Instructors & Staff
Lorena Castro, Program Coordinator
Staff
Marie James, Administrative Coordinator
Nisrine Drissi, Writing Assistant
Estefany Perez Ortiz, Math Tutor
Penelope Yau-Wen, Writing Assistant
Advisement
English Instructional Team
Sonia Adams, Core English Instructor
Jonathan Alexandratos, English Instructor
Deanne Battle, Support English Instructor
Elizabeth Carroll, English Instructor
Nadir Durrani, English Instructor
Elizabeth Gaughan, English Instructor
Habiba Syed, English Instructor
Deyanira Tejada, English Instructor
Math Instructional Team
Kurt Anschlowar, Math Instructor
Hye Ok Lee, Math Start Teacher
Yimo Quan, Math Instructor
Chrystelle Voigt, Math Instructor
Valentina Yefroyev, Math Instructor
Bios
Role in CUNY Start: Director
Education: BA in English Literature & Secondary Education from University of Iowa, MA in English Literature from Hunter College, EdD in progress at Empire State University
Something fun or unusual about you: I was a camp counselor for 5 years in my late teens and early twenties, and as a parent of two daughters a Girl Scout Leader in Queens for 12 years. My head is full of silly camp songs!
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Too many to name but a few are (book) Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, (song) The Wailin' Jennys' version of Wildflowers, and (book) The Fraud by Zadie Smith
Your advice to students: Know that you are doing and can do great things. Find what you love to do and what brings value to the world, and then focus on building your skills so you can create a professional life that is fulfilling.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love to garden! I grew up helping my father with his backyard garden every year, and then cared for a "children's garden" at my co-op for many years. I'm looking forward to doing more gardening at QCC!
What is the greatest borough of New York? Queens, of course!
Role in CUNY Start: Program Coordinator & Advisor
Education: MSEd from Baruch College (CUNY) in Higher Education Administration, BA from Fordham University in Communications
Your favorite movie, book, or song: I love 80s horror movies like Fright Night, A Nightmare on Elm St, and The Lost Boys. My favorite book is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
Your advice to students: You don't have to have it all figured out. This is your time to explore. Try new interests, join a club and go talk to people!
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love going to concerts and museums. My favorite museum in NYC is the Tenement Museum because you're not just looking at artifacts. You're hearing personal stories and walking through the real apartment of immigrants and working-class families who helped built this city.
Staff Bios
Role in CUNY Start: Admin
Education: BA from Buffalo State
Something fun or unusual about you: I only eat apples if they're sliced & peeled
Your favorite movie, book, or song: One of my favorite movies is "Ghost."
Your advice to students: Keep pushing, it'll all be worth it in the end!
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Traveling
Role in CUNY Start: Math Tutor
Education: Queensborough Community College - Associate's degree (in progress)
Your favorite movie, book, or song: One of my favorite books is Atomic Habits by James Clear
Your advice to students: Try your best, don't give up but just keep trying the best you can.
Role in CUNY Start: Math tutor/Recruitment team member
Education: Queensborough Community College, Business Administration
Something fun or unusual about you: Love roller coasters even though I get super scared when I'm actually on them.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Apocalypto
Your advice to students: Show up to class,set realistic goals and don't be afraid to ask for help.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Spending time with my husband and son.
A favorite quote: "You are never too old to learn new things"
How would you describe the college community? It's a diverse group of faculty and staff who are very welcoming and supportive,who interacts through shared experiences that fosters a sense of belonging and connection beyond just the classroom.
Role in CUNY Start: Writing Assistant
Education: Baruch College - Bachelor Degree in Public Affairs
Something fun or unusual about you: I like sports.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Hidden Figure
Your advice to students: Ask questions.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Rest
A favorite quote: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Gandhi
Role in CUNY Start: Math Tutor
Education: High school diploma and current student at QCC
Something fun or unusual about you: I like looking at decorations and getting ideas because they’re connected to organization and we’re often trying to organize something at home, school, or work.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: My favorite movie is "The Proposal."
Your advice to students: It is never too late to learn, you can achieve anything with effort and believing in yourself. Focus on your goals and it will motivate you every day.
Role in CUNY Start: Writing Assistant
Education: Queensborough Community College, AA in Liberal Arts, Queens College, BA in Comparative Literature, CUNY Graduate Center, MA in Liberal Studies/Western Intellectual Traditions
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Favorite movie: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind; Favorite book: The Odyssey
Your advice to students: Don't procrastinate on assignments and never be afraid to ask for guidance!
Advisement Team Bios
Role in CUNY Start: Adviser
Education: B.A. Queens College, CUNY for English and a minor Journalism; M.A. King's College at University of London, UK for Eighteenth Century Studies and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Secondary Education for English, Queens College, CUNY
Your advice to students: You are the timeline and this is your marathon. Believe in yourself and the wonder that you are.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Spending time with my family and friends.
A favorite quote: "What your deepest intentions are, become your reality." - "Sankalpa Tathya" - from the Sanskrit
Role in CUNY Start: Advisor
Education: MA from NYU in Acculturation Studies, BA from Baruch in English, AOS from Swedish Institute in Massage Therapy
Something fun or unusual about you: I adore dumpster diving (as evident of my picture).
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Mamma Mia
Your advice to students: Be as kind to yourself as you are to others.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love crafting, jigsaw puzzling and traveling.
A favorite quote: "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."- Oscar Wilde
Is "King" really your first name? Yes! It's a phonetic spelling of my Chinese name, which is Respect.
Role in CUNY Start: Advisor
Education: Teachers College, Columbia 36 credits toward Master of Arts in TESOL & Syracuse University, Bachelor of Arts in English Literature
Something fun or unusual about you: I enjoy cartoons and puns.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Your advice to students: Try to be open minded about the courses that you take in your program of study. You might actually enjoy what you learn.
Role in CUNY Start: Advisor
Education: QCC.CUNY- AAS, YORK.CUNY- BS, GCTS- MA
Something fun or unusual about you: I do a lot of missionary work in the Caribbean, I love the old cartoons and i love family fun gatherings.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: I like HALLMARK movies or the old AMC movies.
Your advice to students: Find it in you to motivate yourself on this journey called Education. This inward motivation is key to your success.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love housework, taking care of my family. I love Bowling (Gutter Ball Queen). I love working with street ministries in my church community and I just love to go occasionally to full body spas.
A favorite quote: My life's quote for more than 40 years has been "In all your ways always acknowledge God and He will always direct you."
Role in CUNY Start: Advisor
Education: BA in Political Science and MA in Psychology from Hunter College
Something fun or unusual about you: I am a former QCC student.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: A favorite movie is Phantom Thread. It also has an amazing soundtrack.
Your advice to students: Don't be afraid to take chances and ask for help when you need it. We learn best by taking action.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Going to the movies and the beach.
A favorite quote: "Mistakes are the portals of discovery." - James Joyce
English Instructional Team Bios
Role in CUNY Start: Instructor
Education: BA- British and American Literary Studies and Multicultural Literature, MA- English Literature, MFA- Creative Writing
Something fun or unusual about you: FUN FACT- I enjoy writing poems inspired by art and history.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: My favorite novel is Beloved by Toni Morrison. My favorite song is "Be Blessed" by Yolanda Adams.
Your advice to students: Be patient with yourself and the learning process.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I enjoy attending social and artistic events across the city.
A favorite quote: "The job of the writer is to make revolution irresistible" by Toni Cade Bambara
Role in CUNY Start: English Instructor
Education: Hunter College/CUNY - B.A. in History (English Minor); Queens College/CUNY - M.F.A./Playwrighting
Something fun or unusual about you: I was in an Emmy-nominated documentary about toys! Though it was nominated for an Emmy, we lost to Oprah (which I am 1000% fine with!).
Your favorite movie, book, or song: The LEGO Movie is everything.
Your advice to students: Take the work seriously, but don't take *yourself* too seriously.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I make YouTube videos about fast food toys. I'm also a Trekkie. So there's that.
A favorite quote: "You are the most talented, most interesting, and most extraordinary person in the universe. And you are capable of amazing things. Because you are the Special. And so am I. And so is everyone. The prophecy is made up, but it's also true. It's about all of us. Right now, it's about you. And you... still... can change everything." -Emmet, from the aforementioned LEGO movie
Do you run on average between 8 and 10 miles per day and compete in half marathons? Wow, that's oddly specific but yes, yes I do.
Role in CUNY Start: Reading & Writing Instructor
Education: Vermont College of Fine Arts, MFA Fiction
Something fun or unusual about you: I believe Cop Rock was a watershed moment in musical television.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: “Innervision,” Stevie Wonder
Your advice to students: Time is the one thing we can’t get back…try to use it wisely!
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Work on my novel.
A favorite quote: Most of my favorite quotes are punchlines that don’t make sense without the whole joke. Haha.
Role in CUNY Start: English Instructor
Education: Binghamton University (BA, MA), St. John's University (PhD)
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I'm a diehard Mets fan and spend as much time going to baseball games as a I possibly can.
A favorite quote: "No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself." - Virginia Woolf
Role in CUNY Start: English Instructor
Education: QCC, Associate's | QC, Bachelor's and Master's
Something fun or unusual about you: I love going to concerts.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Dune Parts Two is my favorite. Dracula by Bram Stroker is my favorite book.
Your advice to students: Stand out, be different. Never be afraid to stand up for yourself or what you believe in. Persevere in adverse situations.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love to walk, go for long drives, go for hikes, and take photographs with my Fuji Film X100V camera.
A favorite quote: “The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.” - Dune
Role in CUNY Start: English Instructor
Education: BA from DePaul University, MFA from Sarah Lawrence College
Your favorite movie, book, or song: History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund
Your advice to students: My advice is to take advantage of all the resources a college campus has to offer, including advising, tutoring, office hours, extracurriculars, health services, and more. Many college students don't realize how many resources are available to them. If you aren't sure, ask!
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I can knit and crochet, and I can often be found at craft circles on the weekend.
Do you have any pets? I have a very noisy calico cat named Lucy.
Role in CUNY Start: English Instructor
Education: Bachelor of Science & Masters in Arts in English Literature from the University of Delaware
Something fun or unusual about you: I grew an insane amount of vegetables this past summer and was most proud of my tomato and eggplant harvest :)
Your favorite movie, book, or song: My favorite book is "The Bladerunner" and my favorite movie is "Get Out". My favorite song changes often but these days it's "Ya Tal3een" by Dana Salah.
Your advice to students: Embrace the challenges because they will inevitably show up. The sooner you start preparing for the 'hard' things the better your chances of reaching your goals.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love to cook, develop recipes and try new foods in my free time.
A favorite quote: "Success is its own reward, but failure is a great teacher too, and not to be feared." Sonia Sotomayor
Role in CUNY Start: English Instructor
Education: M.A. in TESOL, NYU; B.A. in Linguistics, CUNY, Queens College
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Spending time in nature and studying psychology
What do you most enjoy about teaching reading and writing? Being in my students' presence when they realize they've become adept at using a skill they've learned or practiced, and seeing the light in their eyes that says, "I did THAT!".
Role in CUNY Start: CUNY Start instructor
Education: Suffolk County Community College- AS in Communications. Hofstra University- BA in Rhetorical Communications, minor in Journalism. City College of New York- MA in English, Language, & Literacy.
Something fun or unusual about you: I LOVE sunflowers. I even have a sunflower tattoo! I also own a striped cat that has thumbs.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: My favorite book is "Something Like Happy" by Eva Woods. My favorite movie is "Forrest Gump."
Your advice to students: If you stay organized and ready, you're one step closer to having your ducks in a row.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love reading, gardening, and travelling.
A favorite quote: "Life is like a box of chocolate. You never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump
What's your favorite place you've travelled to? Definitely Spain! I studied abroad there. Take every opportunity you can to learn and enrich yourself with other cultures, languages, and places.
Role in CUNY Start: English Instructor
Education: B.A., St. John's University, English; M.A., St. John's University, English; M.F.A., Rutgers University-Newark, Fiction Writing
Your advice to students: Ask questions when you have them and ask for help when you need it! If doing these things makes you nervous, that's ok! It gets easier over time.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love to cook for family, friends, and whoever's around!
Math Instructional Team Bios
Role in CUNY Start: Math Teacher
Education: Hofstra University BBA, LSU Masters in Ed
Something fun or unusual about you: After college, instead of getting a job, I spent years doing volunteer work and traveling, both abroad and here in the States.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Redemption Song by Robert Nesta Marley
Your advice to students: Create a system to keep all your notes and and schoolwork organized and try to never miss class.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Fishing.
A favorite quote: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
What are your favorite sports teams? NY Islanders Hockey and LSU Football
Role in CUNY Start: Math Start Instructor
Education: M.A. in Mathematics, Queens College, CUNY
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Nobels: Human Acts by Han, Kang, Taebaek Mountain by Jo, Jung Rae, Songs: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, To You by Shin, Hae Chul, Power by G-Dragon
Your advice to students: Practice builds mastery; questions spark understanding. Keep going!
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? Walking my dog is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s a wonderful way to unwind and spend quality time with my dog.
A favorite quote: “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.” -William Ernest Henley
Role in CUNY Start: Math Instructor
Education: Master Degree in Math Education; Queens College
Something fun or unusual about you: My farorite place is the Disney world. No matter how many times that I have visited this place, I always act like a first time visitor when I were there.
Your favorite movie, book, or song: My favorite movie is Twilight. My favorite book is Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind.
Your advice to students: One of the productive ways to enhance your understanding of the concepts is to form study groups. When you study together with someone from your class, you will have the opportunity to share your thoughts with others. The discussions among you and your classmates will help you recognize your strengths and weakness of your math skills.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I like to travel because I am interested in learning different cultures and histories from people around the world. These experiences help me to better interact with people from diverse backgrounds.
A favorite quote: "Success is not final. Failure is not final. It is the courage to continue that counts." -Winston Churchill
Role in CUNY Start: CUNY Start Instructor
Education: Five-year program in Applied Mathematics and Cybernetics at Moscow State University, USSR
Your favorite movie, book, or song: Stefan Zweig "The World of Yesterday"
Your advice to students: Find out about and use the QCC resources; participate in student activities and clubs. Do not miss this opportunity while you are in college.
A favorite or interesting hobby--what do you love to do outside of work? I love to spend time with my family and friends.
A favorite quote: "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning." Albert Einstein
Why do you love teaching math? I love sharing my love of mathematics with my students because it enables me to contribute to their personal development and growth. I am positive that math is instrumental in development of thinking and analytical skills. I myself learn so much from my students, so that teaching becomes a reciprocal process of enrichment.
