Maria Dykema Erb, M.Ed. is the Inaugural Executive Director of the Boston University Newbury Center which was established to foster the holistic development and success of first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Maria has over three decades of higher education experience having worked at the University of Vermont, Elon University, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and currently at Boston University.  She has worked in a broad range of areas including Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; student recruitment/admissions, enrollment management, academic advising, retention, and outreach; academic dean’s office and graduate/professional school program administration; and student affairs/life.

As a first-generation professional and Executive Financial Coach, I have spent the last several years working closely with first-gen students, early-career professionals, and mid-level leaders in STEM and corporate roles. Through my firm, The STEM Financial Group, I provide financial education, benefits optimization, and wealth-building strategies specifically designed for individuals who are navigating professional spaces without generational financial guidance or legacy models.

Ilana Palmer is a Communication Consultant and Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University. Ilana is dedicated to helping learners and teams grow through engaging instruction, thoughtful assessment, and the innovative use of generative AI. Her work spans learning experience design, communication instruction, career development coaching, staff training, and cross-cultural student support—all with a commitment to clarity, consistency, and human-centered learning. Ilana holds a BLA in Psychology from Harvard University, a MEd in TESOL from Boston University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Learning Design and Technology at the University of South Carolina.

Orley Estrada is a first-generation college student from Williamsburg, VA, with family roots in Guatemala. He earned his bachelor’s degree in History and Government from William & Mary and a master’s in Higher Education Administration. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Education at Virginia Commonwealth University, specializing in Educational Policy, Leadership, and Justice. At VCU, Orley also serves as a Financial Coach, supporting students in developing financial confidence and lifelong money management skills. Outside of his academic and professional roles, he enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, and exploring new foods.

I am currently a master’s student in Counseling with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. I earned my B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology from CUNY Hunter College, and this was where I completed my honors thesis. My research focuses on the mental health, school experiences, and well-being of sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults, and I currently serve as a Graduate Research Assistant in Boston University’s Social Adjustment and Bullying Prevention Lab, contributing to national longitudinal and mixed-methods studies and presenting first-author work at the APA 2025 Convention. Clinically, I am a master’s-level intern at Boston University Counseling and Psychiatric Services and a First-Generation Student Peer Coach at the Newbury Center, where I provide individual care and co-facilitate a weekly first-generation student support group and provide inclusive, strengths-based care.

Beverly Chen, LICSW is currently the Director, Wellbeing Education and Training at Boston University Student Wellbeing. She designs and leads workshops and classes that promote student wellbeing. Drawing from a rich background in higher education and mental health over the past 20 years, Beverly has worked at several institutions, including Duke University, Harvey Mudd College, Westmont College and Azusa Pacific University. She received her Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Michigan.   

Catherine (she/her) serves as Assistant Director for Career Insights, Assessment, and Technology at the Duke Career Center, where she oversees assessment initiatives and data management. She manages the Data and Technology and Engineering Career Communities, advising undergraduate and graduate students pursuing diverse career paths. Prior to joining Duke in 2019, Catherine worked as a licensed K–12 School Counselor in Albuquerque, NM, with a focus on college and career readiness, and later transitioned to higher education career services at UNC Chapel Hill in 2017. A native of Seven Lakes, NC, Catherine received her BS in Psychology from Campbell University (Buies Creek, NC) and her MA in Counseling from Lenoir-Rhyne University (Hickory, NC).

I am a 6th-year Ph.D. Candidate in Neurobiology at Duke University specializing in scientific innovation and entrepreneurship, and was formerly one of the co-presidents of Duke F1RSTS. My research career has focused on understanding neural circuit mechanisms underlying movement, neurodevelopmental, metabolic, and psychiatric disorders. Beyond my research, I train in Filipino Martial Arts, which not only connects me to my Filipino heritage, but also provides a direct application of my doctoral research in how we learn new motor skills. The intersection of my cultural and scientific identities drives my passion for interdisciplinary careers in pursuit of applied knowledge and social impact. I will be joining SciVida as an Associate Consultant in August 2026.

Julie has been with The Graduate School at UNC-Chapel Hill since 2012 and currently serves as Director of Finance. Through that role, she is responsible for budget management and also coordinates graduate student funding support.

Maria Fernanda is a first-generation graduate student at Harvard, a business owner, and a higher education professional with over 7 years of experience working with U.S. Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) grants. Maria Fernanda is passionate about promoting and advocating for the retention, representation, and degree attainment of Latiné/x, undocumented, and BIPOC students. Having experienced rejection multiple times herself, she is prepared to share her journey of overcoming failure through practical strategies and lessons learned that have strengthened her resolve to continue chasing her dreams.

Ali Ramirez serves as the Director of Student Success in the Graduate School at UNC Chapel Hill. In her role, Ali oversees a broad spectrum of student-centered initiatives within the Graduate School to advance overall student success. The Student Success program is geared towards bolstering retention rates, promoting wellness, and facilitating timely degree completion for students from varied backgrounds. Ali was born and raised in El Salvador and moved to South Florida in 2005. Ali graduated with her Master of Education degree from the University of Florida. 

Laura Thorp has more than 9 years of experience working in student affairs, primarily serving graduate and professional students. As the current Director of Student Affairs for The Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and as a first-generation college and graduate student, she is especially passionate about helping graduate students navigate all aspect of the academy and providing "whole-student" support throughout their graduate/professional school journey.

Moshe Cohen has been teaching negotiation, leadership, conflict resolution and organizational behavior as founder of The Negotiating Table since 1995 and as a master lecturer at Boston University's Questrom School of Business since 2000. He has worked with thousands of students as well as companies worldwide. As a mediator, Moshe has worked to resolve hundreds of matters, and also coaches executives, managers, and individuals on leading others and negotiating effectively. He is the author of three books - Collywobbles, How to Negotiate When Negotiating Makes You Nervous; Optimism is a Choice and Other Timeless Ideas; and The Optimistic Pessimist: More Timeless Ideas. Moshe studied Physics at Cornell University and has a Master's in Electrical Engineering from McGill University, specializing in robotics before completing his MBA from Boston University and falling in love with negotiation, mediation, and leadership.

In my role as Assistant Dean for Academic and Career Development at The Graduate School at UNC-Chapel Hill, I lead workshops and teach courses that develop students’ ability to build their professional brand, communicate their value, and pursue their chosen career. I previously worked with graduate students at NC State University and Duke University and was a faculty member in French. My academic specialization in twentieth-century autobiography informs my work with graduate students who seek to shape their many varied skills and experiences into a coherent professional narrative.

Aixin Yi is a PhD candidate in the History Department, studying Protestant missionary movements in East Asia in the early twentieth century. Her dissertation explores the Christian rural reconstruction movement in southwest China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. 

Brian Rybarczyk oversees CareerWell, The Graduate School's professional and career development initiative that provides trainings and support for students across a range of core competencies that complement students' academic programs. Rybarczyk also directs the Preparing International Teaching Assistants Program (PITAP) which provides training for graduate student instructors new to the U.S. classroom and serves as co-administrative lead for the international network Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL). He supports students' development in teaching skills, mentoring, communication, and leadership. As a first-gen undergraduate and graduate student, he is keenly aware of how to best support other first-gen students.

I am the professional development coach for the Duke University Biomedical PhD students. I am a Board Certified Coach and I work 1:1 with students and facilitate workshops focused on professional development. I enjoy helping people in their 20's to find and pursue their path. In my free time, you'll find me spending time with my family and my pets, listening to music, being in nature, and engaging in creative pursuits. 

We are excited to welcome our keynote speaker, Anthony Abraham Jack. Anthony Abraham Jack is the Inaugural Faculty Director of the Boston University Newbury Center and Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership at Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. His scholarship appears in the Common Reader, Du Bois Review, Social Problems, Sociological Forum, and Sociology of Education and has earned awards from the American Educational Studies Association, American Sociological Association, Association for the Study of Higher Education, Eastern Sociological Society, and the Society for the Study of Social Problems. In 2020, Muhlenberg College awarded him an honorary doctorate and the National Head Start Association named him a BOLD Alumni Leader for his work in transforming higher education.

The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Nation, American Conservative Magazine, The National Review, The Washington Post, Vice, Vox, and NPR have featured his research and writing as well as biographical profiles of his experiences as a first-generation college student. His first book, The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students, was awarded the 2020 Mirra Komarovsky Book Award, the 2019 CEP Mildred Garcia Award for Exemplary Scholarship, and the Thomas J. Wilson Memorial Prize and was also named a finalist for the 2019 C. Wright Mills Award and a NPR Book’s Best Book of 2019. His second book project, Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price, is due out in August 2024. He received his BA in Women’s and Gender Studies and Religion cum laude from Amherst College and an AM and Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University.