board of directors
Executive Board
David Lee '78 is a business asset manager who started his career as Assistant to the Chairman and CEO of Allied Stores Corporation which became part of Macy’s. He oversaw the financial management of Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor, Coach, Bonwit Teller and other specialty stores. He is a dedicated community organizer and education advocate. He is the Chair of the League of Asian Americans of New York, sits on the Board of the 80-20 Educational Foundation and is a Co-Chair of Eric Adam’s transition team. He is also Commander of the Sons of the American Legion Squad 1291 where he lobbied to help pass the Congressional Gold Medal for Chinese American World War 2 Veterans. He attended NYU Stern Business School and St. John’s University where he received his MBA.
President
Anthony P. Schirripa '67 is Chairman Emeritus of Mancini Duffy, Architecture, Planning & Interiors. With over 40 years of experience on architectural and interiors projects, Tony has worked extensively on build-outs for leading institutions and is particularly adept at managing large and technologically sophisticated projects for a varied client base; he is considered a pioneer in the design of speed-to-market facilities for financial companies. He serves on the board of the New York Building Congress (NYBC). In 2010, he served as President of the AIA New York Chapter, where he launched a year-long program focused on training the “Architect as Leader”—in firm and project management, community outreach, and politics. Tony was elevated to the College of Fellows in 2010, and was elected to the AIA National Board of Directors to a three-year term (2012-2014) as New York Regional Director. In 2015, he was elected to the newly established office of At-Large Director where he will serve a one-year term in 2016. His distinguished awards include: 2009 Outstanding Alumni College of Architecture, Texas A&M University; 2010 College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects; and 2013 Matthew W. DelGuadio Service Award from AIA New York State; and the 2021
Tony majored in Architecture when he attended Brooklyn Tech. He is a graduate of Texas A & M University-College of Architecture and a Registered Architect in over 20 states. Tony is also Board Certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
1st Vice President
Bola Oyedijo '92 joined the Alumni Foundation board in 2016. Since then she has been is an active member of the faculty grants and nominating committees. Most recently Bola served as the Chairperson for the Brooklyn Tech Centennial Homecoming. Life long STEM advocate and IT Executive, Bola majored in Computer Science at BTHS. She went on to receive her BS in Computer Science from Temple University and MBA from American University.
2nd Vice President
John Albert '90 is a Partner at Bolton St. Johns, one of New York's leading lobbying firms. His advocacy portfolio has included leading New York City non-profits, cultural organizations and business corporations. He advocates in support of internationally recognized corporations and advises their business operations to help them strategically plan for the changing legal and regulatory environment of New York City and State. Over his career John has secured millions in City and State funding for youth, after-school programs, at-risk populations, parks and cultural institutions.
John also has a strong track record of working with coalitions to bring about policy change. Past accomplishments include successfully advocating for passage of New York State’s Anti-Stalking law, Anti-Hate Crimes law and expansion of New York City’s after-school programs. Notably, John helped the United States Tennis Association secure the land-use and community approvals needed for major upgrades to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Before joining Bolton-St. Johns, John served as Counsel at Manatt, Phelps & Phillip, VP of External Relations at The After-School Corporation and as Senior Director of Government Relations at Victim Service, Inc. (now Safe Horizon).
John graduated from Brooklyn Tech in 1990 and holds degrees from the University at Albany and Albany Law School. He is admitted to practice before the New York and Connecticut Bar. John's professional accomplishments include regular inclusion on lists of the most influential people in the Asian American community in New York and in public life in Queens.
John was raised and currently resides in Queens with his wife and two children where he is deeply connected to the fabric of the community through his participation in political and civic organizations. This is John's second stint on the Brooklyn Technical High School Alumni Foundation Board. Other leadership positions include being the past Chair of the State Affairs Committee of the New York City Bar Association and founder of Taking Our Seat, a redistricting research and advocacy organization.
3rd Vice President
Jim DiBenedetto ‘71 served 30 years at Brooklyn Tech as a choral director and football coach. After graduating in 1978 from Brooklyn College with a degree in Music, Coach Jim DiBenedetto set out to teach in the New York City public school system. However, music programs had been destroyed in the public school system in the 1970’s with budget cuts, so securing and retaining a music position was not possible, causing him to make a career switch to coaching college football, which lasted several years. In 1984 Coach DiBenedetto once again pursued a career as a high school music teacher. He was hired by Brooklyn Technical High School as a music teacher and football coach. The choral program that he began in 1985 has grown to over 350 students yearly. In 2003 Coach DiBenedetto was awarded the National Choral Council’s Career Award for his distinguished work in choral music and music education at Brooklyn Technical High School. Coach DiBenedetto has guest conducted at St Phillip’s Episcopal Church, at St Charles Borromeo, and at the National Chorale’s annual Messiah Sing-in at Avery Fischer Hall.
Coach DiBenedettos career has spanned 37 years, with coaching stints at South Shore and Sheepshead Bay High Schools, Norwich University (graduate degree), Brooklyn College, New York Institute of Technology, before coming to Brooklyn Tech in 1984. Jim became head coach at Tech in 1987, where he coached the Engineers to 119 wins in 21 seasons. Coach DiBenedetto continued coaching until the completion of the 2008 season. Coach Dibo as his players call him, has sent three players from Tech into the NFL including Herve Damas, 1990 (Buffalo Bills), Roger Knight, 1997 (New Orleans Saints), and Keron Henry, 2000 (New Orleans Saints). More importantly his coaching has guided many Tech students to academic achievement and scholarship throughout his tenure at Tech.
Coach DiBenedetto has worked with the Boomer Esiason Foundation for many years, coordinating the Empire Challenge, pitting the best 50 senior high school football players in New York City versus the best 50 in Long Island. This event has thrived and grown into a nationally televised event and the major fundraiser for the BEF in its fight against Cystic Fibrosis.
Treasurer
Penelope Kokkinides '87 is President and Principal of PKT Advisory Group, delivering tailored solutions to healthcare organizations. She previously served more than eight years as Chief Operating Officer at InnovaCare Inc. Penelope has more than 20 years of health care experience specializing in government programs (Medicare and Medicaid) and the managed care industry. She has extensive knowledge and expertise in developing clinical programs and managing health care processes and operations with a focus on improving efficiencies and organizational infrastructure.
Prior to joining InnovaCare Health, Penelope served as Chief Operating Officer for CenterLight HealthCare and Touchstone Health. She also served as Vice President of Clinical Operations at Aveta, Inc. where she was responsible for the development, management, and oversight of all the medical management programs, as well as other health plan operational functions.
Penelope majored in Bio-Med at Brooklyn Tech. She is a graduate of SUNY Binghamton (BA), NYU School of Social Work (MSW), Columbia University School of Public Health (MPH) and New York University’s Post graduate Program in Alcohol and Substance Abuse. She is also a Certified Case Manager (CCM).
Her awards include the 2013 InnovaCare Health Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2015 Top Woman in Business. Penelope’s interests include horseback riding, football, travel, and Scotland and Scottish history. In 2018, she became the first woman to receive the Titan of Tech Award.
Secretary
Board Members
Wilton Cedeno '82 is an energy executive with 30 years of experience in his field. He is the former Director of Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison). Wilton’s responsibilities have included working on state regulatory affairs, developing and implementing internal and external communication strategies and advocacy related to state energy policy, including developing company positions on state energy policy issues. In 2009, Wilton led the Company’s Smart Grid application efforts, resulting in awards of over $300 million and co-authored a national smart grid article published in Electric Perspectives magazine.
An Electrical Engineering major at Brooklyn Tech, Wilton is a graduate of Columbia University and holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Additionally, he is Chairman Emeritus of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). He is a recipient of the Con Edison Transmission and Distribution Operation - Excellence Team Award; Con Edison Black Achiever Award; Con Edison's Living Our Values Award; the AABE's James E. Stewart Award; the Defining Trends Media (DTM) Group 2007 Latino Trendsetter Award; and was named to City & State NY’s 2021 Economic Development Power 75. Since 2015, he has served on the board of the NYC Economic Development Corporation. He is the immediate past chair of the board of directors of the Dominican Day Parade, and continues to serve the organization as a special advisor.
Denice Clarke (DC) Ware '83 was elected President of the Board of Directors in June 2021 after actively serving on the foundation board for 8 years prior. Dr. Ware recently joined the faculty of Howard University’s School of Business, supporting the MBA and undergraduate programming within the Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (CESCM). Her responsibilities are to ensure that students are exposed to the most relevant corporate, government and entrepreneurial experiences to prepare them for successful careers in global demand, logistics, and supply management leadership positions.
A 30-year veteran in the technology industry, Denice began her career with Verizon (then New England Telephone Company) in their 1987 college hire program and continued ascending into positions of increasing responsibilities. DC Ware retired in 2017 as Director of Human Resource Business Partners supporting Verizon’s Corporate Marketing and Legal and Public Policy organizations, which includes the Verizon Foundation. She was responsible for achieving the business units' strategic initiatives by focusing on Talent Acquisition and Assessment, Succession Planning, Training and Development, Communications, Diversity, Innovation, Culture, Employee Relations and improving organizational efficiencies.
Denice holds a Doctorate in Law and Policy from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts; a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resources Management both from Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts. She has also completed Wharton Business School’s Executive Leadership program and holds a Project Management Master’s Certificate from The George Washington University. Dr. Ware is currently enrolled in Cornell University’s Industrial & Labor Relations Certified Diversity Professional program.
Currently, Denice has put her business savvy to work, HR consulting under her Nice Day LLC and investing in minority-owned businesses. The services she provides include executive coaching and mentorship to individual clientele on personal development, succession planning, compensation, corporate relocation, and navigating the everchanging business landscape.
Denice enjoys volunteerism and community service. She has served in numerous leadership positions, including chapter president, with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, an international public service organization. Most recently she has served as a mentor in the Leadership DELTA, on Social Action committee, and as a chairperson for Arts and Letters committee. She also works as a court appointed special advocate in Florida’s 17th Judicial district’s Guardian Ad Litem program. Dr. Ware served 12 years on the board of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and at a variety of other service organizations, including Jack and Jill of America and North Shore Women for H.O.P.E. (formerly Great Women to Know). Other past board appointments include the American Cancer Society, Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, and the former Springfield (MA) Municipal Hospital.
Denice, a native of Brooklyn, New York, currently resides in Upper Marlboro, Maryland after residencies in Florida, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. As an avid traveler and trip leader Denice has toured Ghana, Cuba, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Austria, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Thailand, Hong Kong, Morocco, Amsterdam, the United Arab Emirates, throughout the United States of American and the Caribbean. Denice is a thalassophile and self-proclaimed foodie who enjoys cooking, theater, arts, reading, and personal shopping.
Horace H. Davis ’84 currently General Manager of Central Engineering Services at Consolidated Edison of New York, Inc. Mr. Davis has been with the utility for over 30 years, continuously building on his knowledge of the energy industry while holding positions of increasing responsibility. He holds a master’s degree in energy management from New York Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania.
A force in his community, Horace Davis is also an education activist, who has testified in many hearings on diversity in the specialized high schools. Mr. Davis has served on many local boards, including the Brooklyn Technical High School Alumni Foundation and the New York Metropolitan Area Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy. He is the founder and president of the non-profit Caribbean American Society of New York (CASONY), an organization that seeks to improve the social, educational, and economic status of its members through charitable giving, cultural events, and educational initiatives. Through its relationships, CASONY can provide pertinent input, often at the developmental stages of legislation, that directly impacts local communities. Mr. Davis was born in Jamaica, West Indies and migrated to the United States in the 1970’s. A product of the New York City Public School System, he grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Mr. Davis currently resides in Laurelton, New York, with his wife and their three children.
Tomas Hernandez '73 has worked with the Alumni Foundation and school on various projects since the 1980s, including the first professional partnership with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and the recently formed UrbanGlass initiative. He proudly serves as Class Representative for the Class of 1973, which celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2023.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Tom's professional career took him to international architectural firms Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Kohn Pedersen Fox, where, as Director of Computer Services, he was instrumental in automating many design processes, transitioning the firm from manual to computer-aided design (CAD). He has served on various industry associations including the American Institute of Architects. Before retiring, Tom served as President of DBC Technologies, where he worked on technology initiatives for hundreds of design and construction firms.
Tom has served his local community in Southern Brooklyn though his work on Brooklyn Community Board 18 and as a civic leader on multiple community and veterans associations. Tomas Hernandez holds a bachelor's degree in Architecture from the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at City College of New York and a Certificate for Strategic Steps for Growth from New York University.
He resides with his wife Yolanda in Brooklyn, N.Y., and has three children and two grandchildren.
Amy Kong '99, joined Corient (formerly Barrett Asset Management) in 2020, and serves the firm as Partner, Wealth Advisor and Chief Investment Officer. With expertise including research and analysis, and the design and implementation of customized investment strategies, Amy is deeply involved in security selection and portfolio construction for clients. Amy works directly with the entire investment committee to help ensure the continuity of Barrett’s investment management approach and process. In addition to investment research and portfolio management, she is the co-manager on one of the firm’s mutual funds.
Prior to joining Barrett, Amy served as a Senior Portfolio Manager at Fiduciary Trust and was overseeing approximately $1.5 billion in assets under management. In this role she advised high-net-worth individuals and families on their investments and wealth planning. Amy was an important contributor to the firm’s research process through her coverage of the Healthcare and Financial Services sectors, as well as her involvement in the firm’s core portfolio. Prior to Fiduciary Trust, Amy was a Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at U.S. Trust for 12 years, where she worked directly with private clients, held research responsibilities, and served as Co-Portfolio Manager for the firm’s International Equity fund. Earlier in her career, Amy worked as a Credit Analyst at Moody’s.
"Rule Number 1: Never lose money. Rule Number 2: Never forget Rule Number 1"
—Warren Buffet
Amy is also a contributor to various media sources including Reuters, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Business, CNN Money and Yahoo Finance.
Amy holds a BA with majors in both Economics and Mathematics from Barnard College, and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Additionally, she holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Amy lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two sons. She loves to travel and has visited all seven continents.
Ed LaGrassa '65 has had a 40 year-distinguished career in the real estate industry holding senior positions at major financial service companies and corporations such as Citibank and Merrill Lynch. He is currently president of Chilton Realty Inc., which is a real estate investment, advisory and brokerage company.
Ed is a licensed real estate broker and architect. He is an active member of The Urban Land Institute, International Real Estate Group and The Real Estate Board of New York. He also chairs the Asset Management Roundtable.
He is a professor at NYU in their master’s degree program and is a board director of several non-for-profit organizations.
Ed majored in Architecture at Brooklyn Tech. He is a graduate of City College of New York (BS and B of Architecture), and holds a Real Estate Certificate from New York University.
His interests include collecting vintage fountain pens and corkscrews, and driving his Jaguars.
Tatia R. Mays-Russell '84 is a seasoned financial officer and transformation leader with a remarkable career spanning various industries, including sports, media, publishing, transportation, and services. She is known for her strategic prowess, innovation, and critical thinking, particularly in the realms of talent development, change management, and risk mitigation. Tatia's extensive board experience includes serving as Treasurer for the MLBPA Players Trust and Chair of the Audit Committee for Studio in a School, among other roles.
In her role as Chief Financial Officer at the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Tatia leads the financial management for the union, which represents MLB players and various affiliated entities. Her accomplishments include establishing robust financial controls, advising on key strategic initiatives, and ensuring compliance.
Tatia also excelled as the Deputy Chief of Strategic Initiatives at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, where she spearheaded initiatives to enhance system performance and economic efficiency.
Previously, as Chief Financial Officer of the National Lacrosse League, Tatia played a pivotal role in turning around the league's financial fortunes, implementing accounting processes, and boosting brand enhancement efforts.
Her expertise extends to other corporate leadership roles, including a tenure as Vice President of Finance at Scholastic Inc., where she drove cost savings initiatives. Tatia has a solid track record in sports finance, having served as Senior Director at the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Director of Financial Planning & Analysis for the WNBA.
Tatia Mays-Russell holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Materials Science Engineering from Cornell University. She is certified in Change Management and Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt, and her professional associations include membership in the President's Council of Cornell Women and The Links, Incorporated. Tatia also contributes to her community as a Lead Teen Advisor for Jack & Jill of America Inc.
Daniel D. Miller '99 is the Deputy Executive Director for the New York City Board of Education Retirement System (BERS), a $9 billion pension and 403B plan for the City’s non-pedagogical school employees. Daniel partners with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees to implement necessary programs to achieve the objectives, mission, and goals of the agency. He is responsible for the management of the investment program which includes development of policy guidelines, asset allocation strategy, and risk management parameters. Daniel has 19 years experience, serving in various senior roles in project management, auditing, benefits administration, and risk management. Under his leadership BERS has beat its 3, 5, and 10-year benchmarks, streamlined services for members, increased membership 25%, and has a funding ratio of 101%. He is a board member of the NY National Association of Securities Professionals Foundation, a member of the US AID Africa Institutional Investors Advisory Council, a member of the Charter Financial Analyst Institute’s Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee, and a member of Accelerate Investors advisory council. Daniel was the recipient of the rising star award from the National Association of Investment Companies and the National Association of Securities Professionals. As a speaker, he has presented at conferences in the US, Asia, and, Africa on topics including capital market development, asset allocation, emerging markets, and Environmental, Social, & Governance impact. Daniel received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Rhode Island (URI), was a four year letterman in football, and a team captain. He received a Bachelor’s of Science in business administration from URI and a Master’s in advanced management and finance from Columbia University.
Margaret Murphy '83 is a leader and entrepreneur in the staffing industry. She is the founder and CEO of NY Staff Search, a full-service Staffing, HR Consulting and Payroll Management Company, which offers expertise and partnership on a variety of levels, serving as a vital resource for clients. Margaret and her firm have historically proven success with three decades of experience in this field.
Margaret majored in Architecture at Brooklyn Tech. She attended Hunter College upon graduation. Her hobbies include travel, reading and Broadway theater.
Achilles Perry '58 is a partner/owner of several businesses. He has been a successful entrepreneur for more than thirty years. His major success is as the owner/operator of apartment houses in New York City. He is also a partner in the city’s best Greek restaurant, Pylos. In the past Mr. Perry has owned an economics consulting firm that specialized in litigation support. He represented several of the world’s largest multinational corporations in cases involving antitrust and international price discrimination. Two of his largest clients were GE and Sharp. Mr. Perry was also president of Gilbert Tweed Executives, a major executive search firm, and General Manager of Pulsafeeder, a pump manufacturing division of a Fortune 500 company. For many years Mr. Perry served as a member of the adjunct faculty of the Graduate School of Management at Rutgers University. He holds several patents and is the author of a book on installment lending, and several articles on strategic planning. Mr. Perry is also a founder of the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation, where he served as the President of its Board of Directors for 28 years.
Achilles majored in College Prep at Brooklyn Tech. He graduated City College of New York (BA Economics) and Rutgers University (GSM Marketing).
His awards include: BTHS Hall of Fame.
Valmira Popinara ’18, a recent graduate of Fordham University, became the Alumni Foundation’s youngest-ever director as a rising college sophomore. Her mission on the board has been “to bring the voice of my generation to the table.” Most recently, she helped organize our 2022 and 2023 Recent Alumni Day events. A skilled Homecoming organizer, she helped bridge the gap at Centennial Homecoming after a two-year COVID hiatus in in-person homecoming events, rallying Tech’s army of student volunteers much as she did while Tech’s student body president and National Honor Society senior co-chair of alumni services. A Fordham Communication and Culture major, Val commuted over two hours from Staten Island to the Bronx campus and became an outspoken advocate for improvements to university support for its commuting population.
Deepti Sharma '04, a lifelong entrepreneur, is the CEO and Founder of FoodtoEat, a community-minded catering concierge service. She started FoodtoEat in 2011 to connect immigrant, women and minority-owned food vendors to opportunities for growth - ultimately helping them strengthen their own business skills. FoodtoEat helps businesses feed employees great food and build stronger & more diverse work cultures. She is also a Co-Founder of Bikky, a platform solving customer engagement for restaurants; Head of Community at Anew; and founder of Gundi Enterprises.
As a mother and small business owner, Deepti is a vocal advocate for policies that benefit these communities. She served on the Board for the Business Center for New Americans, a non-profit that encourages immigrant entrepreneurship by providing micro-loans and financial education. She also writes about how companies can modernize motherhood in the workplace, and mentors female entrepreneurs as part of the NYC Mayor’s WE NYC initiative.
Deepti is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, a Forbes 30 Under 30 alumnae, and an avid runner. She lives in Queens with her husband (Abhinav Kapur) and two children (Zubin & Chetan).
She ran for City Council in District 24 in Queens, NYC in February 2021.
She served from 2021-2023 as Barnard College’s first Entrepreneur in Residence at the Athena Center for Leadership.
Ned Steele '68 is editor of TechTimes, the official Brooklyn Tech alumni magazine, and president of the business he started in 1994, MediaImpact. His career has encompassed journalism, public relations, marketing and creative work. Ned was a reporter/editor for several NYC newspapers, then served in government and the public relations firm Rubenstein Associates before launching MediaImpact. His business develops creative editorial and video work, and consulting services, for nonprofit organizations. In none of these endeavors has he worked as hard as in his four years at Brooklyn Tech, where he was a College Prep major. He is a graduate of Stony Brook University (BA)
Ned's interests include photography, travel, bicycling, partaking in NYC's boundless cultural and entertainment offerings, exploring all corners of our city, and rooting in vain for all of its underdog professional sports teams.
Michael Weiss '57 is one of the Founders and past Chair of the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation. After graduating from Brooklyn College with a degree in Physics, he returned to Tech where he spent 24 years as Teacher of Physics, Guidance Counselor and Assistant Principal. He left Tech in 1986 to serve as Executive Assistant to the Brooklyn Borough President and then worked in a variety of public sector positions including Chief of Staff at NYC Department of Transportation and Executive Director of MetroTech Business Improvement District. He has also been active in Community Development and other volunteer work, having founded the non-profit Brooklyn Golf Alliance, an organization dedicated to introducing inner city youth to the game. He is Treasurer of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District and works part-time as a consultant specializing in lobbying, business development and non-profit management.
His awards include: BTHS Hall of Fame; Brooklyn College Presidential Medal and Brooklyn College Distinguished Alumnus. He has also served as Vice-Chair of Community Board #14 (Brooklyn), the Chairman of the International Downtown Association and President of NYC BID Managers Association.
Giselle Williams '92, a life-long educator, has devoted her professional career to supporting the educational excellence of all students, with a particular passion for elevating and supporting the excellence of multilingual learners. Throughout her 20+ year career as an educator and advocate for multilingual learners, Giselle has had the distinct pleasure of leveraging her passion through a variety of roles in education. She began her career as a 4th grade dual-language teacher, later progressing through various stages of educational coaching and leadership responsibilities in NYC, NJ, and FL, ultimately earning her Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership with her research emphasis on English Language Learners. Her extensive research and professional experiences have afforded Giselle multiple opportunities to speak and present at various educational conferences, both domestically and abroad. In 2019, Giselle was a featured speaker across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al-Ain during an International “Into the Future of K-12 Education” Professional Conference where her presentations focused around ensuring equity and access for multilingual learners. Most recently, she presented several sessions focused on educational equity for multilingual learners at the 2020 National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE) Conference.
Today, in her role as Vice President, Multilingual Advocacy and Content at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, she leads a team of highly skilled content experts who leverage their educational expertise and diverse leadership backgrounds to support educational leaders throughout the country. Her team works daily to leverage data to explore student needs, review current educational trends, and ultimately present customized connected educational solutions in support of schools, districts, and leaders varied and expressed needs. In her role as founding co-chair of “Unidos”, she leads an employee resource group whose focus is on the education, awareness, professional growth, and celebration of employees who identify as Latinx/e or Hispanic.
While at Tech, Giselle enjoyed being a Computer Science major while also being an active member of various student led organizations. During her free time Giselle enjoys traveling with her family.