Dr. Christopher Lester is a motivational speaker, presenter, mediation conflict resolution specialist, and consultant on human development, multicultural organizational development, cross cultural competencies, oppression theory, diversity transformation and youth empowerment issues.
Dr. Lester’s lectures and workshops address important social issues related to race, gender, ability, class and religion. His research interests include looking at issues of equity in education, the roles of diversity and oppression in organizations and school settings, and the impact of race on educational outcomes.
Dr. Lester has traveled extensively throughout the United States and works with a variety of organizations and educational institutions on issues of personal and diversity transformation, cross cultural competencies, 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. Tunji Sawyer, MBA, is an award-winning critically-conscious educator and leader who is passionate educational equity, student success, and the advancement of anti-racism practices. As an Assistant Director in the Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education, Mr. Sawyer oversees OMSE’s outreach and communications programs, advising strategies, and community building/strategic partnerships in support of the office’s mission of recruitment, retention, and graduation for more than 13,000 underrepresented students. Mr. Sawyer also coordinates the OMSE Check-Up – a student executive coaching program intended to build capacity for identity development, cultural competence, and academic excellence.
Mr. Sawyer serves as the lead point person to provide strategic direction, planning, counsel and outreach for OMSE’s fundraising and development activities in support of diversity programs and services.
Mr. Sawyer brings more than 20 years of experience in diversity & inclusion, education, and communications experience to OMSE. An expert in intercultural communications, Mr. Sawyer’s research interests and teaching experience are focused on the role communication plays in building an inclusive culture in educational and community settings with a focus on the impact of language, narratives, and counter-narratives.
Mr. Sawyer has facilitated university-wide diversity workshops for students, staff and faculty addressing topics such as intersectionality, racial microaggressions and implicit bias, and delivered addresses and lectures on a wide range of subject matter including but not limited to student success and goal formation. Mr. Sawyer has served on numerous university committees including Latino Heritage Month, Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, CommUMDiversity Expo, Rise Above-isms Week.
For over a decade, he has served as the chairperson for the university’s largest diversity welcome event, the Unity Welcome as well as chairperson for the Academic Excellence Awards which recognizes over 4000 underrepresented students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher as well as members of the university community who have helped to advance inclusive excellence.
An exemplary role model and advocate for equality and social justice, Mr. Sawyer has advised and advocated for thousands of students with intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, age, socioeconomic status and ability during the course of his career. He has acquired a number of community service awards and accolades for his work as a diversity practitioner. Among the most notable is the Office of Multicultural and Community Advocacy MVP Award for his outstanding personal and professional contributions to diversity and inclusion at the University of Maryland.
Mr. Sawyer has been a featured panelist for organizations such as the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the National Black Public Relations Society (NBPRS).
An IDI Qualified Administrator (QA), Mr. Sawyer holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree, is certified in Mental Health FirstAid and has received Rainbow Terrapin training at the University of Maryland. Additionally, Mr. Sawyer is pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership.
Dustin Chin is the Business Services Specialist at OMSE. He has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Maryland. During his undergraduate studies, he combined his interests in economic development and sustainability in business as a Smith Research Fellow. He has professional experience working in investment management responsible for portfolio analysis, accounting and trading systems, and environmental, social and governance research. He is pursuing a Master of Professional Studies in Clinical Psychological Science at the University of Maryland. In his free time you can find him playing sports, volunteering with high school students, and gathering outdoor enthusiasts for backpacking trips.
Rachel Downs is the Administrative Assistant to the Director for the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education (OMSE).
Ms. Downs has over 17 years of experience in IT Security at the Department of the Interior (DOI) where she worked with the Chief Information Officer to meet requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Prior to working at the Interior, Ms. Downs worked on the Privacy and Security Program for the Health Resources and Services Agency at the Department of Health & Human Services.
Rachel is a first-generation, US born Afro-Latina with roots in Central America. Beyond her federal career, she is an experienced event planner with a passion for creating memorable occasions. During her down time, she focuses on personal growth and her love for music, travel, and cooking.
Contact: rdown@umd.edu or 301-405-5615
Harita Patel is serving as an assistant program director for assessment for the Office for Multi-ethnic Student Education (OMSE). She is currently leading the OMSE team to complete their End-of-Year assessment project, and lending support to senior staff in program development. Harita has over 8 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 supporting underserved populations and facilitating dialogue between students and administration to foster diverse and inclusive educational environments for today’s students.
She has completed two graduate degrees in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is currently ABD. Her graduate research is on critical approaches to international development and research methodologies, emphasizing interdisciplinarity. She has prior publications on the subjects of identity-based conflict resolution and theories of democratization. When she is not working at OMSE, Harita is an artist that specializes in large-scale watercolor paintings which focus on themes in nature and the reconceptualizing the meaning of ‘failure.’ She has traveled extensively throughout the world and loves spending time in nature.
Contact: hpatel17@umd.edu or 301-405-5358
Jovany Joya is the program coordinator for the College Success Scholars Program.
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.
Zam Mozumder is a Graduate Assistant for the OMSE Tutorial program pursuing an M.S. degree in Information Systems at UMD Smith School of Business. He was selected as a Plus 1 Smith Scholar, which allowed him to combine his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. His future goal is to be a Project manager for a tech company and also work for non-profits to empower and educate students from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds.
Zam found the value of education from a very young age. Throughout the years, he has been putting a lot of effort into empowering high school students with resources and tutoring services. For this initiative, he founded UnitedTutoring, a non-profit tutoring center for low-income immigrant students in Brooklyn, New York. Zam’s goal is to help students reach their full potential, as well as to motivate students to pursue further education!
Winston Broadbell is an incoming 1st year graduate assistant for the College Success Scholars (CSS) Program. He is pursuing a master's in supply chain at the Robert H Smith School of Business for the next few semesters. He has been in OMSE and the CSS program as an undergraduate and is happy to be able to continue contributing to the program post undergrad.
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 undergraduate 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.
Nhaya Vaidya is the Coordinator for Sister to Sister. She earned her Master of Arts in International Relations through the 4+1 program at the University of Maryland, where she also completed dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Government and Politics (International Relations) and Journalism, with a minor in German Studies.
Leticia Adriana Ramirez Granados is a graduate assistant for La Familia. She is a Salvadoran DACA Recipient who strives to become a licensed architect. From a young age, she developed a deep passion for art, math, and the built environment, which fueled her pursuit of a career in architecture. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Maryland. Leticia plans to continue her education by pursuing a master’s degree in architecture, with a particular focus on affordable housing and sustainable practices. Her goal is to become a socially and environmentally conscious designer, using her knowledge and skills to serve underrepresented communities. She also aims to contribute her expertise to her home country, El Salvador. Leticia firmly believes that architecture has the power to go beyond shaping physical spaces and can bring about positive change in society for a better future.
Emmanuel Wanjala is a PhD student in the International Education Policy program at the University of Maryland, College Park. He holds an M.A. in Higher Education, Student Affairs and International Education Policy (HESI) from the University of Maryland College 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.
Laurel Eze is a Graduate Assistant for the Sister to Sister Program. She is a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master's in Information Systems. Prior to this, she obtained her Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Central Oklahoma having completed projects and internships that allowed her work full-time in the technology industry upon graduation. Her hobbies include fostering cats, watching Abbott Elementary, and trying out new recipes. Laurel believes in empowerment and is an advocate for fair and equitable practices.
Dilorom Akramova is a Graduate Assistant for the Sister to Sister (S2S) program at OMSE. She earned her B.A. 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 at 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 ladies and helping to create a more inclusive and supportive space for all.
Jafari Townsell is one of the Graduate Assistants for College Success Scholars. He earned his undergraduate degree in Marketing at the University of Maryland and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Marketing Analytics. Jafari has prior professional experience in marketing, sales, data analytics, and more.
Colin Roberts is a 1st year 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 from with his undergraduate degree in psychology from Virginia Tech and has a strong passion for working with disenfranchised youth and underrepresented minorities. His future goal is to work as UX Research to further his passion and develop ways to bridge the gap between minorities and the STEM field.
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 first year graduate student pursuing her Master’s in Library and Information Science, as she hopes to become an academic librarian. Prior, she received her B.A. in English with minors in Classics and Dance from Skidmore College, where she developed her interest 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 B.A. in Medical Anthropology and Spanish from The Ohio State University. She is passionate about helping minorities 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.