Meet Our Leadership
Book office hours with our Leadership Group members. Our organization is run as a partnership between the optiMize department in the University of Michigan College of LSA and the optiMize student organization at the University of Michigan. Our first guiding principle is student-led education, youth-led change, and all decisions for the organization are made by consensus among our student leaders and full-time staff. We are proud of the democratic, participatory model we are creating together — hopefully illuminating possibilities for more just, sustainable, and joyful ways of building institutions and working collaboratively.
You can learn more about us and schedule time to meet with any of our Leadership Group members below. Click on their picture to read their bio.
Not sure who to meet? Email us at optimizemi@umich.edu and we’ll help you find the right person to speak with!
Peer Mentors
Jacob Lydick (he/him)
Peer Mentor, Cohort 12 Fellow
Social Innovation Challenge (SIC) Leads
Creative Team
Abby Liang
(she/her)
Content Committee Lead
Bella Weiss
(she/her)
Design Lead
Shreya Sampath (she/her)
Design Lead
Tech & Ops
Bheeman Govindarajan (he/him)
Tech Ops Lead
Anne Li
(she/her)
Tech Ops Lead
Curriculum
Arvin Yaple (he/him)
ALA Course Lead
Andrew DiGisi (he/him)
ALA Course Lead
Erin Chai
(she/her)
ALA Course Lead
Organizational Culture and Leadership Development
Isaac Coenca
(he/him)
Organizational Culture & Wellness Lead
Cadence Glass (she/her)
Organizational Culture & Wellness Lead
Abbie Chaka (she/her)
eMerge Committee Lead
Bridge Scholars Program Leads
Asmah Bah
(she/her)
Dawn Jula
(she/her)
Gold'Ann Mesaros-Winckles
(she/her)
Ryan Noble
(he/him)
Transfer Bridge Coordinators
Sara Hollingshead (she/her)
Mentorship Coordinator
Accessibility and Inclusion Lead
Day Diaz (she/her)
Program Development Coordinator
eMerge Lead
Taisa King
Partnerships Coordinator
Bridge Scholars Program Lead
Nayseth Fernandez (she/her)
Podcast Coordinator
Design Lead
Paulina Witt
Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship Coordinator
Operations Lead
Transfer Bridge Fellows
Bella Santana
(she/her)
Design Fellow
Gianina Medina Neste
(she/her)
Org Culture Fellow
Marissa Kintz
(she/her)
Resource Fellow
Chris Ghersi
(he/him)
Feedback Fellow
JP Pledger
(she/her)
Social Media Fellow
Nadwa Atwi
(she/her)
Administrative Assistant
Christina Feldermann (she/her)
Wellness Fellow
Kwadwo Dankwa
(he/him)
Multimedia Fellow
Noah Spicer
(he/him)
Community Outreach Fellow
Even Birhane
(he/him)
Tech Ops Fellow
Logen Nordmark
(he/him)
Administrative Assistant
Samiha Rahman
(she/her)
Logistics Fellow
Full-time staff
Dallas McGhee-Henry (he/him)
Community Partnerships Manager
Not sure who you want to connect with?
Email us at optimizemi@umich.edu and we will help you find the right person!