Diversity Council Members
Jennifer Aponte-Paez
Academic Coach/Adjunct Faculty
Jennifer has been at the College since September of 2018 and is dedicated to efforts
that provide equitable educational opportunities. She has served on the Committee
for Professional Staff Development since 2021 and the Consortium for Immigrant and
Undocumented Students since 2018. (she, her)
Marcia Butland
Assistant Dean, Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability
An alumna of DCC, Marcia Butland returned to the College in January of 2015. She is
a resource for students, informing them of their rights and how to exercise them while
clarifying their responsibilities. Through the DCC CARES initiative, she connects
students experiencing financial emergencies with on-campus and community-based resources.
(she/her/hers)
Melissa Carlo-Gonzalez
Director of TRIO
Since 2001, Melissa Carlo-Gonzalez has worked to support access and equity for low-income,
first-generation college and college-bound students as well as undergraduate students
with disabilities. Melissa has been at Dutchess since fall 2016. She has served as
chair of the Administrative Staff Council since spring 2021.
Bernadette Cekuta
Coordinator of EMS Programs
Bernadette has been working at the College ever since she graduated from DCC in January
2002. She has held various roles as adjunct faculty, lab faculty, clinical and lab
coordinator and, since August 2011, as the Coordinator of EMS. “Emergency Medical
Services are very diverse and we work in a diverse society,” she says, so her goals
are to make safe learning spaces where everyone is respected and where we can all
learn from one another.
Adjiwanou Gbagba
Director of NYS-CSTEP and NSF-LSAMP
Adjiwanou Gbagba has been with the College since June 2018. He has worked to support
the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented minorities and economically
disadvantaged students pursuing education in STEM fields, licensed professions and
health-related careers.
Jessica A. Geer, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Professor Geer has been at the College since 2015. She believes that "diversity is
acceptance, inclusion and equality amongst all races, genders and sexual orientation.
Diversity is like an intricately woven quilt. Each tapestry, side by side, comes together
to make a beautiful, and colorful work of art."
Shalon Hallager
Instructor of History, Department of History, Government and Economics
Shalon Hallager has been at DCC since August of 2017. She teaches courses in American
History and Women's History. (she, her)
Kevin Lang
Kevin is an assistant professor in the English and Humanities department. He started
in 2009 and has been full-time since 2013. He served on the Black History committee
from 2015 to 2021. He has been the adviser to the DCC student newspaper, The Falcons'
Call, since 2009.
Paula Lockshon, LMSW
Instructor, Human Services program
Paula Lockshon founded the DCC Consortium for Immigrant and Undocumented Students
and is the founding member of DCC’s LGBTQ Faculty and Staff Committee.
Sabrina Evelyn Lopez
DCC Fishkill
Sabrina has been with the College since 2016. “As a first-generation student myself,”
she says, “I understand and value diversity as the vehicle through which social progression
and harmony can be found.”
Jacqueline Goffe-McNish
Professor of English
Jacqueline Goffe-McNish, supervisor of English in the College Connection Program,
has been at the college since 1991.
Mariana Melo, Sc.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Allied Health and Biological Sciences
Willie Morris
Instructor, Department of English and Humanities
Carl Norris
Academic, Career, and Transfer Center/Adjunct Faculty: Career Exploration and Planning
Carl has been with the college since August of 2016.
Steven Posada
Diversity Admissions Counselor, Admissions Office
Steven Posada has been at the college since June of 2017 and is an active member of
the Consortium for Undocumented Students. (he, his him)
Kaina Rivera
Director of Academic Housing
Kaina Rivera has been with the College since January 2019. She is passionate about
making spaces equitable and accessible for underrepresented identities.
Jaclyn Savolainen
Acting Director of Ritz Library
Jaclyn Savolainen has been a librarian at DCC since 2016. She is committed to ensuring
that the library’s collections are reflective of the diverse populations we serve,
that there is equitable access to information, and that the staff engages in ongoing
practices of inclusion and celebrating of differences.
Keith Tombrello
Coordinator of Testing
An alumnus of Dutchess, Keith has been working at DCC since 2011. He is humbled and
honored to serve the College as a member of the Diversity Council.
Dana Weidman, MFA
Professor of Communications, Media Arts and Film