Dr. Christopher Lester is a motivational speaker, presenter, mediation conflict resolution specialist, and consultant on human development, multicultural organizational development, and youth empowerment issues. Dr. Lester has traveled extensively throughout the United States and works with a variety of organizations and educational institutions on issues of personal transformation, youth leadership and empowerment, multicultural organizational development and human development. Dr. Lester is the director of the Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education at the University of Maryland and president, CEO and founder of the National Educational Empowerment Summit, Inc. He has committed his life to helping others realize their fullest potential and recognize the ability to create empowering environments for all individuals.
Mr. Sawyer has over 20 years of experience in outreach strategy, community engagement, teaching and student development.
As assistant director, Mr. Sawyer guides marketing strategy, advances alumni and donor engagement initiatives, trains student leaders, manages the department’s technology infrastructure, and leads reporting and analysis for the holistic advising program.
With a versatile career spanning communications, technology, education, and organizational strategy, Mr. Sawyer holds a Master of Business Administration.
Harita Patel is the assistant program director for assessment for the Office for Multi-ethnic Student Education (OMSE). She leads assessment and reporting across OMSE and supports senior staff in program development. Harita has over 10 years of experience in student development, teaching, and academia at the post-secondary level. She has worked in a variety of positions in higher education including with undergraduate advising, instruction, and administration. She is passionate about facilitating dialogue between students and administration to foster inclusive educational environments for today’s students. She has earned graduate degrees in political science from the University of Cincinnati and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is currently working on completing her dissertation at the University of Cincinnati.
Dashielle Horn is the assistant program director of academic outreach and student development for the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education (OMSE), where she works with the tutoring services program and Sister to Sister.
Dashielle has over 15 years of experience supporting students in higher education, with a background in teaching first-year writing, literature, and pedagogy; tutoring in study skills and writing; and student success program administration. In past positions, she has led tutoring centers and overseen wraparound retention efforts, resulting in high retention, graduation, and return from leave rates. She holds a tutoring certification from the College Reading and Learning Association, as well as Supplemental Instruction Supervisor training from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction. Dashielle earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Lehigh University, after B.A.s in English and history from Salisbury University. Dashielle's doctoral research focused on British women writers of the eighteenth century, investigating the formation of the spinster figure and early women novelists’ efforts to write opportunities for single lives into existence.
As the program coordinator for the College Success Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Jovany Joya plays a pivotal role in fostering the personal, academic, and professional success of students. Through comprehensive support and a structured curriculum, he helps scholars build resilience, agency, and purpose. Jovany oversees initiatives such as mentoring, academic support sessions, and experiential learning opportunities, ensuring scholars are prepared for graduate school and competitive careers. Jovany has earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and masters of professional studies in technology entrepreneurship and corporate innovation at the University of Maryland.
Vivian Tung is the Coordinator for the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education (OMSE). She is responsible for coordinating the OMSE Academic Excellence Society (OAES), OMSE Student Leader Advisory Council (SLAC), and University Partners Program (UPP). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Criminology and Psychology with a minor in Law and Society from the University of Maryland, College Park. During her undergraduate years, she was the President of UPP as well as a member of OAES. During her free time, Vivian loves spending time with her dog, listening to crime podcasts, and traveling the world.
Alexander Diaz-Lopez is an administrative assistant at OMSE. He is proudly first-generation from Salvadoran-born parents. A DMV native himself, Alexander is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland. At UMD, Alexander earned a dual bachelor of arts degree in theatre and communication with a specialization in political communication and public advocacy.
During his time as an undergraduate student, Alexander’s involvement with OMSE came primarily from the College Success Scholars Program (CSS). Throughout his time with CSS, Alexander served the program in different facets, including being a team leader, co-president, and program coordinator, aiming to elevate and uplift the excellence of UMD students. As an undergraduate student, Alexander performed in four mainstage productions within the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies at UMD.
Saul Flores is a graduate assistant for OMSE La Familia and is pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Maryland as a Ronald E. McNair Fellow. His current research at the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) focuses on structurally characterizing proteins implicated in multi-drug resistance, mitochondrial translocation, and cytotoxic stress using biochemical, biophysical, and computational techniques. Saul completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Maryland where he studied biochemistry and physiology & neurobiology. During undergrad, he served as a mentee, mentor, treasurer, and president of La Familia. His previous research includes computational metal-catalyzed organic synthesis, blood storage in microgravity environments, and pediatric brain tumor chemotherapeutics. He is happy to be back at OMSE and UMD.
Emmanuel Wanjala holds a doctorate in international education policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. He also holds an M.A. in higher education, student affairs and international education policy (HESI) from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in education majoring in linguistics and literature with a minor in international studies from the University of Nairobi. He is a former Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) at the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests include internationalization of higher education, youth empowerment, sustainability and international development.
Marta joined the Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education (OMSE) as the administrative coordinator in 2025. In her role, Marta provides administrative, operational, and event support for the OMSE office and manages the front desk assistant program. Marta was born and raised in El Salvador and moved to Hyattsville, MD as a teenager. Growing up with close proximity to College Park, the University of Maryland (UMD) feels like a second home to her. Marta is a forever Terp, having graduated with a bachelor’s in French and Italian language and literature and a master’s in international education policy from UMD. In addition, she holds a second master’s in international enterprise management from University of Maryland Global Campus. While pursuing her master’s at UMD, she worked at the James Clark School of Engineering and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Marta has an extensive background in education including working in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, the French Ministry of Education, the International Baccalaureate, the College Board, and George Mason University. Marta has traveled extensively in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, and Europe including working as an English teaching assistant in Reunion Island, studying abroad in Europe, and leading study abroad programs in Africa. Most recently, she has been conducting higher education research in Cuba and Costa Rica. When she’s not working or traveling, Marta teaches Zumba classes; she has been an instructor for more than a decade.
Dilorom Akramova is a graduate assistant for the Sister to Sister (S2S) program at OMSE. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, after which she returned to her roots and taught abroad in Uzbekistan. Passionate about fostering environments that support both academic success and holistic well-being, Dilorom is pursuing her master's in school counseling in the College of Education. Outside of her studies, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their four-year-old daughter, Safiya. She also runs a mom lifestyle blog on Instagram in Uzbek, which serves as a creative and emotional outlet. Dilorom is excited to bring her international experience to the OMSE office, where she looks forward to connecting with the S2S members and helping to create a more inclusive and supportive space for all.
Colin Roberts is a graduate assistant for the College Success Scholars (CSS) Program. He is pursuing his master's in human-computer interaction at the College of Information. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Virginia Tech and has a strong passion for working with disenfranchised youth. His future goal is to work in UX research to further his passion and develop ways to support students entering STEM fields.
Colin enjoys reading, watching basketball and football, DJing, and is also a proud Fall '22 initiate of the Theta Iota chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Kate Whatley is a graduate assistant for the Service Learning Certificate (SLC) program at OMSE. She is a graduate student pursuing her master’s in library and information science, as she hopes to become an academic librarian. Prior, she received her bachelor’s degree in English with minors in classics and dance from Skidmore College, where she developed her interest in the ancient Mediterranean, disability studies, and modernist World War I novels. At Skidmore, Kate worked as a writing tutor, which she continued after graduation at Baltimore City Community College. She also works as a museum educator and front desk coordinator at the Baltimore Museum of Industry where she enjoys getting to mix her loves of education and history. Her hobbies include reading, crocheting, dancing, and learning how to bake new cookie recipes. She is excited to be a part of OMSE and SLC and hopes to support and empower students as they learn about the power of tutoring others.
Nyah Conway is a graduate assistant for the OMSE Academic Excellence Society. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health degree with a specialization in behavioral and community health at the University of Maryland. Nyah earned her bachelor’s degree in medical anthropology and Spanish from The Ohio State University. She is passionate about helping students access the resources and knowledge necessary to support their mental health. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and sharing her culinary adventures on her food blog.
Cloe is a first year Master of Applied Anthropology student concentrating in historical archaeology and has worked in professional archaeology for two years. Her current research focuses on historic ceramics associated with the Famine period of rural Ireland. Cloe serves on the OMSE tutoring team as a graduate assistant, coordinating tutor matches and session attendance throughout the year. She graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A. in anthropology and a B.S. in psychology in 2024 and has since conducted research in the U.S. and Germany.
He enjoys working with students and helping them with career, academic and social emotional difficulties. His role in OMSE serves College Success Scholars (CSS) branches in coordinate areas including Front Desk, internships, Marie Mount Hall traffic and attendance. He is also a mentor to all CSS scholars who need support in social emotional, career, and some academic strategies.
He graduated from University of Connecticut with bachelor’s degree in psychology and minor in human development and family sciences. He is currently a professional school counselor candidate for 2026 at the University of Maryland’ College of Education. He eventually wants to work as a licensed professional counselor.
Ryan’s professional interests are in the fields of IT, cybersecurity, consulting and project management. Ryan assists with the project management and coordination of the OMSE Academic Excellence Society. Ryan completed his bachelor’s degreeVivian completed one bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice and a second in psychology, as well as a minor in law and society at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2023. in information science and minor in ACES (Cybersecurity) in May 2025 at the University of Maryland and is currently completing his M.S. in information systems.
Sami is interested in product design and user research, with a growing interest in accessibility in digital products and services. She is especially motivated by work that makes systems more inclusive, usable, and human-centered. To support UMD students, she helps monitor incoming tutoring requests, match students with tutors, and coordinate clear communication across all parties. She also compiles weekly reports to assess program reach, identify gaps, and ensure students receive consistent and timely academic support. She is in the Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction program at the University of Maryland, where she explores how thoughtful design can improve experiences across complex systems and platforms.