Committee Members

Laurie Coleman

Coleman is the Director of the Honors Academy and a Professor of English at San Antonio College. Faculty teaching in the Honors Academy is encouraged to develop mentorship relationships between students that build community. Peer-to-peer mentoring is supported in the Honors Academy Student Learning Outcome that focuses on collaboration and through the work of the Program Peer Mentors. Laurie sees herself as a “teacher’s teacher” and enjoys collaborating with colleagues across disciplines, as well as making college more affordable through the adoption of free or low-cost instructional materials. She is a 2019 NISOD Excellence Award recipient and was recognized by her College in 2017 during National Distance Learning Week for exceptional leadership in the distance learning field. For nine years, she served as the co-coordinator of the San Antonio College Multicultural Conference. Laurie is a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University where she received her M.A. in English Education. She is a former high school and middle school instructor for the Southside and the Edgewood ISDs.

Gregory Smith

Greg Smith is a Coordinator for Student Success in the Office of Student Life from San Antonio College. He is new to Texas as he was born and raised in New York State. Greg has a passion for student development through student leadership and wants to provide students with countless opportunities during their time here at the Alamo Colleges District.

Laura Farias

Laura is currently an Administrative Services Specialist for the Dean for Academic Success at Northeast Lakeview College since 2018.  She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN with a BA in American Studies and Communications.  Her prior experience includes business sales for AT&T, a home daycare provider, and 12 years of teaching in Laredo and New Braunfels, TX.  At NLC, she is currently on the Staff Senate and the Wellness Committee. Laura is a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program and serves on the committees for the Honors Academy and the Alamo Colleges District Inaugural Mentoring Conference.  She volunteers regularly for the Pop-Up Markets at various ACD campuses and at the Food Bank warehouse sorting donations for distribution.  Additionally, for the last three years, she has assisted alumni who organizing events to raise scholarship money for graduating seniors from her alma mater, Luther Burbank HS in SAISD.

Carmen Mercedez

Carmen de las Mercedez received her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics Education from Brigham Young University, a Master's Degree in Adult Education from Texas State University, and a second Master's Degree at the University of Texas-Austin in Mathematics. She graduated with a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from UT-Austin. She currently works at District Office as the Director of Instructional Professional Development, where she leads a team of Faculty Development Specialists and Faculty Fellows in hosting professional development for full and part-time faculty district-wide. Prior to coming to Alamo Colleges, she worked as Director of the Neighborhood Longhorn Program (NLP) at the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement in partnership with UT Athletics. NLP provides free tutoring and mentoring to underserved 3rd thru 8th-grade students to establish a college-going college. Prior to this, she worked at UT-Austin's Longhorn Center for Academic Excellence Gateway Scholars Program, serving 1st generation students to succeed in college. She also served on the research team for Project M.A.L.E.S. (Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success) for several years, a student-mentoring program launched at UT-Austin. Her own research has focused on Latinas in STEM and the role of the family in Latino/Latina educational success. She has been in education for over 30 years. She is a former high school math teacher and has been an adjunct math teacher at NLC for 4 years. She is a first-generation student who recognizes the value of mentoring; it was through programs like Upward Bound & great mentors that she was able to graduate from high school and become the first in her family to attend & graduate from college.

Dr. Erica Cain

Dr. Erica Cain was a first-generation and low-income college student at Kansas State University where she received her Bachelor’s in Microbiology and her Ph.D. in biology. Prior to coming to Northeast Lakeview College, she conducted research in cancer cell biology at the University of California, San Francisco. At NLC, she teaches Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Non-MajorsBiology, and Genetics. She also mentors students conducting molecular biology research at NLC. Outside of NLC, she enjoys reading, playing video games, and cross-stitching.

Patrick Lee

Patrick Lee has served as the Dean of Academic Success at Palo Alto College (PAC) since August 2018.  He began working as a Mathematics Faculty member at PAC in 2003 and has served the institution as an Associate Professor in Mathematics as well as in multiple leadership roles with continuously growing responsibilities.  During his time at PAC, Dean Lee has served as the Chair of the Mathematics, Accounting, and Engineering Department since 2007, the Director for the CCDEIP (PASS) grant, the Faculty Senate President, the Chair of the District Council of Chairs, Interim Dean of Professional and Technical Education, and Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences.  Dean Lee is a state-wide leader in developmental education reform and has directed placement and developmental mathematics initiatives that have helped to dramatically impact overall student success in Mathematics at PAC.  Dean Lee has served in several capacities on multiple Achieving the Dream initiatives, served as a leader in pathways and assessment development, and served on multiple THECB policy-and-rule-making committees. He has extensive experience with cross-disciplinary and cross-college curriculum development and has been directly involved with the development of new programs and procedures.  His stated focus is the academic and professional success of the students he serves and he is passionate about working closely with students, faculty, and staff to help them succeed in their academic and professional careers.

Will Fanning

Mr. William Fanning serves as the Dean for Academic Success: STEM Programs where he oversees the areas of Science and Technology; Health and Bioscience; Manufacturing and Logistics. For more than a decade Mr. Fanning has served as an adjunct and full-time faculty member, and college administrator at both two and four-year colleges. Prior to coming to Northeast Lakeview College, Mr. Fanning served as the Dean of Career and Technical Education at the College of Western Idaho and the Chair of the Technical Department at Idaho State Universities, College of Technology.

William Fanning has completed studies in Career and Technical Education at the Associate, Baccalaureate, and Masters levels and has completed significant graduate education focusing on higher education administration. He has served in numerous state and local capacities and actively works to promote STEM Education at the local, state, and national levels.

Tammy Perez

As Dean for Academic Success, Tammy Perez oversees the AlamoInstitutes of Creative and Communication Arts, Public Service, and Business and Entrepreneurship, including the Departments of Business, Communication, Humanities, and Psychology (BCHP), English and Education, Fine and Performing Arts, and Social Sciences. She currently has additional duties supervising academic dual credit, library services, academic support, and the distance learning/instructional innovation center. Perez has taught in higher education settings for over 30 years at both two and four-year institutions in several states. Within the Alamo Colleges District, she has served since 1998 in various roles: adjunct faculty, Associate Professor, Faculty Senate Secretary, and Vice President, Department Chair, Coordinator of International Studies, accreditation liaison for SAC academic and student success operations at NLC, and Coordinator of a Faculty-Student Mentoring Program. Mentoring is a passion of hers and the establishment of this conference fulfilled a dream to hold a mentoring conference hosted at ACD.

Victoria Rogers

Victoria Rogers is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and CoLead Faculty Coordinator for the Faculty-Student Mentoring program at Northeast Lakeview College (check out our Webpage: www.alamo.edu/nlc/fsm). She is a first-generation college student, and an alumnus of Texas Lutheran University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and minored in Biology and Music. She is also an alumnus of the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she earned a Master of Science in Applied and Industrial Mathematics and is currently back at UTSA working on her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching with the Department of Education and Human Development.

Ms. Rogers is grateful to be a member of the District-wide Mentoring Conference Committee, to be working with NLC, and being an ILT doctoral student with UTSA because all of these groups are focused on establishing diverse, equitable, and inclusive partnerships with its communities, promoting engagement in civic activities and organizations, encouraging participation in cultural and enrichment programs, and above all focusing on student success. She is leading and motivating students who may come from underprivileged circumstances and encourages them that anyone can rise above and become who they want to be. Her main goal as a college professor is to be a light for her students, and inspire them to, "...be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7

Dr. Lucinda Flores

Dr. Lucinda G. Flores is a first-generation college graduate beginning her educational journey at San Antonio College. She transferred to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications. Dr. Flores serves as the Faculty Fellow for Northeast Lakeview College, providing professional development support for faculty and district-wide faculty development training. In 2020, Dr. Flores joined the Northeast Lakeview College family, teaching as adjunct faculty in the English/Education Department, where she teaches dual-credit and traditional students. She is passionate about faculty development, enhancing the student experience, and building collaborative relationships across departments at the college and district. Dr. Flores’ educational background includes a Master of Education in Adult Education and an Ed.D. in Education Leadership and Learning.  She believes mentoring can make a powerful impact in empowering and inspiring students to achieve their academic and career goals.

Elizabeth Plummer

Elizabeth Plummer currently serves as a faculty development specialist in the district office at Alamo Colleges and as an English Language Specialist with the U.S. Department of State working with instructors in South Africa, Madagascar, and Angola. From 2019 to 2020 she was an English Language Fellow in South Africa. In addition, she was an English Language Specialist in Serbia in 2020. She has been teaching for more than 20 years and conducting instructional professional development for the past eight years. Her areas of expertise are in online education, educational technology, international education, and English language education. She holds a doctoral degree from the University of Iowa in Foreign Language and ESL Education.

Jessica Cooper

Dean for Academic Success, Health Sciences: Mrs. Jessica Cooper joined the College’s administration as the Dean for Academic Success, Health Sciences in 2018. Mrs. Cooper has been a St. Philip’s employee for 15 years. Prior to making the transition to administration, she spent 7  years, 2007 – 2014 as a full-time instructor in Early Childhood and Family Studies, earning tenure and rank as Associate Professor. Mrs. Cooper began her professional career as a child life specialist in Houston, Texas, and worked in the field of early care and education for 3+ years. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Child Development and Family Relationships and a Master’s degree in Child and Family Studies from Texas State University.

Michelle Payne

Michelle Payne, MEd, NIC, BEI Advanced, BEI Court is an instructor in the Department of American Sign Language and Interpreter Training Program at San Antonio College. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sign Language Studies from Madonna University and her Masters of Education from the University of North Florida. She also works as a Community Interpreter, and VRS interpreter and has 10 years of experience as a staff interpreter for an agency. Michelle currently serves as the ASL Connection Club Advisor and is a Faculty-Student Mentor. She proudly shares her knowledge and experience with her students, who she sees as the future of the interpreting profession.

Dr. Nadia Bakdash

Dr. Nadia Bakdash received her BS in Biology at Texas Tech University and completed her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Oncology at George Washington University.  Upon completion, she became a post-doctoral fellow, specializing in angiogenesis at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She teaches Anatomy & Physiology I and II at NVC and mentors students in the allied health fields.  In her spare, she enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with family.

Jacqueline Stevenson

Jacqueline Stevenson is an Assistant Professor and Program Director for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at St. Philip’s College. She is also the Team Lead for the Faculty-Student Mentoring Program at St. Philip’s College (check out our Webpage: https://www.alamo.edu/spc/academics/academic-resources/faculty-student-mentor-program/). She is an alumnus of Texas Woman’s University, where she earned her Masters of Occupational Therapy degree, and an alumnus of the American Military University, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in Human Resources degree. She is currently working on her Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral degree at Mary Baldwin University.

Mrs. Stevenson is grateful to be working for SPC and being selected for an Innovation Grant that is focused on establishing diverse, equitable, and inclusive for students enrolled in the occupational therapy assistant program. As she continues to lead and motivate students, her focus is on a world where they can see anyone, they see themselves.

Mary Helen Martinez

Dr. Martinez is the Director of College & Career Readiness at Alamo Colleges District in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor of Academic Success. She is responsible for working with faculty and staff to coordinate college readiness initiatives in areas of developmental education; corequisite coursework; student placement – Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) and Multiple Measures; and adult education-Ability to Benefit programs.  Additionally, she is the liaison for Alamo Colleges District membership in the Achieving the Dream Network. The focus of her position is on improving systems and ensuring equity from entry to completion of students from secondary education, adult education, and developmental education with the objective to transition students to academic coursework by working through collaborative partnerships with high school programs, and workforce programs, and adult education programs. Previous to this position, Dr. Martinez’s professional background includes extensive grant experience in the fields of developmental and adult education focusing on professional development and program management. Additionally, she is currently serving as an adjunct faculty member of the Adult, Professional, and Community Education (APCE) Master’s program at Texas State University and has served as a faculty member for learning framework courses at Texas State University and Austin Community College.  While at Austin Community College, she also served as an academic advisor. Dr. Martinez holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Education, a master’s degree in Developmental and Adult Education, and a doctorate degree in Developmental Education, with an emphasis in Learning Support from Texas State University. 

Brian Stout

Brian Stout is a biology professor at Northwest Vista College.  He earned his Bachelor's degree in Biology at UTSA and his PH.D. in Neuropharmacology at UT Health.  In almost 20 years at NVC he has frequently been an advisor for students seeking help in pursuing biology, pre-heath, and nursing degrees.  He has also served as Chair for the Natural and Physical Sciences and Faculty Senate President.