Meet the CFA

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De Angela is an Associate Vice Provost at NYU and Industry Professor in Integrated Design & Media at NYU Tandon. In her role as Associate Vice Provost, De Angela works closely with Vice Provosts Charlton McIlwain and Clay Shirky. She serves a leadership role in setting and executing the strategic vision for the Faculty Resource Network (FRN) in collaboration with the Vice Provosts’ team, the CFA, and FRN member institution liaisons. She aides and reviews work on technology-enhanced education with a particular focus on schools developing or managing online undergraduate courses or degree programs. She also assists with other leadership or teaching & learning initiatives, managed by the Office of the Provost. She holds an MFA in Studio Art (Photography) from Maryland Institute College of Art (MiCA), a BFA in Graphic Design from Georgia State University, and a BS in Textiles from Georgia Tech.

Usheevii (U-she-va) serves as the primary liaison between the Center and NYU’s Schools, Colleges, Campuses and Units through the University Faculty Affairs Council. Further, she  represents the Vice Provost with internal and external constituents when necessary, and is responsible for ensuring that all the affairs of the Center are consistent with its mission to advance faculty professional success and achievement in the areas of faculty recruitment, development and engagement. Additionally, she is a subject matter expert in the area of diversity, inclusion, & equity. Prior to joining NYU, Usheevii served as Deputy Diversity Officer at her alma mater, New York Law School. There, she assisted the law school in developing and implementing its first Institutional Diversity Plan while managing all aspects of faculty development, governance, recruitment and retention.

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As a "second-generation" higher education administrator and a proud native of the Bronx, Mike has held numerous roles at NYU, including faculty affairs management, student advisement, curriculum development, human resources, and project management. He currently serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Appointments in the Provost’s Office (OAA) in which he is a subject matter expert on matters related to faculty lifecycle and milestone events across all NYU campuses. He is the institutional administrator for the Interfolio faculty information system and oversees strategic academic initiatives and academic project management.

Mike is a record-tying four-time Chairperson for the NYU Administrative Management Council (AMC) and the founder of the AMC Professional Development Committee. He was recognized with NYU’s Distinguished Administrator Award in 2019 and with Prospanica NY’s inaugural “Top Latino Leader Under 40” award for his contributions to mentoring in higher education.

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Niyati works closely with Charlton McIlwain, Vice Provost of Faculty Engagement and Development, and the CFA, to manage programs that expand pathways for early career faculty. She leads the Early Career Faculty Institute, welcoming its first cohort in fall 2021.

Niyati is a Professor of Public Health Nutrition, School of Global Public Health (GPH), where her research and teaching are motivated by a deep commitment to reduce nutrition-related disease outcomes in at-risk groups. At GPH, Niyati held two key leadership roles. She served as the inaugural Director of the Public Health Nutrition-MPH program and as the Executive Director of Doctoral Programs. She developed a vision for both programs, expanded student enrollment, and developed an innovative curriculum and professional development workshops.

Niyati earned a BS in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, and an MS in Foods, Nutrition, and Clinical Dietetics, from Mumbai University, India. She earned a PhD in Nutritional Sciences (minor Population Health Sciences) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison.

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Autumn plans and implements faculty development and enrichment programs for the NYU community and Faculty Resource Network (FRN) partner institutions. Through the FRN, she oversees a domestic Student Exchange Program, a partnership between NYU, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Prior to joining NYU in 2014, Autumn worked in the nonprofit sector, specifically in fundraising; program development and execution; and major events. Her tenure in education includes work with first-generation, low-income students, improving student outcomes and college access from high school to college. Autumn earned an MSW degree from NYU Silver School of Social Work, and a BA degree in psychology and women’s studies from Skidmore College. In addition to her work across NYU schools, her passion for mental health and extensive training in evidence-based treatments led to her licensure to practice psychotherapy in New York State.

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DeeSoul Carson currently serves as the Program Administrator of College & Career Lab. He graduated from Stanford University in 2021 with a B.A. in Social/Cultural Psychology and brings with him several years of clerical, administrative, and educational experience.

Additionally, DeeSoul is currently a graduate student in the NYU Creative Writing MFA Program, honing and developing his skills as both a poet and educator. You can find more about him and his work at deesoulpoetry.com

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Cassandra joined New York University in 2006 as a student assistant in Registration Services while earning her Bachelor of Arts in Social and Cultural Analysis. Since joining NYU full-time in 2010, she has held various roles in faculty affairs, curriculum development, and human resources. In her current role in the Office of Academic Appointments, she manages and supports NYU faculty information systems. Additionally, Cassandra is a resource for matters concerning the faculty life cycle, hiring, promotion, tenure, and applicant tracking systems. Cassandra is passionate about population health research and earned her Master’s in Public Health from NYU in 2018 with an emphasis on social determinants of health disparities. Recently, she has pivoted her focus to data-driven solutions and is completing an Advanced Certificate in Public Health Data Science.

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Anthony Cruz is our new Administrative Aide. He graduated from NYU in 2023 with a BA from Steinhardt’s Education Studies program and is excited to combine his clerical and administrative experience with his passion for higher education. Anthony is also passionate about advocating for students and currently serves on the governing boards of the Nassau County and New York State PTA.

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Selly Djap conducts UI/UX research; and utilizes the latest data analysis and visualization tools to help articulate program narratives linking mission to impact. She conceptualizes the brand identity and creates visual assets—from logo design to website development—for the Center’s programming including College & Career Lab, Early Career Faculty Institute, Alliance for Public Interest Technology, Faculty Resource Network, and Big Ideas Course Series.
 
Prior to joining NYU, Selly founded her own fashion line: a contemporary, Christian evening-wear brand focused on sharing the message of Grace and creating empowering clothing for women. She is proud to share some of her accomplishments such as showcasing her designs at New York Fashion Week and being featured on Teen Vogue.
 
Selly graduated from NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study with an BA concentration in data analytics and visualization, as well as a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. She is currently pursuing her MBA at NYU Stern.

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Ashley Gerhardt is a project administrator thrilled to return to NYU and the Office of the Provost. Prior to this role, Ashley worked as an administrative aid in the Office of the Provost, working closely with former Deputy Provost Cybele Raver on the Cross-Cutting Initiative on Inequality. After joining the staff of the Dean's Office in the Graduate School of Arts and Science as the Events and Projects Administrator, Ashley transitioned to a role at a non-profit working nationally to increase college access for underserved students. She graduated from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in Theater Performance Studies.  She's currently enrolled in an MPA program at NYU.

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Dr. Gillian Gualtieri is a sociologist specializing in the study of inequality and organizations. She holds a BA from Kenyon College and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. After her graduate training, she held postdoctoral fellowships at New York University and Vanderbilt University, and she now teaches at Barnard College, Columbia University.

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Sharon works closely with instructors to design technology-enhanced education, and specializes in storytelling and video. For more than 7 years, she has produced course content for online and hybrid teaching environments, and multimedia content for communications and training across NYU. Prior to working in educational design, Sharon was a journalist and documentary filmmaker for NOVA, the American Museum of Natural History, and ABC News among others. She was awarded a Knight Science Journalism fellowship at MIT from 2000-2001. She earned an MA in Journalism from NYU, and a BA in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Michigan.

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Dave is a technology specialist with 16 years of experience in design and development for applications, games, simulations, and websites. His responsibilities include X-Reality (eXtended Reality - VR, AR, MR), and expansion efforts for CFA’s iTLAB - Immersive Technology Lab. He provides training, guidance, and mentorship for virtual reality, as well as workshops, presentations, and content creation for immersive experiences, along with growing iTLAB. He attended the School of the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, Massachusetts, studying film and animation.

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As a seasoned administrator with 19 years of professional experience at NYU, Melissa has held several administrative leadership roles in the Faculty of Arts and Science, as Department Administrator for Steinhardt's Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, and most recently as Chief of Staff to the Dean at Steinhardt. Melissa earned an MA in Higher Education Administration from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, and a BA degree in Liberal Arts from The New School in NYC. She is also currently enrolled in the Masters of Human Resource Management and Development in NYU’s School of Professional Studies.

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Alexandria manages internal and industry relationships to kick-start or scale initiatives in strategic alignment with the goals of CFA. With over a decade of experience, she thrives in the highly entrepreneurial space at CFA and excels at forging connections to turn visions into reality, aligning them with NYU and CFA's objectives. From ideation to implementation, she leads projects while implementing assessment measures for improvement. Previously, she designed and directed the College and Career Lab, NYU's signature post-secondary awareness program which she actively oversees the implementation and partnership development for. She managed the NYU at Weber Shandwick Masters in Residence initiative at Steinhardt’s department Media, Culture, and Communication. Her work centers on closing equity gaps to education and professional outcomes for historically excluded populations. Alexandria holds a BA in Organizational Communication from Middle Tennessee State University and an MA in International Education from NYU. She is currently an MBA candidate at NYU Stern School of Business with a specialization in Strategy, Technology and Change Management.

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Kim is a seasoned NYU 'boomerang employee' who has held positions at NYU since 2012. She currently serves as a System Lead & Analyst at the Center for Faculty Advancement. For over seven years Kim has been administrator for the NYU Scholars Program, and more recently joined the Interfolio Team to focus on the global implementation of the Faculty 180 module. Additionally, Kim supports broader efforts related to faculty lifecycle and milestone activities across all NYU campuses. Previously Kim collaborated with the NYU Office of Sustainability to spearhead NYU's IT Sustainability Initiative, and remains passionate about the University's ongoing efforts and strong commitment to sustainability. She completed her BA in Anthropology from Rutgers University, and earned an MS in Sustainable Systems from Slippery Rock University.

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César is a multimedia producer who creates content to support teaching and learning, professional development programs, and educational institutional events. He supports the pre-production, production, post-production, and delivery process in its entirety for CFA. César has distinguished himself as an educator for several New York City under-resourced neighborhoods and minoritized public schools. While pursuing graduate studies at Teachers College, César was a faculty member of the Creative Arts Laboratory where he taught digital media and video production as a tool for capturing, enhancing, and documenting learning experiences, and as a catalyst for meaningful collaboration.

César has successfully collaborated with Cornell University, CUNY Graduate Center, Columbia University, New York State Department of Education, PBS, NPR, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Adobe Systems, among others. He is an active member of the computing/digital maker movement and the raspberry pi community in particular.

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Katie designs and facilitates engaging learning experiences and communication strategies for faculty and administrative audiences in partnership with the Office of Academic Appointments. With over 14 years of experience working in the unique cross-section of technology, education, and employee development, she has expertise in learning experience design, digital accessibility, communication campaigns, user experience design, and content strategy. Katie is also passionate about employee advocacy and currently serves as a Senator in the University Senate and is an active member of the Administrative Management Council. Katie holds a BA in International Affairs and MPA in Organizational Management from The George Washington University, as well as a MA in Digital Media Design for Learning from NYU Steinhardt.

Andrew is an extended reality software engineer and supports the expansion efforts of the CFA’s Immersive Technology Lab. For over six years, he has worked at the forefront of interactive software blending art, design, and computer science together creating immersive XR solutions for all industries. He has extensive experience working hand in hand both in public and private sectors educating and training all levels of XR technology. Andrew has also designed and developed a wide range of applications including educational augmented reality apps, multi-user VR training simulations, and web-based art exhibits. He studied screenwriting and directing at the University of Art in San Francisco, California. With his background in film combined with a passion for technology, Andrew is constantly pushing to expand his work past the traditional methods of storytelling and onto the frontiers of interactive art.

Brenda specializes in the design and development of WordPress websites and Google Sites, drawing on her extensive knowledge of HTML, CSS, and other web technologies and tools. After graduating from NYU with a BA in journalism, she worked in the fields of book publishing, technical and business writing, computer training, and website publication, making a career change to web development in 2016. Brenda returned to NYU as a full-time IT consultant in 2017, and became an employee of the University in 2019.

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Jonathon specializes in 3D animation, motion graphics, and multimedia design. He began working with NYU in Feb 2016, and has worked on a variety of projects to help advance pedagogy within courses that have a heavy foundation for visual graphics and interactive content including extensive work for the Dental School showcasing a variety of 3D content. Along with his work at NYU, Jonathon keeps busy making music videos and creating clothing. He has a  BFA in Animation and Interactive Design from East Carolina University.

Danielle Wendricks is a High School Application and Postsecondary Counselor for College and Career Lab. Through her experiences advising, and teaching at NYCDOE high schools, New York nonprofits, and the University of Wisconsin, she has worked with all types of students ranging from age five to age seventy-five. She is passionate about education as a means to social change. Dani has a BS in Community and Nonprofit Leadership and History from the University of Wisconsin, and is working on her MSW at NYU SIlver School of Social Work.

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Siyun is a data enthusiast who is passionate about solving problems utilizing data science, statistics and storytelling. She specializes in survey design, data visualization, higher education data domains, and statistical modeling. In her current role, she manages the data and reporting for Interfolio faculty information system and Explorance Blue course evaluation. Siyun holds a BA in Educational Studies and Chemistry from Colgate University, a MA in Higher and Post-Secondary Education from Teachers College at Columbia University, and she is currently pursuing a MS in Applied Statistics for Social Science Research at NYU Steinhardt.