Dr. Yoly M. Gonzalez-Stucker is Program Director of the TMD and Orofacial Pain Certificate Program and an Associate Professor in the Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, at the University at Buffalo, School of Dental Medicine. She received DDS degrees from both the Universidad Central de Venezuela and the University at Buffalo, and her graduate degrees from the University at Buffalo. In 1993, she established a TMD clinic to care for disadvantaged populations within the pre-doctoral curriculum, which has evolved to form the clinical platform for the TMD and Orofacial Pain graduate program. She is now dedicated to the research and education of orofacial pain in Buffalo. Dr. Gonzalez has lectured extensively in the US and abroad and has authored and co-authored numerous scientific articles, abstracts and book chapters in her field of expertise. During the last 15 years she has been involved in clinical research. As co-investigator and principal investigator, she has been involved in NIH-sponsored landmark projects in the field of TMD and Orofacial Pain that include the Validation Study, DC-TMD, OPPERA and TMJ Biomechanics.
Dr. Audeliz (Audi) Matias is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Sciences at Empire State College and interim Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. She holds a Ph.D. in geological sciences from Northwestern University, and a B.S. and M.S. in geology from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. Her efforts have focused on improving STEM teaching and learning by developing curriculum that increases active learning. Dr. Matias served as first chair for the Department of Natural Sciences, where she provided administrative, academic, and curricular guidance. She co-chairs the SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology (FACT2) Examining Pedagogy and Learning in Online Domains (ExPLOD) Task Group and the review of the Transfer Path for Geology. Additionally, Dr. Matias has helped organize affinity groups and conferences, reviewed applications for student programs, and served as proposal reviewer for federal funding programs. She also serves at her town's planning board and was part of the executive team of a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the Hispanic community in the state of New York. Dr. Matias received the 2016-2017 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service. As a Hispanic woman in science, her goal is to inspire and help more women and LatinX to achieve their professional goals.
Dalia Antonia Muller is Associate Professor of History at the University at Buffalo where she has taught since 2009. Dr. Muller served as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and Director of the University Honors College between 2017 and 2020 and as Associate Director of the Masters Program in Caribbean and Latin/o American Studies from 2009 to 2016. She is a graduate from Yale University and the University of California, Berkeley and is the author of Cuban Émigrés and Independence in the Nineteenth-Century Gulf World published by UNC Press (Envisioning Cuba. 2017). Dr. Muller is currently at work on two additional book projects. Dalia Antonia Muller is passionate about continuing to develop her career as a scholar-administrator and is committed to building educational programs for students and producing knowledge in her field.
Dr. Angela Luisa Rios is currently the Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at a Dutchess Community College where she has also served as the Director of Advising and Transfer Services. She holds her Bachelor of Arts degree(s) in Communication and English from University of Hartford, and her Master of Science degree in Counseling from Central Connecticut State University. She has been committed to academic achievement in higher education positions for more than 10 years. Dr. Rios came to the Ed.D. program in Executive Leadership at St. John Fisher College in the summer of 2017 and pursued the study of community college students’ academic success under the direction of Dr. W. Jeff Wallis and Dr. Brenda Myers. She received the Ed.D. in 2019.
For over 30 years, Jerry has been involved in some facet related to the profession of teaching. Currently, she is the Director of Continuing Education for the Academy for the Advancement of Teaching, Leadership, and Schools in the School of Education at the University at Albany. She joined the School of Education in 1996 and served as the Senior Faculty Associate and Director of Clinical Training and Field Experiences. In addition to the oversight of the clinical component for the Master of Science and Secondary Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Programs, she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in educational psychology, assessment, and secondary education. Her research interests include progressive education, pre-service and in-service professional development, and alternative assessment practices. Jerry is very active at the state level as an executive board member of the New York State Association of Teacher Educators (NYSATE).
Aníbal Torres Bernal, PhD currently serves as the Director of Academic Affairs and Professor at Penn State University - Penn State Lehigh Valley and was the founding Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Society, and professor at SUNY Morrisville. He earned his B.A. from Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Syracuse University. Aníbal has held academic, administrative, and clinical appointments at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Drake University, Empire State College, Syracuse University, Fairfield University, Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, and Regis University. He is a member of the American Family Therapy Academy and a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He also serves as a director at large in the International Family Therapy Association Board of Directors and chairs the AAMFT Minority Fellowship Program Advisory Committee. Aníbal’s scholarship has focused on how to infuse social justice concepts into different contexts, especially as it relates to underserved and marginalized populations, and the different ways in which theory, practice, education, and academic administration can become increasingly accessible, inclusive, and sustainable.
Christina Vargas is the Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator at Suffolk County Community College. She has responsibility for developing, leading, providing oversight and meeting strategic initiatives and priorities related to diversity, equity and inclusion for faculty, staff and students. She leads and advises senior leadership using values and skills such as respecting, understanding and honoring differences; continuous improvement; lifelong learning; and building trust.
Ms. Vargas spent 20 years of her career at Stony Brook University, serving as Director of Diversity and Affirmative Action/Title IX Coordinator. She is past President of Stony Brook University's Alumni Association and co-founder of the Black and Latino Alumni network. She is an adjunct lecturer for the Master's Program in Higher Education Administration at Stony Brook University and was the recipient of the program's Faculty Excellence Award in 2018. Ms. Vargas is a recipient of SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service. She serves on the Board of Directors for ERASE Racism, Inc. and was its co-chair for five years. In 2020-2021 she served on the Suffolk County Police Reform and Reinvention Task Force.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and her Master of Science in Management and Policy from Stony Brook. She holds a Diversity Management Certification from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
A proud Boricua, born and raised in Brooklyn, she was given the honor of serving as the 2018 Grand Marshal of the 52nd annual Brentwood Long Island Puerto Rican Hispanic Day parade.