Niesha Ziehmke, Senior Director for Career Pathways   

New York Jobs CEO Council 

Dr. Ziehmke earned her Masters in Education from the New School for Social Research and taught Spanish in a NYC public high school. She then completed her Ph.D. in linguistics at the CUNY Graduate Center. Niesha went on to serve as Director for First College Year Programs at Brooklyn College, and Executive Associate for Academic Affairs at LaGuardia Community College where she took on the challenge of improving student success, college-wide assessment, and strategic planning. In 2017, Niesha joined Guttman Community College and served as their Dean for Academic Innovation and Career Success. It was at Guttman that she began to focus her work on the career learning space where she oversaw the Career Center and was champion for career education grounded in the curriculum. Most recently, Dr. Ziehmke serves as the Senior Director for Career Pathways at the New York Jobs CEO Council, a non-profit organization led by the CEOs of 30+ of the largest employers in New York whose goal is to provide access to living wage jobs for 100,000 New Yorkers from under-resourced communities, especially for Black, Latinx, and Asian communities. 

Dr. Mary Gatta has over twenty years of teaching, research and advocacy experience working on issues of career education and workforce development in colleges and non-profit organizations. Currently Dr. Gatta is the Director of Research and Policy at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), where she leads research on the employment of the college educated.

 Prior to joining NACE, Dr. Gatta served as an Associate Professor of Sociology at City University of New York-Guttman and Faculty Director of the Ethnographies of Work program. In addition, she was the Research Director at the Rutgers University Center for Women and Work and a Senior Scholar at Wider Opportunities for Women in Washington DC. Dr. Gatta also served on NJ Governor Phil Murphy’s Labor and Workforce Development Transition Team

 Dr. Gatta’s work is centered on evidence-based research analysis to develop new solutions to current problems—particularly around economic security, education and workforce policies. In all her research projects she uses an equity and intersectionality lens. Over the years she developed research on job quality, such as workplace flexibility for low-wage workers; workforce development programs and older workers. Her book Waiting on Retirement: Aging and Economic Insecurity in Low Wage Work, on the experiences of older low wage workers was released in October 2018. Her latest book Gentrification Down the Shore (with Molly Makris) explores the connection between jobs, racial inequality and seasonal gentrification and the experiences of longtime residents in the beach-community city of Asbury Park, NJ was released in November 2020. She has written three other books along with articles, policy papers, book chapters, and op-ed pieces.

Dr. Gatta holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Providence College and a Master’s degree and Doctorate in Sociology from Rutgers University.

Maryanne Sackarnoski  works with Guttman Community College’s AccessABILITY Services as the CUNY Leads Specialist and Co-Chair to CUNY Leads Council. To assist students with disabilities in pursuing careers, Ms. Sackarnoski has organized a variety of academic and career emphasis workshops. Ms. Sackarnoski works to promote awareness of skills rather than simply impairments and is an advocate for students with disabilities. In addition to holding a bachelor’s degree from John Jay College, she has broadened her expertise through graduate courses at the School of Professional Studies Disability Services in Higher Education. 

Co-Presenter Nicholas Giampetruzzi is a NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Certified Counselor and School Counselor.  He received his Master’s Degree in School and Mental Health Counseling from Long Island University and became a licensed clinical practitioner while conducting psychological counseling and group work at a NYS Office of Mental Health comprehensive day treatment program.  Nicholas is currently a Student Psychological Counselor, and the CUNY LEADS (Linking Employment Academics & Disability Services) Specialist at CUNY at the Kingsborough Community College Campus and teaches clinical courses in the graduate program for Mental Health Counseling at Hunter College.  The mission of LEADS is to assist disabled students in developing realistic academic, career, and life goals in order that they may move on to productive careers upon the completion of their college degree. As an individual diagnosed with the three major learning disorders of childhood, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia, Nicholas has a personal understanding of the challenges of students with disabilities.  He works with students from a holistic and strengths-based perspective, and utilizes an eclectic multidimensional approach to ensure optimal results and success for each unique student. 

Dr. Jessica Perez is the Director of the Center for Career & Professional Development at LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York and she is a certified Myers Briggs Type Indicator practitioner with 20+ years of experience in career and professional development and employer partnership building. She oversees the SOAR Experiential Learning Program, CUNY Service Corps Program, Elmezzi Foundation Career Fellows Program, CUNY Career Launch, Spring Forward, and several other internship programs at the college. She was the Co-President of the Career Services Association of CUNY for four years. 

She previously served as the co-chair of the NACE Career Readiness Task Force from 2022-2023 and Co-Lead for the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Two Year and Community College Affinity Group from 2019-2021. Dr. Perez’s diverse expertise is instrumental in helping her to guide and empower students to flourish in their chosen careers.   

She recently earned a Doctorate in Education (EdD) from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Higher Education Administration program; she earned her master’s in public administration from Metropolitan College of New York and her bachelor’s degree in English and Sociology from Binghamton University. In June 2013, she completed the New York City Management Academy, a selective leadership training program for City of New York managers and executives. 

Co-Presenter Ellen Quish is an educator with over three decades of experience as a faculty and staff member at LaGuardia Community College. She has taught a range of classes, developed programming for immigrant adults and youth, and led faculty development seminars. Her publications include “Critical Junctures, Professional Development in an ePortfolio Landscape,” “Catalyst in Action: Case Studies of High-Impact ePortfolio Practice, as well as the “What Makes the First-Year Seminar High Impact?” and “Advising Success Network’s Academic Advising as a Tool for Student Success and Educational Equity.” Currently serving as the Director of First Year Programming and Student Success at LaGuardia’s Center for Teaching & Learning, Ellen leads diverse student success initiatives at the college. Driven by her passion for advancing community college student success, Ellen is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Management in Community College Policy and Administration at the University of Maryland Global Campus. 

Princess François Estévez is a nationally recognized educational leader and equity advocate. Raised in Brooklyn, NY, she takes great pride in her Caribbean heritage as a first-generation Haitian American. With over a decade of experience in education, she has taught high school sciences, served as an Assistant Principal, and continues to champion anti-racism efforts. Currently, as the New York Executive Director of America Needs You, she focuses on increasing economic mobility for first-generation college students. Princess holds degrees from Columbia University, CUNY Hunter School of Education, and Bank Street Graduate School of Education, and is pursuing doctoral studies at Fordham University. Her exceptional contributions have earned her prestigious awards, including the national Milken Educator Award, designation as a New York Nonprofit Power Player, and recognition from the Caribbean Life Impact Awards. 

Jose Arce (He/They) serves as the Campus Engagement Lead & CUNY Recruiter at Deutsche Bank in NYC.  For the past two years, Jose has worked on the Early Careers team partnering with universities across the country to share various opportunities for students interested in the world of financial services, as well as, host a number of insight events connecting engaged students with our business partners.  Prior to joining Deutsche Bank in 2022, Jose worked in higher education within careers services at Colorado State University, University of Miami and University of South Florida (M.Ed 2019).  Since graduating from the University of Florida (B.A. 2016) as a proud First-Generation college graduate, Jose has maintained committed to helping future generations of college students find meaningful employment.  Outside of work, Jose is a proud cat parent to his feisty four-year old cat Nessie, and an avid photographer for almost ten years.   

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/josejacobarce   

Careers.db.com;  The Unofficial Guide to Banking 

Albeliza “Abby” Perez (she/her) is the Senior Manager of Youth and Workforce Development at the American Museum of Natural History. In her role, Abby is responsible for overseeing the practical design and implementation of internship and fellowship programs for youth ages 14 through 24, and emerging Museum education professionals. Her portfolio of programs includes the Museum Education Experience Program (MEEP), Youth Education Teaching Assistants, CUNY Cultural Corps, and the Grand Ronde Learning Exchange. This latter program represents a long established relationship between the American Museum of Natural History and the indigenous community of Grand Ronde in Oregon. Abby obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Purchase College, SUNY, and her Master of Arts in Youth Studies from the School of Professional Studies at CUNY. Before her current position, she was the Cornerstone Site Director at the Cooper Park Community Center, located within the Cooper Park NYCHA housing development in East Williamsburg. Abby has a strong background in community-based education initiatives for youth, contributing over 15 years of direct service within youth-centered programming throughout the city. Outside of her professional life, Abby enjoys gardening, ceramics, and spending time in Brooklyn with her “everything beagle,” Olivia. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albeliza/ 

Internships @ AMNH: https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/internships-for-high-school-college-and-graduate-students  

Careers @ AMNH: https://www.amnh.org/about/careers 

Dr. Sharon Pepenella is the Senior Research Programs Representative in the Office of Educational Programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Dr. Pepenella received her bachelor’s degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry, from SUNY Geneseo, and her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Her love of teaching combined with her interest in hands-on experimentation led her to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center on Long Island. Here, she designed and managed hands-on STEM research experiences for students, educators, and the public through private- and public-funded programs, with a focus on DNA barcoding. Now, at Brookhaven Lab, Dr. Pepenella develops and advances formal and informal science education and research initiatives, including leading the high school student-driven SPARK research program in collaboration with beamline scientists at the National Synchrotron Light Source II.  She also administers established student internship and training programs, such as the Department of Energy-funded Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program. 

LinkedIn info: linkedin.com/in/spepenella 

Links: https://www.bnl.gov/education/ ; https://jobs.bnl.gov/ 

Vipin Shri, Senior Demand Generation Manager, US. Vipin Shri manages North America marketing at Channable, a Netherlands-based eCommerce platform. He has 10 years of marketing experience with a focus on content, events, and demand generation. He has held prior stints at some of NYC’s most recognizable startups including: WeWork, RapidRatings, and Persado. His passion for creating engaging virtual and offline experiences both professionally and personally has pushed him to volunteer at nonprofits such as the Akanksha Education Fund and even spend a year in India to help market the work of rural rug-weaving artisans through the American India Foundation’s Clinton Fellowship. Vipin earned his BA in Economics from the University of Connecticut and has had an unconventional career path along the way.