Speakers 2022
Moderator | Régine M. Jean-Charles
Moderator | Régine M. Jean-Charles
Dean’s Professor of Culture & Social Justice; Professor, Africana Studies and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies; Director, Africana Studies, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Northeastern University
Régine Michelle Jean-Charles is a Black feminist literary scholar and cultural critic who works at the intersection of race, gender, and justice. Her scholarship and teaching in Africana Studies include expertise on Black France, Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean literature, Black girlhood, Haiti, and the diaspora. She is the author of Conflict Bodies: The Politics of Rape Representation in the Francophone Imaginary (Ohio State University Press, 2014), The Trumpet of Conscience Today (Orbis Press, 2021), and Looking for Other Worlds: Black Feminism and Haitian Fiction (University of Virginia Press, 2022). She is currently working on two book projects–one explores representations of Haitian girlhood, and the other is a co-authored interdisciplinary study of sexual violence entitled The Rape Culture Syllabus. Dr. Jean-Charles is a regular contributor to media outlets like The Boston Globe, Ms. Magazine, WGBH, America Magazine, and Cognoscenti, where she has weighed in on topics including #metoo, higher education, and issues affecting the Haitian diaspora.
Mary Jo Ondrechen
Mary Jo Ondrechen
Conference Co-Chair | Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, College of Science, Northeastern University
Prof. Ondrechen’s research group specializes in theoretical and computational chemistry and computational biology. Areas of interest include: 1) Understanding the fundamental basis for enzyme catalysis; 2) Functional genomics – prediction of the functional roles of gene products (proteins); 3) Modeling of enzyme-substrate interactions; 4) Drug discovery; and 5) Bioinformatics.
Prof. Ondrechen’s group is developing methods to predict protein function from structure and is helping to design drugs to treat infections by “brain-eating” amoebas. Another current project deals with missense mutations and why they cause disease. She is also active in promoting STEM careers to students from underserved groups.
Toyoko Orimoto
Toyoko Orimoto
Conference Co-Chair | Professor of Physics, College of Science, Northeastern University
X
Prof. Toyoko Orimoto is an Professor of Physics at Northeastern University. She is an experimental particle physicist who studies the smallest constituents of nature using one of the world’s largest science experiments–the CMS Experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland. As part of the CMS Collaboration, Prof. Orimoto is interested in using the recently discovered Higgs boson particle as a probe for new beyond-the-Standard-Model physics, such as supersymmetry and extra dimensions. Moreover, she works on the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter and the new CMS MIP timing detector.
Prior to joining the Northeastern faculty, Prof. Orimoto was a fellow at CERN (2009-2012) and the Robert A. Millikan fellow at the California Institute of Technology (2006-2009). For her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley, she studied charge-parity asymmetry with the Babar Experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.
In addition to her passion for elementary particles, Prof. Orimoto advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all spheres–in her collaborations, in physics, at the University, and in society at large.
Corliss Thompson
Corliss Thompson
Associate Dean, Graduate School of Education; Teaching Professor, Education, College of Professional Studies, Northeastern University
Corliss Thompson, Ph.D. is a Teaching Professor who serves as the Associate Dean of Graduate School of Education in the College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University. Dr. Thompson previously served as the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs in the GSE and Special Assistant to the Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Prior to working in higher education, Dr. Thompson was a program evaluator and elementary school teacher. Her scholarly expertise is within the field of teacher education and social and cultural foundations of learning.
David Madigan
David Madigan
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Northeastern University
David Madigan is provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Northeastern University. In the role, he serves as Northeastern University’s chief academic officer and leads its nine schools and colleges, research enterprises, information technology services, and libraries. Madigan also collaborates with the senior vice president for finance in order to set the university’s budget and financial priorities.
A native of Ireland, Madigan received both his bachelor’s degree in mathematical sciences and his PhD in statistics from Trinity College Dublin. In his career, he has written over 200 publications in areas such as Bayesian statistics, text mining, Monte Carlo methods, pharmacovigilance, and probabilistic graphical models. He has also advised 18 PhD students. In 2012, Madigan was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; he has been a leading researcher in the fields of healthcare and Big Data.
Michelle Wu
Michelle Wu
Mayor of Boston
Michelle Wu (Chinese: 吳弭;[1] born January 14, 1985)[2][3] is an American lawyer and politician serving as the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. She was the first Asian American woman to serve on the Boston City Council. She was first elected to the council in 2013 and served from 2014 to 2021, including a stint as council president from 2016 to 2018. Wu was elected mayor in 2021, winning with 64%[4] of the vote, becoming the first woman, first person of color, and first Asian American elected to serve as the Mayor of Boston.
*Excerpt from Wikipedia
2022 Plenary Session Speakers
Our keynote speakers, panelists, and workshop leaders were carefully selected for their varied experience and expertise to reflect these themes. We look forward to hearing their perspectives. The goal is for participants to walk away with strategies and best practices that will set the stage for their individual action plans.
Aisha Francis-Samuels
Aisha Francis-Samuels
President and CEO, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology
Aisha Francis-Samuels, PhD, became the first female President in the more than 100-year history of Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) in July 2021. Previously the college’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Francis-Samuels oversees the day-to-day operations of the college and plays a critical role in advancing its mission.
Dr. Francis-Samuels is an award-winning nonprofit leader and educator with broad experience in strategic planning, philanthropy, board relations, marketing, and communications. She believes in the ability of effective organizations and well-supported individuals to transform underserved communities for the better, which is her life’s work. She enjoys serving as a strategist and implementing dynamic new programs at best-in-class organizations that improve access to and equity of educational and economic opportunities.
Leigh Patel
Leigh Patel
Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Leigh Patel is a writer, educator, and cultural worker. Her work is based in the knowledge that as long as oppression has existed so have freedom struggles. She is a community-based researcher as well as an eldercare provider. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Education. Prior to being employed as a professor, she was a middle school language arts teacher, a journalist, and a state-level policymaker. Dr. Patel is also a proud national board member of Education for Liberation, a nonprofit that focuses on supporting low-income people, particularly youth of color, to understand and challenge the injustices their communities face.
Her latest book, There is No Study Without Struggle: Confronting Settler Colonialism in Higher Education, from Beacon Press connects the distinct yet deeply connected forms of oppression, while also shedding light on the crucial nature of political education for social transformation. Her walk-on song is “Can I Kick It” by A Tribe Called Quest.
Moderator: Carmen Sceppa
Moderator: Carmen Sceppa
Dean, Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Professor, Northeastern University
Dr. Carmen Sceppa is Dean of Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Professor at Northeastern University. As a physician and scientist, Dr. Sceppa’s work advances and prolongs health for all. Her program of research is based on developing and testing lifestyle interventions to promote healthy aging and quality of life among underserved, vulnerable, and elderly populations with a specific focus on Latinx and African American populations. Dr. Sceppa received her medical degree from Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala, where she was born and raised. She received her Ph.D. in Nutrition from The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Wendi Williams
Wendi Williams
Dean, School of Education, Mills College
Dr. Wendi Williams’ work centers on the development, implementation, and evaluation of school and community-based health and educational interventions that promote health and well-being among youth, their families, and the educational and mental health practitioners who work with them. Through her scholarship and research activity, she has articulated an intersectional approach to psycho-social spiritual intervention for middle school girls. The foundations of this work have extended to reflective intervention to facilitate leadership development among diverse women and Black/African women, specifically. Forthcoming work includes her book, “Black women at work: On recovery and refusal” out Fall 2022.
Amy Zeng
Amy Zeng
Dean and Professor, Suffolk University
Dr. Amy Zeng became the sixth Dean, as well as the first female Dean, of the Sawyer Business School at Suffolk University in August, 2020. An accomplished educator and leader in experiential and project-based learning and a recognized scholar in the field of supply chain management, Dr. Zeng brings to the School a passion for experience-based learning, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and global engagement. Prior to her current position, Dr. Zeng was the Dean of the Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. Prior to that, she spent 19 years at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she held numerous faculty and administrative positions.
Jean Zu
Jean Zu
Dean of the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science, Stevens Institute of Technology
Dr. Jean Zu has served as Dean of the School of Engineering and Science at Stevens Institute of Technology since May 2017. Dr. Zu’s research focuses on mechanical vibrations and energy harvesting. She has successfully collaborated with many different companies on research projects with a focus on automotive applications. She has published 340 papers including 180 journal papers and has supervised over 60 graduate students including 36 doctoral students. She served as the President of Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) in 2012-2014. In 2019, she was chosen as Notable Women in Technology by Crain’s New York Business. Dr. Zu obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba.
Ashley Odilia Armand
Ashley Odilia Armand
Former Assistant Director at Center for Intercultural Engagement; Northeastern University
Ashley Odilia Armand, MPP, is a multidimensional public policy researcher, writer, and artist, centered on tech policy and human rights. Ashley’s research encircles surveillance, social capital, and data justice. Ashley believes in the power of storytelling and the revolutionary commitment we should all have to cultivate tranquility— in all the ways this shows up for us in our lives, even in uncertainty. She also hopes that all of us, in collaboration, can continue to move through the rhythms of life’s currents with joy, laughter, and intentional learning. In 2020, Ashley published her debut collection entitled “Marabou”— a collection of poetry prose centered on the intricacies of femininity and love. Her work has been featured in Boston City Hall, L’union Suite, and cited by the BlackTechPipeline as one of the “Must-have books by Black women.” Ashley earned a Master’s in Public Policy from Northeastern University and a Bachelor’s in Sociology from Brigham Young University.
Serena J. Cardoso
Serena J. Cardoso
Postdoctoral Fellow, Adjunct Instructor, Clinical Supervisor, Psychotherapist; Brandeis University and Regis College
Serena Cardoso, PhD, LMHC, holds a doctoral degree in Counseling and Psychology with a concentration in Transformative Leadership, Education, and Applied Research from Lesley University. She is a licensed therapist with over 10 years of experience in homeless services, serving in both direct care and administrative roles. Dr. Cardoso is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Brandeis University’s Counseling Center, an adjunct instructor at Regis College, and a clinical supervisor. Her professional interests include: the application of critical race theory and trauma informed care within organizations serving marginalized groups, black mental health, and relational and social justice-oriented counseling.
Janelle Clarke-Holley
Janelle Clarke-Holley
Chief Executive Officer, JCHolley LLC
Janelle’s journey began surrounded by a loving and supportive family. They instilled the importance of a pursuit of knowledge which influenced her decision to become an educator. Janelle notes the most exciting aspect of being an educator for 20+ years is shaping an environment where learning creates life-changing effects and allows possibilities to bloom. This mindset has directed her path to empower others to identify the barriers that need to be removed so they can have success.
Lei Douglas
Lei Douglas
Area Coordinator- Residence Life; Northeastern University
Lei Douglas currently serves as an Area Coordinator in the Residence Life department at Northeastern University and has been involved in Student Affairs professionally since 2014. Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, she arrived in Boston in 2017 and has been supporting students through a lens of inclusion, authentic belonging, and community care ever since. Lei is also a member of the YW Boston Advocacy committee as her passions include advocacy for equity in educational access (especially for women/non-binary femmes) as well as community activism. Lei is greatly inspired by the advocacy and work of Black Feminist scholars and activists and reflects regularly on one of her favorite Audre Lorde quotes, “Eventually, if we speak the truth to each other, it will become unavoidable to ourselves.”
Ieshia Karasik
Ieshia Karasik
Assistant Co-op Coordinator, Finance & Accounting, Northeastern University
Ieshia Karasik has worked in career development for 15 years. She is an Assistant Cooperative Education Faculty, Finance & Accounting at Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business teaching professional development courses. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and Pedagogy. As part of working in this industry, she has developed a curriculum that supports success in the classroom regardless of where the student is in their learning process.
Rahmatu Kassimu
Rahmatu Kassimu
Public Health Consultant, Academic Writing Coach, Educator; Dallas ISD
Dr. Rahmatu Kassimu is an educator, researcher, public health consultant, and change agent. She has spent the last eight years educating students and training teachers to advocate for themselves in their educational trajectories. After hearing so many stories of Black and Brown people having their health concerns ignored, resulting in poor outcomes, Dr. Kassimu combined her knowledge and expertise to create Dr. K.’s Health Minute. This resource provides easily accessible and digestible health and wellness information. The goals of the online platform and its accompanying website are to educate, motivate, and empower. Dr. Kassimu aims to reduce health disparities and increase health equity, health literacy, and academic opportunity. She accomplishes this by empowering and leveraging voices often ignored through culturally competent health education, academic writing support, and advocacy while empowering and impacting 100-150 students annually.
Christine J. Ko
Christine J. Ko
Professor of Dermatology and Pathology, Associate Director of Dermatopathology; Yale University
Christine J. Ko, MD is a Professor of Dermatology and Pathology at Yale. She is board certified in dermatology with a specialty certificate in dermatopathology. Dr. Ko received her AB at Princeton and MD from NYU School of Medicine. She completed her internship in internal medicine at UCLA, her dermatology residency at UC Irvine, and her dermatopathology fellowship at UCLA. She has published numerous articles and chapters in dermatology and dermatopathology and is the creative mind behind Dermatology: Visual Recognition and Case Reviews and Dermatopathology: Diagnosis by First Impression. As an authority in dermatology, she has authored chapters on the skin in Goldman-Cecil Medicine, Brenner and Rector’s The Kidney, and Braunwald’s Heart Disease. Her first book for the general audience, How to Improve Doctor-Patient Connection: Using Psychology to Optimize Healthcare Interactions, was inspired and driven by her own experience as the mother of a patient whose condition went undiagnosed for a long time.
Nidhi Lal
Nidhi Lal
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine
Nidhi Lal is a Family Physician, who serves the community of Greater Boston. Besides being passionate about serving the underserved, her interests include Narrative Medicine, Advocacy and Global Health. She aims to use Narrative skills as a teaching tool for learners to develop skills of compassionate listening, empathy and healing.
Kenya Nyota Lee
Kenya Nyota Lee
Higher Education Professional, Career Strategist and Doctoral Student
Kenya Nyota Lee, a career and leadership strategist, is a doctoral candidate at Northeastern University where she researched the efficacy of a peer mentorship community for women of color in higher education administration. She is also a higher education professional with over twenty years of experience, and currently serves as a senior leader at Baruch College. It is Kenya’s mission to help women professionals in higher education own and leverage their authenticity and talents to achieve career success. She holds a BA in English Literature from Queens College, CUNY and an MSEd in Higher Education Administration from Baruch College, CUNY.
Nicole M. Overstreet
Nicole M. Overstreet
Associate Professor; Clark University
Nicole M. Overstreet is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Clark University. Her program of research centers on eradicating health inequities via critical theoretical perspectives that advance social justice, equity, and liberation. My program of research draws on black feminisms and community-based participatory research methods to examine how interlocking systems of power (e.g., racism, sexism, gendered racism) affect marginalized communities, particularly Black girls and women. She also focuses on creating healing practices that uplift and liberate Black girls and women from violence.
Myisha R. Rodrigues
Myisha R. Rodrigues
Director of Organizational Improvement, CEO and Founder of Third Veil Consulting, LLC; Lesley University
Myisha R. Rodrigues, PhD, LMHC, is a Doctor of Counseling & Psychology with a concentration in Transformative Leadership, Education, and Applied Research from Lesley University. With over 15 years of experience in the education, mental health, and non-profit sectors, Dr. Rodrigues has committed to facilitating the well-being and development of individuals, organizations, and systems through leadership, coaching, strategic initiatives, and creative consultancy. Her praxis is guided by advocacy for social justice, critically conscious philosophy, and trauma-sensitive/healing centered practice. Dr. Rodrigues’ love of the performing, visual, and literary arts has shaped her narrative as a practitioner, leader, and scholar.
Nicole A. Telfer
Nicole A. Telfer
Teaching Fellow/Ph.D. Candidate; University of Maryland Baltimore County
Nicole A. Telfer is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Applied Developmental Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised on ackee and saltfish, Nicole is a proud daughter of Jamaican parents and takes pride in her heritage. Nicole’s research focuses on the retention of racially minoritized women in STEM programs, intersectionality, and on finding ways to improve the educational experiences of Black youth and create preventive interventions in inner-city neighborhoods. Outside of academia and research, Nicole enjoys listening to H.E.R., reading radical books, and watering her plants. She is a spoken-word artist and author and co-author of three books: Freed, A Black Woman’s Guide to Earning a Ph.D., and Phoenix Phenomenon.
Charity S. Watkins
Charity S. Watkins
Assistant Professor of Social Work; North Carolina Central University
Dr. Charity Watkins, a three-time graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at North Carolina Central University. Dr. Watkins’s research areas include parenting practices that promote academic resilience among low-income African American families, racial inequities in higher education, and following her diagnosis of postpartum cardiomyopathy, racial disparities in severe maternal morbidity, pregnancy-related cardiovascular disease, race-related stress, and postpartum maternal mental health.
Catherine Wong
Catherine Wong
Executive Director and Founder, Catherine Wong Consults: Education, Training & Research
Catherine Wong leads global and national organizations and higher education programs in developing strategy, collective leadership, curriculum and training centering diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. Her effectiveness is the result of her direct ability to advocate from the heart and be unwavering in supporting youth and educators/professionals of color –all while engaging with the Aloha spirit of community and care, drawn from her Chinese Hawaiian background. Ms. Wong has held clinical faculty and director positions at UMass Boston, Counseling Department; Urban Outreach Initiatives, Boston College; University of the Middle East Project, and visiting professor, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
