Lynn Braun, Director of Counseling Services SUNY Oswego
Lynn Braun (she/her) has 30 years of experience working in the field of mental health. Over half of that experience has been in collegiate mental health, with the rest of her experience coming from community mental health and secondary schools. She served as the Assistant Dean for Campus Wellness, Director of Counseling & Accessibility Services at Defiance College for eleven years, and has been the Director of Counseling Services at SUNY Oswego since January, 2023. She has been on the Board of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD) since 2020 and is currently serving as President. Her experience and interests are in improving the development of college counseling centers and their directors, and in helping centers to show why they are essential to the campus community. She’s been especially focused in college counseling centers' impact on retention management. She works with campuses to help them create comprehensive, campus-wide strategic plans to positively impact campus mental health and wellness through a diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice lens.
Josh Brown M.S., LMHC, Assistant Director, Potsdam Counseling Center
I have been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor since 2010 and have had professional experience in adventure therapy, residential psychiatric, as well as private practice. As a member of SUNY Potsdam's Counseling Center since 2007, I enjoy combining various therapeutic modalities to assist my clients, including Cognitive-Behavioral and Narrative therapy.
Jessica Burnett, Director of Special Student Programs Accommodative Services, SUNY Potsdam
As a proud alumnus, my journey on this campus has come full circle. I am now the Director of Accommodative Services, where I'm dedicated to helping students discover their full potential, connect with essential resources, and learn to navigate their environment with confidence.
I've had the privilege of supporting diverse student populations and fostering a campus environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. My commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming community has been recognized with the President's Award for Excellence, the Potsdam Pride Award, and the New York State Disability Service Council New Professional Award. I'm excited to share more about our work and our new programs which continue to help foster community with you today.
Nichelle Burnett, Career Services Coordinator, SUNY Potsdam
Nichelle Burnett has been Career Services Coordinator at SUNY Potsdam since March 2024. In this role she has had a special focus on best supporting students with disabilities in Career Services. SUNY Potsdam Career Services was one of six offices chosen to participate in the first “Pathways to Inclusion” project in early 2025. Previously, Nichelle taught K-12 General and Choral Music in the North Country for 18 years. She is also a certified Yoga Teacher and has taught private piano lessons for several years. In all her roles Nichelle has run hundreds of events and classes and has always focused on making sure students feel welcome and information was accessible to them. Nichelle hold a Bachelors of Music in Music Education and a Masters of Music in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, graduating in 2005 and 2006. Nichelle originally hails from Palmyra, NY, but has lived in the North Country since 2001. She lives on a small hobby farm with her husband, Jonathan, and 2 children where she enjoys gardening and spending time with her extended family.
Samantha Crandall, Phoenix College Learning Commons
Dr. Sam Crandall is a dedicated developmental educator and servant leader currently serving at Phoenix College (PC) as the Learning Commons Manager where she is responsible for tutoring and academic support programs. She is a co-creator for the experiential learning board game, Neurodiversity College Quest, and frequently presents on neuro-inclusivity. Sam recently developed a Neurodiversity SUCCESS (support, understanding, connection, communication, empowerment, skills & strategies) first-year-experience program which will be piloting at PC in the FA25-SP26 academic year.
John Draeger, Professor of Philosophy at SUNY Buffalo State
John Draeger is a professor of philosophy at SUNY Buffalo State. He has served as the Director of the Teaching & Learning Center. He has published in a variety of areas, including political philosophy, metacognition, and faculty development.
Maya Dufresne, Bridges Advisor SUNY Potsdam
Maya Dufresne is a Bridges Program Advisor and proud SUNY Potsdam alumna, holding master’s degrees in Education and Business Management. With 25 years of experience working with students and nearly a decade dedicated to North Country higher education, she specializes in supporting first- and second-year students in their academic transition. Her work focuses on holistic advising, promoting student performance and success, and providing personalized support for students from diverse backgrounds and those with specialized needs.
Max Grube, Internship Coordinator, SUNY Potsdam
Max just finished his first year as SUNY Potsdam’s Internship Coordinator! He previously held faculty roles at SUNY Potsdam, University of Vermont, and University of Bridgeport. Highlights from his prior work include regular one-on-one mentorship, chamber music coaching, and performing as a freelance musician. He lives in Potsdam, NY with his amazing husband, Nils, and their golden doodle, Link (Max is a proud dog dad). In his spare time, Max enjoys balancing the gym with home improvement projects.
Emily Hamilton-Honey, Chief Diversity Officer, SUNY Canton
Emily Hamilton-Honey has been Co-Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY Canton since 2019. She carries many identities into rooms with her, as a cisgender woman, a pan/demi-queer, a Wiccan, and as someone who experiences depression and anxiety. Emily is also an Associate Professor of English and Humanities at Canton and holds a PhD in American Studies and a graduate certificate in Gender Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a member of the Gender and Sexuality Interests Committee for UUP.
Jacob Hammond, Program Coordinator / Assistive Technology Specialist, SUNY Potsdam
Jacob works in the Office of Accommodative Services, where he focuses on training and supporting students and faculty in the use of assistive technologies. Before joining SUNY Potsdam in 2024, he led the Secondary special education program at the Vienna International School in Vienna, Austria. Jacob grew up in Central New York and has degrees from SUNY Geneseo and Binghamton.
Tamara Jolly, Adirondack Diversity Initiative | Adirondack North Country Association
Tamara Jolly is the Community Initiatives Manager at the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, where she leads efforts to make nature more accessible and inclusive for everyone. In this role, she draws on a rich and diverse background, combining her academic training in biology from The Ohio State University, a Master’s in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, over 15 years of experience teaching high school science in inner-city Baltimore, and her work as a DEI consultant. It was during her time in the classroom that Tamara developed a deep connection to the environment and recognized the urgent need for equitable access to outdoor spaces.
As a woman of color, Tamara has firsthand experience with the barriers that often prevent marginalized communities from feeling welcome in nature. This personal experience has shaped her mission to break down those barriers and promote a more inclusive outdoor culture. To enhance her work, she undertook a transformative year-long sabbatical at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s Ranger School in the Adirondacks. There, she honed her skills in field techniques, experienced the profound benefits of outdoor learning, and was honored to graduate as class valedictorian. Today, she combines her passion and expertise in her role by building programs and partnerships that invite underrepresented voices into the conversation and into the wild.
Tamara is an avid birder, hiker, paddler, and camper, and loves going on adventures with her husband and daughter. She resides in Troy, NY, and also enjoys spending time in nature at her property near Star Lake, NY.
Kristen Jordan, Director of the Academic Advising Center, SUNY Potsdam
Kristin Jordan has been a dedicated member of SUNY Potsdam for 25 years, with 17 years of experience working directly in academic advising. Recently promoted to Director of the Academic Advising Center, she is deeply committed to a student-focused approach, always centering the voices and needs of students in her work.
Holly Marcolina, Instructor Teacher Education, SUNY Potsdam
Following two decades as a high school teacher and principal, Dr. Marcolina is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at SUNY Potsdam. Her research redefines teachers’ work, focusing on high poverty rural schools and communities in Upstate New York. Her additional research interests involve Social Studies education and educational policy. Her passion for immersive cultural experiences has taken her around the world, most notably teaching doctoral students at Peking University in Beijing, China.
Opening Address Speaker: Dr. Ricardo Nazarrio-Colon, Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion/Chief of Diversity, SUNY System Administration
State University of New York, Dr. Nazario-Colón is SUNY's senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity, and inclusion and chief diversity officer. He was born in the South Bronx, New York, and raised in the highlands of Puerto Rico. He is an accomplished administrator with over 30 years of experience in various industries including higher education, business, the U.S. Military, and state government. He was the inaugural chief diversity officer at Western Carolina University, a role he held for seven years.
Dr. Nazario-Colón's research interest focuses on African American faculty and staff retention, Black culture centers, and multiracial identity development. His current board involvement includes the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, past president of the Appalachian Studies Association, Appalachian Regional Commission's Leadership Institute, and the University Press of Kentucky Appalachian Futures: Black, Native, and Queer Voice advisory board. His other board experiences include former Chair of Governor Cooper's Advisory Council on Hispanic Latino Affairs, the Fort Bragg Renaming Commission, the Kentucky Native American Commission, the NASPA Latinx Knowledge Community state representative for Kentucky and North Carolina, and the University of North Carolina System Racial Equity Task Force.
He is a published poet with numerous publications in journals and anthologies. He has authored two full and one chapbook, The Moor of the Bronx, Finishing Line Press 2023, Of Jíbaros and Hillbillies, Plain View Press 2011, and The Recital, Winged City Press 2011. Dr. Nazario-Colón's research interests are Black culture centers, multiracial identity experience, and student leadership development. His doctoral research focused on African American faculty and staff retention. He is a former U.S. Marine and division one cross country athlete, a DeWitt Clinton high school graduate, a life member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets.
Dr. Nazario-Colón earned a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Western Carolina University, a master's degree in Secondary Education from Pace University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature and Latin American Studies from the University of Kentucky.
Sean Partridge, Director of Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) Program, SUNY Potsdam
Sean is the Director of the Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program.
Dr. Tiffany Polite, FGM Consulting & Aequitas Education Design
Dr. Tiffany Polite brings deep expertise in program development, research, and organizational leadership, with a career devoted to improving the quality of higher education and advancing the outcomes of social impact efforts more broadly. Her work is grounded in a commitment to equity and justice, with a focus on power dynamics, organizational design, and institutional transformation as levers for creating inclusive and responsive futures - especially for underserved and under-resourced communities. As Principal of FGM Consulting & Aequitas Education Design, Tiffany collaborates with education, philanthropic, and social impact organizations to address complex, longstanding equity challenges. She supports clients in building capacity for meaningful, sustainable change through a trans-disciplinary approach rooted in cultural intelligence, institutional theory, strategic foresight, human-centered design, and inclusive excellence. Her practice emphasizes the critical role institutions play in both perpetuating and dismantling inequities, and highlights the importance of intentionality and sense-making in the design of adaptive systems, practices, and policies.
Tiffany earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. She is a Certified Strategic Foresight Practitioner and an Impact Philanthropy Advisor. Clients include the Gates Foundation, AASCU, Humanitae Advisors, Dispersion Philanthropy, and many support organizations, intermediaries, public institutions, and start-ups.
Judy Singh, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment, SUNY Potsdam
Judy Singh is the Director of Institutional Research and Assessment at SUNY Potsdam, where she has led the office since 2014. She oversees campus reporting on enrollment, retention, and student success, and provides data analysis to support planning, accreditation, and assessment initiatives. With over 20 years of experience in higher education research at SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton, and St. Lawrence University, Judy has extensive expertise in enrollment trends, survey research, and data-informed decision-making. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from the University of Rochester.
Welcome Remarks Speaker: Dr. Suzanne Smith, President, SUNY Potsdam
Dr. Suzanne Smith is SUNY Potsdam's 18th president, and joined the campus in April 2023. She was appointed to the position by the SUNY Board of Trustees at the recommendation of Chancellor Dr. John B. King, following a nationwide search.
Dr. Smith came to SUNY Potsdam from Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Ga., where she had served as provost and vice president for academic affairs since 2018. In this position, she was responsible for the academic programming and planning for the university, and the allocation of resources to meet programmatic priorities. During her time at GSW, Smith led an academic planning process which resulted in the establishment of several new degree programs designed to meet student and regional workforce needs. She helped raise more than $2 million dollars for one of those programs by working with community partners and seeking external grants. She also led the campus post-pandemic strategic task force, which resulted in the development of GSW’s three pillars of excellence: People, Purpose and Profession. Prior to GSW, Dr. Smith served at Washington State University Vancouver from 1997 to 2018, ultimately being named the director of academic planning and special assistant to the vice chancellor of academic affairs. During her time at Washington State Vancouver, she transitioned from faculty to administration by serving 10 years as an academic director.
As a professor, Dr. Smith has more than 25 years of experience teaching sociology and human development at the university level. She has received multiple awards for excellence in teaching and has written numerous journal articles and books, including her latest co-authored textbook, ”Exploring Family Theories” (5th Ed), published in 2021. Dr. Smith is an active member of the National Council of Family Relations and the Family Science Association.
Dr. Smith received her Ph.D. in child and family development from the University of Georgia, her Master of Science degree in family and child development from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in behavior science from Erskine College. She has completed the Harvard Graduate School of Education Management Development Program and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Millennium Leadership Institute.
Alyssa Spina
Alyssa Spina ('26) is a Music History major and a candidate for the violin performance certificate at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. As a musicologist and violinist, Alyssa specializes her research on twentieth-century wartime music—particularly music of the Holocaust and the Cold War. Her most notable undergraduate opportunities are presenting for the American Musicological Society, being a teacher’s aide to develop a collegiate-level diverse music history course, working and performing with the Orchestra of Northern New York, attending Juilliard's Starling-Delay Symposium on Violin Studies, and taking her musical studies abroad to Cork, Ireland.
Diana Valdez, Director of Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Bridges, SUNY Potsdam
Please check back for biography.
Michael Wong '26, Crane Undergraduate Student
Michael Wong ('26) is an undergraduate student at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam majoring in Violin Performance and Music History with a minor in Music Business. A member of Dr. Timothy Yip's violin studio, he apprentices with the Orchestra of Northern New York as a section player, and he also performs with the Crane Symphony Orchestra. In addition to performing as an ONNY/Crane Student Apprentice, Michael also works as ONNY’s Production Assistant, works with the Community Performance Series as its Youth Programming Coordinator, and conducts research as part of Dr. Yip's Kilmer research lab on underrepresented composers in violin teaching. Learn more about his work at michaelwongmusic.com.
Mishka Woodley Thomas, Esq., SUNY General Counsel
Mishka Woodley is an Associate Counsel for the State University of New York (SUNY) Office of General Counsel. In her role, she provides legal counsel for SUNY System Administration leadership and SUNY campuses systemwide with a special focus on SUNY system priorities, community colleges, student affairs, health and human services, and compliance.
Timothy Yip, Assistant Professor: Music Business Coordinator & Violin, SUNY Potsdam
Timothy Yip is an accomplished violin teacher with a wealth of experience teaching across all levels. He also possesses expertise in the mobile games industry. His educational background includes studies at institutions like UCLA, UW-Madison, Indiana University, and St. Petersburg Conservatory. Currently, Timothy teaches music business, violin, and Ways 103 courses.