Supporting Excellence Conference

Monica Roman

Monica Roman is a nonprofit professional turned VC and is currently an investor and Chief of Staff at Visible Hands, a venture capital firm supporting and investing in underrepresented founders. Her skillset spans communications, development, evaluation, and operations and she has unique experience working with diverse and cross-functional teams. Monica is a graduate of the Macaulay Honors College at Queens College and received her MBA from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and cheering for the New York Knicks. 

Briana Merritt

Briana is an associate in the Commercial Litigation and Disputes practice at Sidley Austin LLP. Prior to joining Sidley, Briana was a judicial intern for the Honorable Margo J. Brodie of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and a judicial extern for Presiding Judge M. Yvette Miller of the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Briana earned her J.D. with honors from Emory University School of Law, and her Bachelor’s degree in Law & Society from Macaulay Honors College at John Jay.

Lorenzo van Ness

Lorenzo Van Ness is a queer trans Dominican lifelong New Yorker. Having worked in the legal field for ten years as a paralegal and supervisor, they addressed discrimination, access to public benefits, immigration and health law. They currently work at the NYC Commission on Racial Equity as the Director of Community Organizing and Engagement. Lorenzo organizes locally in NYC around issues of language access, police accountability, Disability Justice, community safety, leadership development and QTBIPOC liberation. They’re passionate about building access for people pushed to the margins, supporting community and growing their knowledge.

Lavelle Porter

Distinguished Lecturer

Dr. Lavelle Porter is a writer and literary scholar whose research interests include African-American literature, higher education, science fiction, gender and sexuality, and the history of New York City.

He earned a B.A. in history from Morehouse College, and a Ph.D. in English from the CUNY Graduate Center. He is the author of The Blackademic Life: Academic Fiction, Higher Education, and the Black Intellectual (Northwestern University Press, 2019), a book which explores fictional narratives of college life and the racial politics of higher education.

Jayla Allen

Restorative Practice Program Coordinator

Macaulay’s Restorative Practice Program Coordinator Jayla J. Allen is a committed advocate, activist, and organizer. She brings a wealth of expertise in designing and implementing programs for young adults, and has a deep background in providing academic, social, and emotional support to students.

Jayla holds an M.A. in African American-African Diaspora Studies from Columbia University. Her research focused on the intersections of race, poverty, and mass incarceration in the United States. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and Legal Studies at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, during which time she spent a semester in Shanghai at East China Normal University.

Curtis Hoover

Interim Associate Dean for Student Services and Engagement

Curtis W. Hoover brings over twenty-five years of distinguished experience in higher education management to Macaulay. A seasoned higher ed leader, Hoover has held pivotal roles in various institutions, including his most recent tenure as Vice President of Student Affairs at LIM College in New York City, and as Director of Student Affairs at Penn State Mont Alto. In these capacities, he spearheaded transformative initiatives, enhancing student engagement across campuses. Notably, he championed the establishment of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Center at LIM College, underscoring his commitment to fostering inclusive environments.

Hoover earned his M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a BA in English/Writing from High Point University.