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Jeanne BriandJeanne Briand has worked in OPAL as an Administrative Assistant since 2007. She currently supports the Advisor to Asian and Asian American Students, and the Director of International Student Programs. She previously worked in Dartmouth’s English Department and the Collis Center and Student Activities office. She is currently working on a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree at Dartmouth, focusing on the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and ethics.
Stephanie Chesnut came to Dartmouth College in 2006 after earning her undergraduate degree in 2003 from the University of Paris, Nanterre, and her graduate degree in 2004 through Trinity College in Dublin. Stephanie first worked in the Upperclass Deans Office as an assistant to the Dean of Upperclass Students. In the winter of 2008, Stephanie joined the office of Alumni Relations as Program Manager for Young Alumni, Students, and Alumni Diversity. Her work with students and the affiliated alumni groups is what drew her particularly to that position. Stephanie also stepped in and took on many of the responsibilities of the Associate Director of Alumni Diversity during the nine months that position was vacant. In 2009, the Alumni Relations office was reorganized and Stephanie took on the role of Program Manager for Alumni Events, a position responsible for four volunteer weekends with 200-400 participants each, ten Presidential Club events per year around the country, and many logistical aspects of Dartmouth's June Alumni Reunions. During this time, Stephanie finished her M.A. in Liberal Studies in June 2010 from Dartmouth. Stephanie currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Center for Women and Gender.
Jessica arrives at Dartmouth after working for the Women's and Gender Studies Department at the University of Missouri as their Director of Advising, Curriculum, and Programming for the past six years. Her research interests include gender and higher education, the relationship of academics and activism, and feminist pedagogy. Jessica has a B.A. in English from Bowling Green State University, and a M.A. in Women's and Gender Studies from Eastern Michigan University, and will be completing her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri in 2012. She is thrilled to be the new Director of the Center for Women and Gender, and looks forward to working with the students, faculty, and staff of Dartmouth in new and exciting ways.
Since arriving at Dartmouth in the fall of 1999, Pam Misener has worked to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, faculty, staff, and alumni as OPAL’s Advisor to LGBTQA Students. Pam holds a M.Ed from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Social Justice Education, where she most enjoyed teaching classes on the implications of social diversity, particularly in education systems. A native Marylander, she began working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students in Baltimore where she was honored for her outstanding work. Key components to Pam's professional practice are understanding intersecting experiences of identity within the whole person, and developing leaders skilled at engaged pluralism. She is committed to transformative education and liberatory pedagogy, particularly involving ally development.
Rodrigo graduated from Dartmouth in 2006 with a double-major in Psychological & Brain Sciences and Asian and Middle Eastern Languages & Literatures (Japanese). He became interested in higher education due to his desire to work with students. After graduation, he first worked at the Collis Center & Student Activities, where he focused on assessment, outreach, and programming. In 2007, he joined Dartmouth Career Services as the Outreach and Program Coordinator, and was later promoted to Assistant Director. While at Career Services, he developed a new marketing and branding strategy for the office, coordinated outreach, programming and assessment, and advised students on their career and educational development. Rodrigo is passionate about working with students, faculty, and staff to strengthen the Latina/o community at Dartmouth and to support the academic success and leadership development of all students.
Alysson arrived at Dartmouth College in 2012 as the Director of OPAL after working both with, and on behalf of, under-represented and under-served students at CSU, Sacramento, San Francisco State, City College of San Francisco and Duke University. Her research and teaching interests include organizational identification and commitment, family communication and civic engagement. Alysson earned her Ph.D. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication in 2004 and was a recipient of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation's Humanities at Work grant award. Working in both administrative and teaching capacities since 1996, she continues to be inspired by education and its essential role in social change.
Having worked at the College since 1991, Steve Silver joined the staff as OPAL’s International Student Programs Director in 2008. Steve came to Dartmouth with an undergraduate degree from Colgate University, a Masters degree in Education (field of College Student Development) from George Washington University, and nine years of experience in admissions at Lafayette College and Clarkson University. At Dartmouth, Steve worked in the Admissions Office, managing the international student recruitment and application review processes, and served for nine years as the Director of the International Office (now Office of Visa and Immigration Services). In his current position, Steve works with international undergraduates and graduate students, assisting them in their adjustment to the College and helping them maximize their Dartmouth experiences.
Minnie Slater joined the OPAL team as an Administrative Assistant in 2006. She currently supports the OPAL Director, the Native American Program, the Advisor to LGBTQA Students, and the Advisor to Latina/o Students. In addition, she maintains office websites and supports the Leadership Discovery Program. Having earned her Associates Degree in Human Services at the Community College of Vermont in 2007, she is currently working on obtaining her Bachelors degree thru Johnson State College's External Degree Program. Prior to her work in OPAL, Minnie spent many years as a legal secretary.
Molly Springer, M.A. Counseling; (member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma). Molly has been involved with the national advancement of Native American student affairs and services for twelve years, serving currently as Director of the Native American Program at Dartmouth College. She is also the current Chair of the Native American Network for the American College Personnel Association. Molly has served in Native American student affairs positions, including as Assistant Dean of Student Life/Assistant Director of the Native American House at the University of Illinois, Coordinator of American Indian Student Services at Ohio State University, Coordinator for the Native American Collaboration project in the School of Psychology at San Diego State University, and a member of the American Indian Alumni Association of UCLA. She is co-authoring a forthcoming chapter for the book entitled Beyond the Asterisk: Understanding Native Students in Higher Education.
Karen Tucker joined Dartmouth College as an Administrative Assistant in August 2010. She currently supports the Advisor to Black students, and both the Director and Assistant Director of the Center for Women and Gender. She particularly enjoys helping students who seek her out in both the OPAL suite and the Center for Women and Gender. Karen is originally from the UK, and has many years of experience as an Administrative Assistant in a number of different settings, including chiropractic, social services, and engineering.
