Government, Social Sector & Education

Valued individuals involved in shaping public policies, providing essential services, and promoting education, tirelessly looking to improve society and empower citizens

Dawn Foreman, M.Ed.

Dawn Foreman, M.Ed.

Dawn is the Founder and Senior Consultant of Dawn Foreman Consulting. Leveraging her 30+ years of experience in public school education, Dawn builds the capacity of district leaders and educators throughout the country to reimagine an education system that equitably serves all students by implementing whole-child design practices that are grounded in scientific research, educator practice, and student experience. Prior to launching Dawn Foreman Consulting, Dawn was a teacher, school leader, and a partnership director with Turnaround for Children, where she provided consultation, designed impactful professional learning experiences, and offered coaching to district leaders, school leaders, and educators.

Dawn designs and facilitates professional learning opportunities which includes consultation and coaching around whole-child development and creating the conditions for ALL students to thrive; restorative practices and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Her efforts have influenced districts like District of Columbia Public Schools (DC), Rockingham County Schools (NC) and Tulsa Public Schools (OK). She is deeply committed to supporting the social emotional well-being of adults who serve our youth.

Dawn holds a M.Ed. degree in educational leadership from George Mason University and a B.S. degree in early childhood and elementary education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Dawn resides in northern Virginia and enjoys singing at karaoke events and attending painting classes with her friends.

Visit her website at www.dawnforemanconsulting.com.

Dawn is the Founder and Senior Consultant of Dawn Foreman Consulting. Leveraging her 30+ years of experience in public school education, Dawn builds the capacity of district leaders and educators throughout the country to reimagine an education syste... Show more

Toby Rao

Toby Rao

Toby Rao is an agile leader, speaker, coach, and community builder based in the Washington DC Metro. He specializes in the areas of Strategic Agile Transformation, Change management, Program management, Leadership development, and organizational development.

Toby enjoys coaching organization leaders and teams on how to address and navigate through the growing challenges of today’s VUCA world by understanding, living, using, and evangelizing Lean and Agile concepts and practices. He is an ICF-credentialed Coach, an accredited IC Agile trainer, and a certified Executive coach. He is passionate about developing people's capabilities through coaching, consulting, training, and mentoring.

Toby strongly believes in volunteering to serve the Agile community. He co-founded and led A20 Agile conference in 2020. He co-founded and actively serves 2 Agile meetups in the Washington DC Metro (1300 members). He is a frequent speaker at agile conferences and industry events across the globe.

www.tobyrao.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobyrao/

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Toby Rao is an agile leader, speaker, coach, and community builder based in the Washington DC Metro. He specializes in the areas of Strategic Agile Transformation, Change management, Program management, Leadership development, and organizational deve... Show more

Jacqueline Stockwell

Jacqueline Stockwell

Jacqueline “Jaki” Stockwell is the CEO & Founder of Leadership Through Data, a global company who provide information management training and consultancy to both public and private sectors.

Alongside running the business, Jaki is also a professional speaker and is invited to attend international conferences and events. Jaki’s sessions are all about teaching information managers how to deliver fun, engaging and informative presentations to their colleagues in their respective businesses. As information managers know, it’s important that everyone in a business understands what information management is, however getting them to listen and comply is undeniably difficult. Jaki’s teaching methods empower information managers to think differently and use psychology along with a combination of styles to get their message across; after all, one size doesn’t fit all.

As well as being an international speaker, Jaki’s creative and inspirational leadership style and proactive approach to information management has led her to mentor others. She is quoted by clients and industry peers who say that “her positive attitude is infectious” and “she is totally human in her approach”.

Jacqueline’s aim in her career is to simplify information management what is unfortunately viewed as a complex and uninteresting topic, into relevant practical and enjoyable solutions which can be understood and implemented by all. The safety and security of information is both key to successful businesses but also a threat to their success if not managed effectively.

Whether in business or in her personal life, Jaki is always mindful of her sustainability efforts. At home she loves to upcycle and breathe new life into preloved furniture and décor. She loves to craft and sew and enjoys gardening and growing fruit and vegetables - no matter how successful the harvest may be .

Jacqueline “Jaki” Stockwell is the CEO & Founder of Leadership Through Data, a global company who provide information management training and consultancy to both public and private sectors. Alongside running the business, Jaki is also a profession... Show more

Debra Cleaver

Debra Cleaver

Debra Cleaver is the Founder & CEO of VoteAmerica, a national nonpartisan nonprofit organization which conducts data-informed campaigns to register and turnout the 100+ million Americans traditionally excluded by partisan political outreach efforts. A serial founder whose previous organizations have included Vote.org (2016), ElectionDay.org (2018), Long Distance Voter (2008), and Swing the State (2004), she's been working at the intersection of technology and democracy since 2004, several years before “civic tech” and “online organization” entered the cultural lexicon. Her various organizations have collectively registered over 4 million people, conducted mass marketing campaigns reaching tens of millions, and pioneered tactics now considered industry standards. She is an alumna of Pomona College and Y Combinator, a former Draper Richards Kaplan Fellow for Social Entrepreneurship. She frequently speaks on issues impacting voter turnout and digital innovations to increase access to the polls, with appearances at events such as SXSW, Netroots Nation, Harvard Law, the Harvard School of Government, University of Michigan, SUMMIT Ideas Festival, Lesbians Who Tech, and Accelerate Good Global.

Debra Cleaver is the Founder & CEO of VoteAmerica, a national nonpartisan nonprofit organization which conducts data-informed campaigns to register and turnout the 100+ million Americans traditionally excluded by partisan political outreach efforts. ... Show more

Aliu Toheeb Olaitan

Aliu Toheeb Olaitan

Aliu Toheeb Olaitan is a Tech Educator, Innovator, and the Lead Partner at Bravpuls Technologies. With expertise in Blockchain, AI, and Web Development, he is passionate about emerging technologies and their intersection with education and community development, empowering individuals to embrace tech-driven solutions for a sustainable future.

Aliu Toheeb Olaitan is a Tech Educator, Innovator, and the Lead Partner at Bravpuls Technologies. With expertise in Blockchain, AI, and Web Development, he is passionate about emerging technologies and their intersection with education and community ... Show more

Anand Kumar

Anand Kumar

Anand's a technology executive with over 23 years of experience transforming businesses through innovative IT solutions.

Anand's a technology executive with over 23 years of experience transforming businesses through innovative IT solutions. Show more

Gustavo Fonseca Ribeiro

Gustavo Fonseca Ribeiro

Gustavo Fonseca Ribeiro is one of fifteen Youth Ambassadors for the Internet Society in the year of 2024. He holds a Master of Public Policy in Digital Technology from Sciences Po, and is a lawyer with expertise in digital/AI governance and digital development. He's worked for FAIR Forward - AI for All in Rwanda, a program by the GIZ aimed at advancing AI ecosystems in Africa and Asia. Currently, he's a Specialist Consultant for AI and Digital Transformation at UNESCO Headquarters.

Gustavo Fonseca Ribeiro is one of fifteen Youth Ambassadors for the Internet Society in the year of 2024. He holds a Master of Public Policy in Digital Technology from Sciences Po, and is a lawyer with expertise in digital/AI governance and digital d... Show more

Matt Zaske

Matt Zaske

I have over 25 years of broad IT experience including fleet/desktop endpoint management, server administration (Linux and Windows), and applications architecture and development. Theatre nerd and participant; experienced nonprofit leader; moustache aficionado; dynamic, engaged, and entertaining speaker; technology grief counselor; governance/process geek; and jack of trades tech and non-tech.

For over 15 years I have been in higher education in the University of Minnesota system. Before my time in higher education, I developed an application (and its pre-smartphone era handheld companion app) for a startup. This app package was used by independent ag/crop consultants from central Canada to northern Texas, and used nationwide in Canada by a global agribusiness giant.

I like to fiddle with code and periodically Make Things, including a handful of novelty Twitter bots and their Bluesky ports along with a Slack-integrated weather bot. I'm also into 3D printing, home automation, playing roles in community theatre productions, and am enjoying some "free time" after recently completing a five-year run serving as president of a local nonprofit community theatre organization.

At the office I try to lead the change to a more DevOps/automated mindset. I also enjoy evangelizing Certbot for the automation of SSL certificate management and promoting the idea of "embracing laziness as the driver of innovation."

I have over 25 years of broad IT experience including fleet/desktop endpoint management, server administration (Linux and Windows), and applications architecture and development. Theatre nerd and participant; experienced nonprofit leader; moustache a... Show more

Amber Vanderburg

Amber Vanderburg

Amber Vanderburg is a multi-award winning businessperson, keynote speaker, author, and founder of the international learning development company, The Pathwayz Group, which has led 800,000+ learners in more than 75 countries in action-focused learning journeys. Amber's history in talent development includes authoring top-reviewed online learning courses for platforms such as LinkedIn Learning, Lecturio, and PluralSight, acting as Director of a national education leadership company, and coaching with professional sports team academies in Asia. In 2022, she published her first business adventure book "Uniquely Better" about building higher team performance.

Speaking engagements:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMNcx7Jwk9Sp6WxuvrfOOBqdP9440SKl0

Amber Vanderburg is a multi-award winning businessperson, keynote speaker, author, and founder of the international learning development company, The Pathwayz Group, which has led 800,000+ learners in more than 75 countries in action-focused learning... Show more

Sheila Joy Vance

Sheila Joy Vance

With over a decade of dynamic experience across leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and human resources, Sheila Vance-Tisby is a recognized thought leader and speaker in the areas of leadership, women’s leadership, emotional intelligence, and organizational transformation. Sheila's career spans multiple industries, where she has spearheaded high-impact programs that cultivate resilience, foster effective leadership, and promote equity in the workplace.

As the Founder and Principal Consultant for Rebel Leader Lab, Sheila designs and delivers bespoke leadership development programs for organizations looking to accelerate talent growth and foster emotional intelligence within their teams. Having consulted for major companies such as Amazon Web Services, New Balance, and Georgia Tech Research Institute, she brings firsthand knowledge of how to lead teams through transformative change, manage conflict, and build emotionally intelligent leaders. Her leadership programs have been implemented by companies across the U.S., and her impact continues to resonate within the corporate world.

A frequent speaker at conferences and corporate events, Sheila captivates audiences with her powerful insights on emotional intelligence, leadership resilience, and mediation techniques. She is known for blending practical strategies with inspirational storytelling, leaving her audiences empowered to lead with empathy, resolve conflicts, and create inclusive work environments.

With a strong educational foundation including an MBA from Concordia University and over 10 years of progressive leadership experience, Sheila’s expertise positions her as a top speaker for organizations committed to developing future leaders and fostering workplace excellence.

With over a decade of dynamic experience across leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and human resources, Sheila Vance-Tisby is a recognized thought leader and speaker in the areas of leadership, women’s leadership, emotional intelligence... Show more

Miguel Bernal Marin

Miguel Bernal Marin

Estudió la licenciatura en matemáticas en la Universidad de Guadalajara, después ingresó a la maestría en ciencias de la computación en el Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV) unidad Guadalajara, en donde también realizó su doctorado en ciencias con especialidad en robótica y visión computacional.

Actualmente esta trabajando en la empresa Intel en la habilitación de características de procesadores Intel en diferentes distribuciones de Linux. También es docente del Instituto Tecnológico de Jalisco unidad académica de Zapopan.

Por su afición a Linux sus compañeros lo conocen como miguelinux.

Estudió la licenciatura en matemáticas en la Universidad de Guadalajara, después ingresó a la maestría en ciencias de la computación en el Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV) unidad Guadalajara, en donde también realiz... Show more

Lauren Yee

Lauren Yee

Lauren, co-founder and COO of Betterment Works, is a process-driven problem solver who believes that curiosity, consistency, and connections are the greatest drivers of great things. She is also an extroverted Hufflepuff who loves puzzles, pizza, and fun questions! She studied design and psychology, has been managing people, projects, and clients since 2005, and previously helped grow the largest LEGO-inspired learning through play company in the United States.

Her experience from a decade of working with kids, informs her perspective and focus on how play, curiosity, and inclusion can improve productivity, innovation, teamwork, and leadership. Lauren truly enjoys getting to meet and connect with others in fun and interesting ways.

Betterment Works is a playful professional development company on a mission to strengthen businesses and teams by helping people feel, connect, and do better at work. They break down complex ideas into accessible frameworks and practices that meet teams where they're at and empower them with the information, skills, and tools to get where they want to be. Play is an integral part of their facilitation and programming because it’s highly engaging and promotes authentic connection. In a playful environment, people can dive into challenging subjects, build soft skills, and also hopefully have fun doing it. Because happy people do better work.

Lauren, co-founder and COO of Betterment Works, is a process-driven problem solver who believes that curiosity, consistency, and connections are the greatest drivers of great things. She is also an extroverted Hufflepuff who loves puzzles, pizza, and... Show more

Christelle Scharff

Christelle Scharff

Dr. Christelle Scharff is a Professor of Computer Science and Associate Dean at Pace University in NY. She has a Ph.D. in Symbolic Artificial Intelligence (Theorem Proving and Automated Deduction) from INRIA, the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology. She published more than 30 papers in artificial intelligence, mobile for social change and global software engineering. She was awarded grants from NSF, IBM, Microsoft, and Google. She taught in France, Senegal, Benin, Cambodia and Vietnam. She was a US Fulbright scholar in Senegal in 2012 and 2019. Parallelly, Christelle is serial entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of the mJangale coding school (https://mjangale.com) that focuses on introducing youths to coding in Senegal.

Dr. Christelle Scharff is a Professor of Computer Science and Associate Dean at Pace University in NY. She has a Ph.D. in Symbolic Artificial Intelligence (Theorem Proving and Automated Deduction) from INRIA, the French National Institute for Researc... Show more

Matthew Biewener

Matthew Biewener

Matt Biewener has been working with Drupal since version 6, was an Acquia Triple-Certified Drupal Expert, and has been developing web-based solutions to both operational challenges and client-facing programmatic needs for 15+ years. He has an MPH in maternal and child health, and has leveraged technology to modernize and amplify the reach, quality, and impact of services across public health domains. At Abt Global, Matt is a senior application developer responsible for Drupal DevSecOps and code.

Matt Biewener has been working with Drupal since version 6, was an Acquia Triple-Certified Drupal Expert, and has been developing web-based solutions to both operational challenges and client-facing programmatic needs for 15+ years. He has an MPH in ... Show more

Sarah Wolters

Sarah Wolters

Sarah is a former classroom teacher and youth development specialist working in the world of consulting. As a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory, she has been providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training tailored to communities/organizations since 2020. As a founding board member of Cabins4Kids with an active role in counselor development and camp administration, Sarah has been teaching leadership and DEI informally since she was 15. In her current role, Sarah is adding business and technology consulting to her repertoire helping businesses identify technology solutions to work more effectively and efficiently.

Sarah has a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education with a focus in Special Education from Butler University and a Masters degree in Early Childhood from the University of Missouri St Louis with a Montessori certification. After 11 years in Education, she still enjoys being a private tutor and mentor to youth in Cabins4Kids.

When Sarah's not working or learning new things, she loves to find new local businesses to support, cheer on her favorite sports team or be anywhere with live music and friends.

Sarah is a former classroom teacher and youth development specialist working in the world of consulting. As a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory, she has been providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training tailor... Show more

Hiroto Yamakawa

Hiroto Yamakawa

公立千歳科学技術大学 情報システム工学科 准教授.博士(理工学).
大学の技師として学習支援システムの企画・設計・開発・運用・保守を担当した後,2013年から研究職に移り,2024年より現職。千歳市バスロケーションシステム(〜2022)などの開発を経て,現在はシステム開発手法,プログラミング教育の研究に従事。
2015年からJavaユーザーグループ北海道を立ち上げ、スタッフとともに年4回のイベント開催に取り組む。

公立千歳科学技術大学 情報システム工学科 准教授.博士(理工学). 大学の技師として学習支援システムの企画・設計・開発・運用・保守を担当した後,2013年から研究職に移り,2024年より現職。千歳市バスロケーションシステム(〜2022)などの開発を経て,現在はシステム開発手法,プログラミング教育の研究に従事。 2015年からJavaユーザーグループ北海道を立ち上げ、スタッフとともに年4回のイベント開催に取り組む。 Show more

Amy Shropshire

Amy Shropshire

A creative, enthusiastic, Marketing Executive highly regarded for planning and leading comprehensive marketing strategies in support of business goals and objectives. Innovative leader with expertise in developing and executing national marketing programs resulting in proven gains in both revenue and brand recognition. Demonstrated success driving growth of target markets by analyzing market data and business trends and developing strategic plans to ensure corporate objectives are achieved. Leader with excellent communication skills proven by the ability to successfully manage large campaigns while managing individuals with very diverse backgrounds.

A creative, enthusiastic, Marketing Executive highly regarded for planning and leading comprehensive marketing strategies in support of business goals and objectives. Innovative leader with expertise in developing and executing national marketing pro... Show more

Grant Salmond

Grant Salmond

Amateur astronomer, physics, mathematics and chemistry teacher (secondary), BEd, MSc.

Amateur astronomer, physics, mathematics and chemistry teacher (secondary), BEd, MSc. Show more

Kylah Seltzer Johnston

Kylah Seltzer Johnston

Kylah Seltzer Johnston works for the Bureau of Asset Management at Cook County. Kylah has an extensive background working in community and political organizing, with an emphasis on campaigns related to climate change and environmental justice. She has also collaborated with a number of coalitions and elected officials across Illinois to strengthen and pass legislation, including the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. An avid lover of the Great Lakes, Kylah has worked on a number of policy research projects related to Great Lakes waterways and water systems and how they interact with climate change, clean drinking water access, and invasive species. She is currently working as a Relationship Manager with Cook County’s Build Up Cook program, working closely with municipalities in South and West Suburban Cook County to move both water and vertical infrastructure projects from start to finish. In her free time, Kylah can be found baking at home or lounging by Lake Michigan.

Kylah Seltzer Johnston works for the Bureau of Asset Management at Cook County. Kylah has an extensive background working in community and political organizing, with an emphasis on campaigns related to climate change and environmental justice. She ha... Show more

Raul Barth

Raul Barth

Raul is a SAFe Practice Consultant and trainer at Gladwell.

Raul Barth is a seasoned Agile Coach, trainer and SAFe SPCT Candidate with a deep understanding of Lean and Agile values and principles. With a Green Belt in Lean and certifications as a Professional Scrum Master I & II (PSM) and Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), Raul brings a wealth of expertise to his work.
Over the past 13 years, Raul has gained extensive international experience in Agile, software development, IT, R&D, team management and leadership, having worked in diverse locations such as Brazil, France, and the UK. Throughout his career, he has dedicated more than 8 years to Lean and Agile.

Raul's technical proficiency is rooted in his academic background, holding Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Computer Engineering, as well as a Master's degree in Big Data. His practical experience in Agile spans across various roles, including team member, Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Agile Coach and Consultant. For the past 5 years, he has been actively engaged in guiding organizations through Agile transformations.

Passionate about Agile and Lean, Raul firmly believes that successful Lean-Agile transformations depend on mindset and people. He views frameworks, methods, and processes as tools to achieve goals such as faster time-to-market, quality, motivated teams, and customer satisfaction.

Currently, Raul serves as a consultant and trainer, leveraging his expertise in English, Portuguese, and French. He is dedicated to supporting Gladwell's partners in their pursuit of success through Agile and digital transformations.

Raul is a SAFe Practice Consultant and trainer at Gladwell. Raul Barth is a seasoned Agile Coach, trainer and SAFe SPCT Candidate with a deep understanding of Lean and Agile values and principles. With a Green Belt in Lean and certifications as a... Show more

Chiquita Atkins

Chiquita Atkins

With over 20 years of experience, I still consider myself a “forever learner”. I’m so excited to be responsible for helping to usher our Next Generation of Stylist.
I earned a degree in cosmetology by majoring in Business Management from Cape Fear Community College.
I did attend Barbering school also.
I have had the pleasure of Educating At the student and professional level with companies such as Miller-Motte and Aveda.
I have been certified to educate in NC, TX, DC, and Maryland.
Currently I specialize in Loc Maintenance for Clients with Hair Loss issues in My salon in Maryland.

For decades Palm maintenance has been a great way to maintain locs.
However, for your clients with Scalp issues, low-density hair, or alopecia, Palm maintenance can create more problems for clients who suffer from product sensitivity and Hair loss Concerns.
With that in mind, I created a tension-free approach to maintaining locs Using a three-prong crochet needle, minimal and no product.

This technique is designed to avoid Hair loss, mend new growth on locs that haven't been maintained regularly, damaged Locs, and much more.

Learn this technique to avoid injury to yourself or the integrity of the locs
Help build a thicker Base, and feed loose hair back into the loc safely by Approaching Crochet Maintenance Loc repair and Loc Restoration differently.

Crochet is a great way to maintain locs of any size!

With over 20 years of experience, I still consider myself a “forever learner”. I’m so excited to be responsible for helping to usher our Next Generation of Stylist. I earned a degree in cosmetology by majoring in Business Management from Cape Fear C... Show more

Alexander Schwarz

Alexander Schwarz

My name is Alex. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have worked with high-risk youth for approximately 10 years. I am a single father to two amazing children, one 3 and the other 11. Over the years I’ve navigated through the various challenges of fatherhood and found connection through community is the link to a more improved relationship. I have created an organization called Fathers Alliance to build and improve our fatherhood communities.

Fathers Alliance is a pioneering organization dedicated to empowering fathers in fostering enduring and fulfilling relationships with their children. Through education, advocacy, and community support, Fathers Alliance equips fathers with the tools and resources necessary to build sustainable and enriching bonds with their offspring. By raising awareness and providing guidance, the organization strives to strengthen families and promote the well-being of children by emphasizing the pivotal role fathers play in their lives.

At the heart of Fathers Alliance’s mission is the belief that every father has the potential to positively impact their children’s lives. By fostering open communication, offering mentorship, and facilitating support networks, the organization empowers fathers to navigate the challenges of parenthood and cultivate nurturing environments where children can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. Through its initiatives and partnerships, Fathers Alliance is committed to creating a future where every child has the love, guidance, and support they need to reach their full potential.

My name is Alex. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have worked with high-risk youth for approximately 10 years. I am a single father to two amazing children, one 3 and the other 11. Over the years I’ve navigated through the various cha... Show more

Zoe Lee-Park

Zoe Lee-Park

Zoe Lee-Park is a second-year Master of Environmental Science student at the Yale School of the Environment. She studies the theory of environmental justice, within a law and society framework. Outside of academics, Zoe is a Graduate Intern at the United States Forest Service and the President of the Yale Asian Graduate Network. She is part of the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership. Zoe will pursue her PhD in Jurisprudence and Social Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.

Zoe Lee-Park is a second-year Master of Environmental Science student at the Yale School of the Environment. She studies the theory of environmental justice, within a law and society framework. Outside of academics, Zoe is a Graduate Intern at the Un... Show more

Sean Bugler

Sean Bugler

Sean is a Principal Innovation Architect with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a government agency based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Previously a technical trainer, Sean has worked with startups, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies alike to build, optimize, and re-imagine what collaboration and productivity look like. You can find him on Twitter @sbglr.

Sean is a Principal Innovation Architect with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a government agency based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Previously a technical trainer, Sean has worked with startups, government agencies, and Fortune 500 com... Show more

Ara Arzumanian, Ed.D.

Ara Arzumanian, Ed.D.

Dr. Arzumanian is the long-time Director of the USC College Advising Corps for the Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice (CERPP) at the USC Rossier School of Education. For twenty years he has been a youth worker in the areas of mentoring, college access, after school, juvenile justice and street outreach. At USC, he has overseen the growth of the program to directly serve over 10,000 students annually in multiple school districts across Los Angeles county. In its ten years of existence, USC CAC has directly assisted over 70,000 students to enroll in college. During that time Ara earned his doctorate in higher education administration from the Rossier School of Education, earned the staff recognition award “for creating a culture of community,” was a fellow of the Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund Young Men of Color 2019, and was awarded USC’s Order of Arete medal for excellence in leadership and community service.

Prior to joining CERPP, Ara oversaw three youth programs and the development of a new mentoring program in Boyle Heights. Previous to that experience, he was the Vice President of Programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles overseeing several programs and managing mentoring for over 1,500 matches. He developed a new corporate partnership model with Union Bank winning the National Rising Star Award. Before joining Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ara had been tapped by the international non-profit, Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), to direct the Generation Next Mentorship Program (GenNext). As the director of GenNext, Ara assembled the team that grew the program five times in size and increased its services to students with the award of a prestigious US Department of Education Grant. During his tenure at GenNext, Ara served as the chair of the Glendale Healthy Start Collaborative and sat on Glendale Unified School District’s Student Attendance Review Board and the violence prevention committees of five schools. It was his experience as a youth outreach worker with the City of Glendale’s Youth Outreach Program that brought Ara to AGBU’s attention. He was a member of the three-person team that developed it from the ground up, providing intensive case management to students facing high risk factors. Specializing in violence intervention/prevention, direct street outreach, runaway recovery and cross-cultural peace-making, Ara and the team worked with over 1,800 students in five years. Due to his experience and expertise in the field of youth development, he has been invited to guest lecture at USC, UCLA, CSUN and CSULA on youth development and challenges facing America’s youth.

Dr. Arzumanian is the long-time Director of the USC College Advising Corps for the Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice (CERPP) at the USC Rossier School of Education. For twenty years he has been a youth worker in the areas of mentori... Show more

Aleksander Lorentzen

Aleksander Lorentzen

Aleksander Lorentzen is a seasoned expert in innovation, development, and digitalization within the public sector. As Head of Digitization at district Gamle Oslo (Bydel Gamle Oslo), Aleksander advocates for a low-code, knowledge- and data-driven approach to user-centric innovation and service development. With a background in law, he navigates the intersection of technology, legal frameworks, and human factors to realize the vision of "Creating Solutions. Together."

Aleksander's work focuses on developing solutions through interdisciplinary collaboration with internal teams and external partners. His expertise in establishing secure, scalable data platforms using Microsoft Fabric and promoting an innovative, data-driven approach underscores his dedication to improving service development in the public sector.

Aleksander Lorentzen is a seasoned expert in innovation, development, and digitalization within the public sector. As Head of Digitization at district Gamle Oslo (Bydel Gamle Oslo), Aleksander advocates for a low-code, knowledge- and data-driven appr... Show more

Heather Corbitt

Heather Corbitt

John A. Delaney Student Union
Associate Director

John A. Delaney Student Union Associate Director Show more

Zoe Smiley

Zoe Smiley

Starting at Stephen F. Austin State University and being actively involved in various student life offices and clubs demonstrates her dedication to student engagement and campus life. It's noteworthy that she was appointed to the Board of Regents by the governor of Texas to represent the student body, indicating her leadership skills and commitment to advocating for student success.

After completing her master's program, Zoé joined the Oregon Institute of Technology, where she served as the New Student Programs Coordinator. In this role, she oversaw Orientation and New Student programming, helping incoming students adjust to their new environment and ensuring a smooth transition. Her focus on building student confidence and skills for success in post-secondary endeavors showcases her commitment to student development.

In June 2023, Zoé will be promoted to Assistant Director for First Year Experience and Student Engagement at Oregon Tech. This new position will allow her to continue supporting new and incoming students as they navigate their first year at the institution. She will be responsible for launching new initiatives and programs to enhance the existing foundation of new student programming, further contributing to student success and engagement.

Overall, Zoé Smiley's journey in higher education exemplifies her passion for student development and her dedication to creating a supportive and empowering environment for students to thrive.

Starting at Stephen F. Austin State University and being actively involved in various student life offices and clubs demonstrates her dedication to student engagement and campus life. It's noteworthy that she was appointed to the Board of Regents by ... Show more

Hank Bowen

Hank Bowen

Senior Associate Director for Student Activities and Organizations with oversight of student organizations, campus activities, and major events at East Carolina University.

Senior Associate Director for Student Activities and Organizations with oversight of student organizations, campus activities, and major events at East Carolina University. Show more

Liz Rockstroh

Liz Rockstroh

Liz Rockstroh serves as Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice President at the University of Texas–San Antonio. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California–Davis and has volunteered with ACUI as a curriculum designer and faculty for the Social Media and Modern Marketing Digital Badge Course. Liz has presented on the topics of assessment, student leadership, and motivation at ACUI Region II and ACUI Annual conferences.

Liz Rockstroh serves as Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice President at the University of Texas–San Antonio. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California–Davis and has volunteered with ACUI as a curriculum designer... Show more

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