Deniz Dennery works as Program Assistant in Rowan University’s Office of Career Advancement, where she is a cheerleader for student employment. Deniz manages career fair events, the off-campus Federal Work Study program, engages with employers and co-manages Rowan’s electronic job site “ProfsJobs” to support students and alumni in their professional journey. Deniz joined Rowan University’s Women’s Advisory Board in 2019 and now serves as its enthusiastic Board Chair. Successful delivery to the Rowan community and the general public of events covering topics on health, well-being, leadership, networking are attributed to the fantastic workings of the members of this board, their expertise, time and effort. Consider becoming a part of this movement!

After graduation from the University of Utah with a degree in political science, Deniz's interest in working overseas led her on a journey to join the Foreign Service where she ultimately landed a work assignment in France. Her desire for working with culturally diverse populations and travel has never waned. Deniz honed her communication and problem solving skills working in a variety of environments including a busy 700 room Manhattan, NY hotel with heavy international clientele, the Turkish Embassy, the U.S. State Department and the American Embassy in Paris. Deniz’ adaptability to various work environments over the years allowed her to be successful in various roles within government, healthcare, higher education and career development growth of students.

A two-time graduate of Rowan University, Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree from the Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts in 2008 and completed her master’s degree in higher education administration in 2015. She has been with Rowan since 2016 in the role of Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement. In her role, Jessica coordinates alumni programs and services designed to foster and strengthen the relationship between the University and its alumni-base of over 100,000 Profs!

Jessica manages alumni volunteers; serves as the primary point of contact for campus partnerships; acts as the event lead for several signature programs such as Homecoming, Run for Rowan 5K and Golden Profs Reunion; and is the team liaison to the Office of Advancement Communications.

In addition to serving as the Board Vice Chair for the Women’s Alliance Network, Jessica is also proud to contribute as an active member of several university-wide committees including: Homecoming (Chair), Flying First, first generation college students (Chair for Alumni Engagement) and Martin Luther King Jr. scholarship breakfast and day of service.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys “bad” reality tv, the beach, music and podcasts, being with family and spending quality time with her husband Brian ’08 and her son’s Leo and Noah.

Brandi Blanton is the Associate Director of Student Financial Aid at Rowan -Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Temple University and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration at Rowan University. With over 15 years of experience in the field of college financial aid counseling and administration, she has helped countless undergraduate, graduate, and medical school students navigate the complex world of financial aid and financial literacy. She is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, a QPR Gatekeeper for Suicide Prevention, and has earned the Diversity, Equity, and Injustice Certification. She is a member of several professional associations, including The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), The Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA), and The New Jersey Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NJASFAA). Brandi brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. As a first-generation college student, she understands the complexities students face in college and is committed to helping students transform their lives through higher education.

She began her journey at Rowan University in the Glassboro Financial Aid Office, where she assisted students for 7 years as a Loan Manager and Financial Literacy Specialist. She has lovingly received the nickname “The Face of Financial Aid” as a result of hosting financial literacy workshops around campus, starring in Financial Aid educational videos, and from her work engaging students via the @RowanFinAid social media platforms. Brandi currently serves on the Rowan University Affordability Task Force and the SOM Scholarship Committee. She is a co-founder of The SHOP and successfully helped open locations on the Sewell and Stratford SOM campuses. Brandi is also passionate about traveling, enjoying live music, and dancing. She is the mother of two young kings, Wyatt and Zavien.

Dr. Lakeisha Carter is originally from Buffalo, NY. She has worked in education for over 15 years at various private and public higher education institutions and P-12 schools. Dr. Carter is currently the Education Coordinator for the M3 curriculum at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, NJ, and part-time Adjunct faculty in the Educational Services and Leadership Department.

Dr. Carter earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Rowan University, M.S. in Student Personnel Administration from Buffalo State College (SUNY), and B.A. in Health and Human Services from the University at Buffalo (SUNY). She recently earned a Foundations of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate from Rowan University.

Zeynep Ercan is a Professor of Education, chair of Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Critical Foundations Department and the co-director of Early Childhood Leadership Institute, a professional development and research institute at Rowan University, New Jersey. She leads large scale research, training, and evaluation projects, writes for academic journals, and teaches and speaks on best practices for culturally and linguistically diverse children, teachers, families and communities, intellectual development, and professional development of educators and leaders. Zeynep’s research has appeared in academic journals such as: Young Children, Race, Ethnicity and Education, Childhood Education, International Journal of Science Education, Early Childhood Education Journal, and Diaspora, Indigenous and Minority Education Journal.

Dr. Yahaira I. Márquez is a bilingual (Spanish/English) licensed psychologist in the State of New Jersey, nationally certified TF-CBT therapist, and faculty member at the Child Abuse Research Education and Service (CARES) Institute at Rowan University, School of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Márquez is native to Puerto Rico. She completed a B.A in Psychology at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus; obtained a Master’s and a Doctoral degree in School Psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and completed a postdoctoral appointment at the CARES Institute under the supervision of Esther Deblinger, PhD co-developer of the Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Dr. Márquez is one of very few nationally approved trainers able to conduct TF-CBT trainings and consultation calls completely in Spanish.

In terms of academic involvement and direct clinical practice, Dr. Márquez is a voting member of the Institutional Review Board and she provides direct therapeutic services to children with a history of trauma and their non-offending parents. She is a devoted clinical supervisor to post doctoral appointees. Dr. Marquez is a mother of three young boys (2, 6, and 9) and companion to her partner of 24 years. In her personal time, she enjoys playing with her children, cooking, learning about wine, reading, crafting, microfarming, and singing.

Michelle Mignot (she/her/hers) has been in the field of higher education since 2006. Starting at a community college in Ontario, Canada, Michelle gained experience in career development and online learning as a Career Advisor and Program Coordinator. After moving to the Philadelphia area where she initially worked in the Steinbright Career Development Center at Drexel University, Michelle is now an Academic Advisor at Rowan University. As a member of the Rowan Global team, Michelle assists non-traditional students in partnership and degree completion programs.

Michelle completed her undergraduate studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and obtained her Masters in Higher Education from Drexel University. In addition to the Women’s Alliance Network, Michelle is also active on campus as a member of the Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC), the UAS/OASIS DEI Subcommittee, and is a Rowan University Career Advocate. Michelle has two children in elementary school, and in her spare time enjoys travel, cooking, and gardening.

Sheena Pierce received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Rowan University in 2010 and her Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Rutgers University in 2015. Sheena has been with Rowan University since 2016. Sheena is a Technical Trainer and Instructional Designer at Rowan University in IRT - Training Services. As part of the IRT - Training team, Sheena helps to create and design diverse training formats and effective online training for the Rowan community. In her spare time, you can find her at Eagles and Sixers games. In addition, she enjoys traveling the world, shopping, reading, podcasting, and spending time with family and friends.

Dr. Pukenas currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. She is responsible for executive leadership of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) and drives strategic planning and programmatic execution in the areas of student support services, financial aid, registrar services, student health/mental health and wellness, career and academic advising, the advisory college learning system and the match to residency. Dr. Pukenas is a dually board-certified anesthesiologist and completed a fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesiology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and serves as Vice Chair/Vice Chief of Administrative Affairs in the Department of Anesthesiology at Cooper University Health Care.

Mary Schultes, Ed.D. candidate, has been working at Rowan University for over four years. She began as a Human Resources Specialist, which provided her an opportunity to communicate to various departments across the main and Camden campuses. In May 2023, Mary began a new role within Student Affairs at the Camden Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) as a Medical Education Learning Specialist to support the medical students at the campus in Camden.

Mary is an avid believer and contributor when it comes to volunteerism and community improvement. She is the current chair of the Events Committee, as well as a member of Women United, both through the United Way of Gloucester County. Mary also serves as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a ministry at the Mary, Mother of Mercy Parish. She also volunteers for Mother’s Matter as well as maintains a position on a fundraising committee for Genesis Counseling Centers. As a Rowan University Alumnus, she enjoys staying involved in the Rowan community by being a part of the First-Generation Task Force committee, the Homecoming Stakeholders committee, DEI Strategic Priority Council 3, the Prof of the Month Committee and a member of Alpha Epsilon Lambda Honor Society.

Mary plans on continuing her education after recently graduating (2022) with her Master of Arts: Higher Education (Administration) degree and is a current candidate for the doctoral program: Educational Leadership and will be commencing classes in the Fall of 2023.

Even with all of her volunteer efforts, Mary still manages to carve out some time to spend with her loving husband, adorable pet bunny, her family and friends. She enjoys celebrating birthdays, holidays and more at local restaurants or breweries.

Colleen Scott currently works as a web and digital content specialist at Rowan University. In this role, Colleen collaborates with digital marketing and recruitment marketing colleagues in Rowan University’s Division of Strategic Enrollment Management – and with university partners across the institution – to create and execute timely website and digital content projects with thoughtful, engaging content in keeping with the University’s brand and messaging strategies. Prior to working on the Glassboro campus, Colleen served as the digital communications specialist at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU). In addition to her experience working in higher education, Colleen also has experience working on a marketing and communications team for a healthcare system, as well as serving a variety of clients while working at a public relations firm. 

Colleen is a proud, two-time Rowan graduate – she earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations with minors in advertising and marketing, as well as a master’s degree in strategic communication from the Ric Edelman College of Communication and Creative Arts. As a #RowanPROUD alum and staff member, Colleen looks forward to supporting the marketing committee within the Rowan University Women’s Alliance Network!

Sanaz holds an MBA, an MA in Higher Education, and is currently a PhD candidate in Education, with a passion for social activism and diversity. She works for the Technology Commercialization Office at Rowan University and she is responsible for managing invention disclosures, patent docketing, and patent data analysis. Her skills in Database Management, NIST/iEdison Reporting- Invention Reporting to the Federal, Management of Invention Disclosures, Patent Docketing, Patent Data Analysis, and Marketing.

She is a council member of the "Women’s and Gender Studies Program" (WGS), a volunteer in the "DEI Strategic Priority Council 1" (SPC1) at Rowan University, and an active committee member of "Small Offices" at Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM).

Sanaz remains committed to social activism. She has also been recognized for her outstanding contributions to diversity and social activism, winning both the Senate Diversity Award for Excellence in Social Activism and the Rowan Excellence in Diversity Award for a Group Project. Also, She has been awarded the prestigious Susan Keyes Technology Transfer Career Transition Fellowship by the AUTM Foundation.

Sanaz's research is focused on the experiences of Iranian doctoral international students in the current socio-political environment in US universities.

Nicole Surace is an accomplished professional who has excelled in the Hospitality Management field. She graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2020, amidst the pandemic, with a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality & Tourism Management. Beginning in 2014, Nicole worked for our campus partners, Gourmet Dining as their Catering Coordinator. Working for Gourmet Dining helped Nicole cultivate prosperous relationships with many faculty, staff and students across Rowan University’s campuses. 

In 2022, Nicole joined the Rowan University family and happily accepted her new role as a Program Assistant for Rowan University’s Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering in the Chemical Engineering Department. Nicole has made several efforts to help improve the climate of the department by participating in homecoming contests, planning celebrations and hosting monthly student socials that enhance the morale of all who attend. It came as no shock that she would join Rowan University’s Women’s Alliance Network, as well as the Advisory Board, and has now taken on the role of Special Events Chair. 

Outside of work, Nicole is a proud member of the Wicked Warriors of East Greenwich where she enjoys staying active and being part of a team. The Wicked Warriors of East Greenwich are a group of strong women making a difference by fundraising, community service and the sport of Dragon Boat racing.

In her “spare time,” Nicole is typically cheering on her kids at their many soccer games or assisting their school PTOs. She has a blended family with five very active children that keep her and her husband on their toes.

Melissa Ulmer (she/her/hers) joined the Rowan family in August 2015 and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Marketing & Student Programs on the Chamberlain Student Center & Campus Activities (SCCA) team on the Glassboro campus. In this role she wears multiple hats. First, Melissa serves as the primary staff advisor for the Student University Programmer’s (SUP), Rowan’s on-campus student programming board. In collaboration with a graduate coordinator, Melissa helps co-advise the organization on event planning, marketing strategies, student leadership and advocacy, campus service, and more. SUP plans & executes over 50 events each year including live performances, charitable events, off-campus trips, movie nights, special events, and more. Some of SUP’s biggest traditions include the fall comedy show, Hollybash, St. Baldrick’s Day, Holiday Helper, Last Lecture, the Food Truck Festival, Lil’ Sibs Weekend, and more.

In addition to SUP, Melissa oversees all marketing for the SCCA. This includes supervision, with the support of a graduate coordinator, of the SCCA Marketing Team – a creative powerhouse comprised of student graphic designers and photographer/videographers. The Marketing Team is responsible for all digital (including social media and web) and printed content for the department. In addition to departmental marketing, Melissa also manages all facility marketing initiatives including signage and community posting. Finally, in her role Melissa also oversees and supports large-scale campus programming, including serving as one of the Co-Chairs for the university-wide Homecoming Committee, as well as helping steer Welcome Week activities.

Beyond her role at Rowan, Melissa is an active volunteer with several associations including the Association for College Unions International (ACUI) and the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) and has served in several regional and national volunteer roles. On-campus she serves as a Rowan 101 course instructor, as a long-standing member of the Rowan Thrive & University Well-being committee, and as a member of the Programming Council. More personally, Melissa is the proud mom to her son, Miles and daughter, Riley – as well as her dachshund Tater Tot. Melissa earned her Bachelor of Arts in English, Communication, and Political Science from Alvernia University in Reading, PA and her Master of Arts in Strategic Communication from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

Erica Watson Brown received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business with a specialization in Organizational Management from Cabrini University, her Master of Arts in Education and Reading degree from Concordia University. She served as an elementary educator in New Jersey for ten years. Her research interests include elementary education, teacher preparation programs, and equity in education. At Rowan University, Erica is a Lecturer for the department of Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education, in the College of Education. In addition, she is the Program Coordinator for the Initial Teaching Preparation Program specialization in B.A. Elementary Education (K-6) and has supervised clinical experience/practice interns. She has worked with non-profit organizations to facilitate S.T.E.A.M workshops for middle and high school girls. She is a third-year doctoral student in the Urban Education and Diverse Learning Environment concentration. When not teaching she enjoys traveling to New York and spending time with her family.