2015 to 2021. He has been the adviser to the DCC student newspaper, The Falcons' Call, since 2009. | |
| Paula Lockshon, LMSW Instructor, Human Services program |
Paula Lockshon founded the DCC Consortium for Immigrant and Undocumented Students and is the founding member of DCC’s LGBTQ Faculty and Staff Committee. |
| Sabrina Evelyn Lopez DCC Fishkill |
Sabrina has been with the College since 2016. “As a first-generation student myself,” she says, “I understand and value diversity as the vehicle through which social progression and harmony can be found.” |
| Janette McKoy | |
| Rachel Mead | |
| Mariana Melo, Sc.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Allied Health and Biological Sciences |
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| Willie Morris Instructor, Department of English and Humanities |
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| Marta Newkirk | |
| Carl Norris Academic, Career, and Transfer Center/Adjunct Faculty: Career Exploration and Planning |
Carl has been with the college since August of 2016. |
| Steven Posada Diversity Admissions Counselor, Admissions Office |
Steven Posada has been at the college since June of 2017 and is an active member of the Consortium for Undocumented Students. (he, his him) |
| Kaina Rivera Director of Academic Housing |
Kaina Rivera has been with the College since January 2019. She is passionate about making spaces equitable and accessible for underrepresented identities. |
| Jaclyn Savolainen Acting Director of Ritz Library |
Jaclyn Savolainen has been a librarian at DCC since 2016. She is committed to ensuring that the library’s collections are reflective of the diverse populations we serve, that there is equitable access to information, and that the staff engages in ongoing practices of inclusion and celebrating of differences. |
| Coreen Simms | |
| Keith Tombrello Coordinator of Testing |
An alumnus of Dutchess, Keith has been working at DCC since 2011. He is humbled and honored to serve the College as a member of the Diversity Council. |
| Dana Weidman, MFA Professor of Communications, Media Arts and Film |