UMD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Program Manager for Outreach and Recruitment
Alec is the Graduate Assistant for Academic Peer Coaching and Transfer Student Success in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Alec graduated from UMD with a B.S. in management and B.A. in government and politics. He is currently pursuing a Master's of Science in Marketing Analytics as part of the Robert H. Smith School's Plus-1 M.S. program. Alec also serves as the current Chairman of UMD's Snider Consulting Group and a resident assistant at The Courtyards.
Job Titles:
- Director of External Relations, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Job Titles:
- Program Management Specialist
As a Caribbean descendant and Howard University Alumna, Alexis values the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She is passionate about helping underrepresented communities and is committed to the advancement of their personal and professional development. In her free time, Alexis likes to travel, go to hot yoga, try new restaurants, and spend time with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE INTERN
Job Titles:
- Director of Development
- Development
- Director of Development, Individual Giving
Job Titles:
- Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE Intern
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Development, Departments of Fire Protection Engineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Job Titles:
- PROGRAM Coordinator / CAREER ADVISOR
today. She has a particular interest in first-generation and underrepresented student groups and aiding them in developing tools for success as well as creating welcoming and diverse environments for students. Outside of work, Brianne enjoys travel, hiking, crocheting, reading and spending time with her
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Board
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Communications
- Media Relations
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- Member of the Board
- Water Resources Design Engineer
Job Titles:
- Minta Martin Professor of Engineering
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT DIRECTOR for EMPLOYER RELATIONS
Deborah has a particular interest in ensuring students have equal access to jobs & recruiting events, and that hiring entities follow ethical recruiting practices. She is passionate about increasing the number of women and minorities in engineering, and helping those same students negotiate competitive, fair starting salaries.
Also, you can talk to her about cats… anytime, because cats are hilarious and she is a self-declared "crazy cat lady!"
Job Titles:
- Administrative Support
- Assistant to the Assistant Dean
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Department of Aerospace Engineering
Dr. Alison Flatau is the Chair of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Univ. of Maryland (UMD). She has been a faculty member there since 2002, and has served in a variety of leadership positions, including: Director of Undergraduate Program and the AIAA Faculty advisor from 2004-2009; Associate Dean of Research for the Clark School of Engineering from 2009-2015; and Director of the Graduate Program and Associate Dept. Chair from 2016-2021. She became Department Chair in 2022. Her teaching and research interests are largely in the areas of smart materials, structures, vibrations and acoustics, with emphasis on magnetostrictive actuator and sensor technologies. She was PI of an ONR MURI on magnetostrictive alloys from 2005-2010. Prior to joining UMD, she taught Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics at Iowa State University for eight years and served as a Program Director at the NSF for four years. Her experience also includes four years as a senior research engineer in the Wind Energy Conversion Systems Test Program at the National Small Wind Systems Test Center (now part of National Renewable Energy Laboratory) in Golden, Colorado. Prof. Flatau's honors include the Clark School Faculty Service Award, WIA Engineering Educator of the Year Award, SPIE Smart Structures and Materials Lifetime Achievement Award, and ASME Adaptive Structures and Materials Systems Prize. She was a Senior Fellow at the Technical University of Dreden in Germany in 2016. She is a Fellow of the ASME and a Fellow of the AIAA, and in 2018 was an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer.
Dr. Christopher Cadou is the Faculty Advisor for the Clark Scholars Program. He is a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, a Keystone Professor in the A. James Clark School of Engineering, a member of the Combustion Institute, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Dr. Cadou has been with the University of Maryland since 2000. He has served as the Rocket Club Faculty Advisor since 2013, the Sigma Gamma Tau Faculty Advisor since 2012, a Gemstone Program Mentor from 2005-2008, and has served as Research Advisor for 17 honors projects. His research focuses on the thermophysical issues underlying and often limiting the miniaturization of combustion-based power systems, non-intrusive diagnostics for reacting and high speed flows, and engine/fuel cell integration for aerospace applications. He earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering and a B.A. in history from Cornell University in 1989. He subsequently received M.S. and Ph.D. Degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1991 and 1996 respectively. He was a track athlete in college (hammer throw), is a private pilot, and enjoys hiking, swimming, skiing, tennis, and golf with his wife, two children, and newfoundland dog.
Job Titles:
- Lecturer
- Senior Lecturer & GEL Minor Advisor
Darren Pierre, Ph.D. is a lecturer in the Office of Global Engineering Leadership. Pierre is a thought-leader within higher education, authoring a book, book chapters, journal articles, and presenting at numerous conferences on topics centered on leadership, identity development, and student engagement. In 2020, he led a team in developing one of the nine strategic priorities developed to inform the 2020-2025 National Leadership Education Research Agenda (NLERA). Dr. Pierre received his Ph.D. in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia.
Job Titles:
- a. James Clark School of Engineering in 2019 As the Director of Recruitment
- Director of Recruitment and Outreach Programs
Dr. Erin Wessell joined the A. James Clark School of Engineering in 2019 as the Director of Recruitment and Outreach Programs and has been part of the University of Maryland community since 2013. Before joining the Clark School, Dr. Wessell led recruitment, admissions, and scholarships for the Honors College as Associate Director. She also has experience in advising, student programming, curriculum development, and national fellowship advising. Dr. Wessell received her B.A. in social sciences from Pennsylvania Western University, an M.A. in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Maryland. A first-generation college graduate herself, Dr. Wessell enjoys working with students through the college application and selection process. She also loves to travel, especially to visit historical sites and museums with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Distinguished Scholar - Teacher
Dr. Min Wu is currently serving as Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs for the Clark School. She received her Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University in 2001. At UMD, she leads the Media and Security Team (MAST), with main research interests on information security and forensics, sensing analytics and learning, and multimedia signal processing. Her research and education have been recognized by a U.S. NSF CAREER award, a TR100 Young Innovator Award from the MIT Technology Review, an U.S. ONR Young Investigator Award, a Computer World "40 Under 40" IT Innovator Award, University of Maryland Invention of the Year Awards, IEEE Distinguished Lecturer and IEEE Harriett B. Rigas Award, and several paper awards from IEEE, ACM, and EURASIP. She was elected IEEE Fellow and AAAS Fellow for contributions to multimedia security, digital forensics and signal processing. Dr. Wu chaired the IEEE Technical Committee on Information Forensics and Security (2012-2013), and has served as Vice President - Finance of the IEEE Signal Processing Society (2010-2012) and Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Signal Processing Magazine
Job Titles:
- Coordinator for Graduate Affairs for the Clark School
Dr. Nicholas Slaughter is currently serving as Coordinator for Graduate Affairs for the Clark School and works with the Clark Doctoral Fellows Program. Prior to this role, he taught courses in literature and composition in the University of Maryland English Department and developed graduate student resources in the University Libraries. In his current position, he works with Clark School fellowship and awards programs as well as with the recruitment and success of top engineering graduate students. Dr. Slaughter earned his B.A. in English and Russian language and literature and his M.A. and Ph.D. in English language and literature at the University of Maryland.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director, Transfer Student Advising and Admissions
- Program Director, Transfer Student Advising & Admissions
- Program Director, TRANSFER STUDENT ADVISING and ADMISSIONS Academic Advisor
Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, Shannon Hayes Buenaflor is proud to call herself a "three-time" Terp! First coming to UMD as an undergraduate student, she has been involved on campus as an Orientation Advisor, Writing Tutor, and Peer Advisor. After she graduated with her B.A. in English Language and Literature, Shannon began working for the College of Education as an Academic Advisor. Following her time in the College of Education, Shannon transitioned to the Clark School where she works directly with our transfer student population. In addition to working as an administrator, Shannon engages in research focusing on the community college transfer student experience and the role of self-efficacy in supporting transfer students.
Outside of work, Shannon loves spending time with her family and her two cardigan corgis. She also enjoys reading, going for runs, and visiting new places.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Development, Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering
Job Titles:
- Manager of Communications & External Relations, Fischell Department of Bioengineering
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Process Engineer
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE Tutor
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- Wie Connect Mentor Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director, Alumni Engagement and Outreach
When Heidi began working in the Engineering Career Services Office over 35 years ago, it was an office of 1 and the internet was still in its infancy. She collected hard copy resumes from students and sent them to employers via the US mail. Employers sent in hard copy brochures for students to read in a company literature library. The office has grown to a staff of 7 and of course everything is now online. Heidi retired in July of 2022 but continues to work part-time for the office she loves. Although not a Terp herself, (she attended one of those "other" UM schools in the midwest), all 3 of her daughters went to UMD and she now considers herself more of a Terp than a Wolverine.
Job Titles:
- Associate Chair and Director of Undergraduate Studies
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE INTERN
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - Outreach and Recruitment
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean
- Chief Development Officer
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE Tutor
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- Wie Connect Mentor Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE Tutor
Job Titles:
- Program Manager of Alumni & Donor Events
Job Titles:
- Director, Keystone Program
Job Titles:
- PROGRAM MANAGER / CAREER ADVISOR
As a Russian, Jewish immigrant and UMD alumnus, Lizzy knows there's a lot to navigate in college and career. Prior to career advising, Lizzy taught high school English. Topics near to her heart are LGBTQA+ pride and anti-racism education. She hopes you talk with her about career, as well as cats, books, and travel, if you'd like.
Job Titles:
- Lecturer in the Office of Global Engineering Leadership
Léna Crain, Ph.D. is a lecturer in the Office of Global Engineering Leadership. She has instructed undergraduate and graduate courses, including programs in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, the Netherlands, and Australia, and has lived and worked in France. These experiences contributed to her research, which examines the relationship between culture, pedagogy, and cognition (how culture influences the way we teach and learn), and the influence of cultural dimensions on conflict and resolution. In her broader career in higher education, Dr. Crain has been recognized by ACPA as a Diamond Honoree and Annuit Coeptis Scholar. Dr. Crain received her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- Wie Connect Lead Mentor Coordinator
Mary is the Associate Director in the Undergraduate Advising & Academic Support Office in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. She received her B.A. in Radio, Television & Film from the University of Maryland & received her M.S. in Management Information Systems from the University of Maryland, University College. Mary began working at the University of Maryland in 1993 and has worked in the Registrar's Office, the Department of Communication and the Undergraduate Admissions Office prior to joining the Engineering School in 2015.
While away from the office, Mary enjoys spending time with her husband & their two cats watching any type of sporting event.
Job Titles:
- Favorite Research or Study Abroad Experiences
Continuing in the FIRE program, this semester, I am working on multi-objective optimization in sports. Specifically, I am researching into the race strategy used in Formula 1 teams. This is especially interesting as I am heavily invested in the engineering behind Formula 1 and how teams strategize and battle uncertainty in race conditions. My goal, by the end of the semester, is to hopefully build my own multi-objective model that can be used beyond just Formula 1 strategy, with its underlying fundamental concepts being applied to other strategy-based sports.
Job Titles:
- Engineer
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Communications
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE Tutor
Job Titles:
- Minta Martin Professor of Engineering
Brian Dillehay is the Associate Director in the Office of Global Engineering Leadership and oversees operational aspects of our global, leadership, and onboarding initiatives. He has been working and teaching courses in the A. James Clark School of Engineering for over five years and has an extensive background in international education and global programming. Brian joined the University of Maryland from AMIDEAST where he administered Fulbright students from the Middle East and North Africa. In addition, he has experience teaching and working abroad, primarily in Taiwan. He received his MA in International Training and Education from American University in 2016 and his BA in International Affairs from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2006.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Associate Director for the Clark Foundation Scholarship Programs
Mr. Damien J. Franze is the Associate Director for the Clark Foundation Scholarship Programs. In this role, he provides strategic direction, leadership, and oversight for recruitment, scholarship award processes, scholarship appeals processes, and retention strategies for the A. James Clark Scholars Program, the Clark Opportunity Transfer Scholars Program, and the Clark Legacy Scholarships and Named Awards. Damien is a dedicated student affairs educator and administrator who is passionate about working with and supporting college students. He brings a wealth of higher education experience to this position, with previous roles in student program management, advising, event planning, community development, living-learning program management, student leadership development, curriculum management, recruitment, and scholarship selection. Damien has been at the University of Maryland since 2010. He joined the Clark School most recently from the Department of Resident Life, where he led all centralized programming and events for the department, as well the implementation of the department's Community Development Strategy, which set the programming and residential experience expectations for students. Prior to his work in Resident Life, Damien held positions at the University of Maryland in the Honors College and the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, as well as at the University of the District of Columbia Community College. Damien is originally from Baltimore, MD and holds a M.Ed. in Counseling & Personnel Services - College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland and a B.S. in Digital Design from Philadelphia University.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator for Recruitment
- Coordinator for Recruitment for the Clark Foundation Scholarship Programs and Has Been With the University of Maryland
Mr. Michael A. Robinson is the Coordinator for Recruitment for the Clark Foundation Scholarship Programs and has been with the University of Maryland since 2005. His previous positions on campus include being an Academic Advisor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department as well as several positions within the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. While in Admissions, he served as a Freshman Admissions Counselor, the Coordinator for Limited Enrollment Programs, Assistant Director for Transfer and International Admissions and the Associate Director of Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives. His background includes undergraduate admissions and recruitment, student event planning and academic advising. He is a proud Frostburg State University alum where he earned his B.S. in Sociology.
Ramsey Jabaji directs the Office of Global Engineering Leadership and is a lecturer in the A. James Clark School of Engineering where he oversees Clark Abroad programs, the Clark in Madrid program, Minor in Global Engineering Leadership, and TerrapinSTRONG/ClarkLEAD undergraduate onboarding initiatives. Ramsey is responsible for the oversight and strategy of one of the largest engineering study abroad portfolios in the country which includes 20+ exchange partners, the Clark in Madrid program, and 5+ short-term study abroad courses annually. He has 15+ years of teaching experience in leadership and higher education administration at the University of Maryland and Georgetown University in locations such as Australia, China, France, The Netherlands, Qatar, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager for Experiential Learning
Aralia Ramirez is the Program Manager for Experiential Learning. She joined our team from California in June of 2022. Aralia oversees and supports a number of experiential learning opportunities in Maryland Engineering which help develop students' inclusive leadership and intercultural capacities. She manages the ClarkLEAD onborading initiative and Maryland VIPs (Vertically Integrates Projects), oversees and facilitates our intergroup dialogue courses, and provides leadership training for Engineering student organizations and student societies housed in the Clark School. Prior to joining us, Aralia worked at California State University, Chico (Chico State) and Duke University supporting onboarding and leadership programming primarily for first-year students and students in STEM. She earned her Bachelors in Sociology from Chico State and her Masters in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Iowa. Aralia's research interests are leadership development, student development, equitable supervision practices, and ways to create equitable campus environments. Outside of work, Aralia enjoys playing Pickleball, hiking, baking, and spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator for Retention
- Coordinator for Retention for Clark Foundation Scholarship Programs
Ms. Guerda Mervilus is the Coordinator for Retention for Clark Foundation Scholarship Programs. Guerda joined us from Electrical and Computer Engineering, where she was the program coordinator for graduate studies in Electrical and Computer Engineering and for the Masters in Telecommunications Program. Prior to joining UMD, she worked with Achieving the Promise Academy (ATPA) as a Success Coach at Montgomery College and as a Transfer Advisor at University of Maryland Global Campus. With many years of advising and supporting student programming, she is extremely passionate about assisting students in their educational journey.
Julia serves as the On-Site Coordinator and primary advisor for the Clark in Madrid Program and Madrid exchange programs. She advises and supports all UMD students planning to and taking part in our programs in Madrid, Spain. In addition, she supports incoming exchange students from our partners in Madrid considering an exchange experience with Maryland Engineering. Prior to these roles, Julia worked as an International Student Advisor to European students heading to the USA for undergraduate or graduate degrees, as an English Language and Culture Instructor in K-12 bilingual schools in Madrid and as a Spanish language teacher in her home state of Vermont. Julia earned her B.A. from Beloit College with a double major in Cultural Anthropology and Spanish Language & Literature, her teaching certification from Champlain College and then went on to pursue Master's degrees in International Education and Global Higher Education from the Universidad de Alcalá. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, keeping her houseplants alive and exploring new corners of Madrid. Julia is excited to share her love of Spain with UMD students going abroad.
Katherine Schwarzentraub is the Program Manager, Maryland Engineering Global Experiences in the Office of Global Engineering Leadership. Katherine joined the OGEL team in December 2021, after initially working as the General Advisor in Education Abroad. As the Program Manager for Global Experiences, Katherine works with Engineering students to find programs that align with their major, goals, and interests. She also supports Incoming ENGR Exchange students during their time at UMD and Clark faculty members who lead short-term study abroad programs. Katherine is a proud Terp and received her MA in International Education Policy from the University of Maryland, and BA in Government and German with an Art History minor from Wofford College. During semesters abroad in London and Vienna, she furthered her interest in British culture and German language. Since 2017, Katherine has served as a resource in various roles on campus to encourage UMD students to pursue study abroad opportunities, and she is excited to help them explore ways to incorporate global learning opportunities into their Maryland experience!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Technical Director
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Co - Founder
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE INTERN
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
Rebeca is the Academic Coordinator for the Office of Undergraduate Advising & Academic Support in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Rebeca has worked for the Engineering School for twenty years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management with a minor in Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Maryland University College. She also has an Associate Degree in Interior Design from Montgomery College, a certificate in Bridal Consultant and Web Design.
Job Titles:
- Student Staff Member
- WIE Tutor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Senior Consulting Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of External Relations, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Job Titles:
- Employer Relations Coordinator
As a Terp alumni, Ron joined Engineering Career Services after working several years in Dining Services. Ron serves as a member of the University Senate Staff Affairs Committee and volunteers as an advisor in the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct. He believes diversity is what creates an exciting and welcoming space both in education and the workplace. In his free time, Ron enjoys hiking and traveling to new places, going to concerts, and spending time with friends, family, and his cat.
Shannon is the Program Coordinator for the Undergraduate Advising & Academic Support Office in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Shannon received both her bachelor's degree, in History Secondary Education, and her master's degree, in Post Secondary Education, from Salisbury University. She also received a master's certificate in Academic Advising from Kansas State University. Shannon is a member of the National Education Honor's Society, Kappa Delta Pi. Before joining the staff at the University of Maryland at College Park, Shannon served as an Academic Advisor at University of Maryland University College for three years.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends; attending and watching professional sports games; traveling and going to the beach; as well as, relaxing and reading a good book.
Job Titles:
- Special Assistant to the Dean for DEI Initiatives
Special Assistant to the Dean for DEI Initiatives
(301) 405-3878 | sheronw@umd.edu
Suzanne serves as the Director in the Undergraduate Advising & Academic Support Office in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Suzanne has worked in higher education since 2001 in both academic and student affairs at various institutions. Suzanne is not new to the University of Maryland having previously worked for the Smith School of Business as well as the Electrical & Computer Engineering Graduate Studies Office. She received her B.A. in Mass Communication, Radio/TV from Grand View College, a M.Ed. in College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland, and her MBA from The University of Texas at El Paso.
In her spare time, Suzanne enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, going to movies, and attending sporting events!
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - Retention
Job Titles:
- Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
(Institutional giving and partnerships with corporations, foundations, and organizations, with a focus on the Corporate Partners Program, Student Affairs and Diversity units, the Departments of Aerospace Engineering, Bioengineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Job Titles:
- Academic Advisor
- Assistant
Tatum is the Graduate Assistant for the Undergraduate Advising & Academic Support Office in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Tatum earned her Bachelor's of Science in Health Sciences and Master's of Science in Management, Integrated Business from the University of Central Florida. During her time as a Knight, Tatum was an athlete on the Women's Rowing Team and was involved in the Orientation Team, Knight-thon, and President's Leadership Council. Tatum is pursuing a Master's of Public Health in Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland alongside her work with the Undergraduate Advising & Academic Support Office.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Software Engineer
Job Titles:
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
Job Titles:
- DIRECTOR
- Director of Engineering
Veronica Perrigan, Director of Engineering Career Services, at (301) 405-3862 or vperriga@umd.edu.
Veronica has a passion for empowering college students in identifying employment opportunities and meaningful careers. As ECS Director, she wants to provide a welcoming and inclusive space for students of all backgrounds to explore their career options, and pursue employment that is congruent with who they are and how they identify. In her free time, Veronica enjoys scuba diving, strength training, travel, volunteer work, and her rescue dog.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board