Who We Are
Staff
Eddie Fergus - Co-Principal Investigator
Alan Ripp - Project Director
Alan Ripp, a graduate of Texas Tech University (BS) and Texas Woman's University (MEd), has taught in Bedford, Texas and Newton, Massachusetts. Serving as a facilitator and a consultant, Ripp has utilized his expertise in meeting the needs of students in diverse classrooms. Working as an adjunct professor at Queens College, Ripp's coursework includes Classroom Management and Culturally Responsive Education. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Boston University and Fitchburg State College.
Chemay Morales-James - Project Associate
Chemay has a B.S. in Special Education and received an Ed.M. in Supervision of Special Education Programs from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has over ten years experience working with at-risk students including being a special education teacher. Chemay's interest in working with TACD was inspired by her desire to take part in creating systemic change in the way all children are appropriately educated, especially those who have slipped through the cracks of the educational system.
Roey Ahram - Project Associate
Roey is a doctoral student at NYU's Steinhardt School in the department of teaching and learning. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and his Master of Arts in Teaching at Clark University in Worcester, MA. He has taught high school mathematics in Worcester as well as served as the Chairman of the Worcester Public Schools Mathematics Curriculum Revision Committee (7th-12th grade) before coming to NYU. Roey's research interests focus on equity issues in education, school reform, and urban education.
Patrick's expertise is in implementing behavioral intervention for at-risk boys. Dr. Jean-Pierre earned his Doctorate of Psychology at Rutgers University in Organizational Psychology with concentrations in Community and Sport Psychology. He received his Master degrees from CUNY Brooklyn College in Industrial Organizational Psychology and at Stony Brook University in Human Resource Management. He holds a B.A. from SBU in Psychology and a minor in International Studies.
Prior to joining Metro Center, he taught Jr. High School at the Andries Hudde School in Brooklyn. At Rutgers University, he served as a Senior Consultant to the NJ Department of Education. Patrick's research interests include manhood, inter-group relations, and systemic change.
Lorraine Lopez - Project Associate
Lorraine Lopez has over 20 years of experience as an educator. Prior to joining the Metro Center for Urban Education, Lopez worked as New York State's program manager of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC), public school teacher and a securities research analyst. She is a New York State certified Business and Marketing teacher and taught English as a Second Language (ESL), GED, business and computer skills to incarcerated youth and adults. Lopez is currently a board of education member of the Fallsburg Central School District. She earned a Masters in Public Administration and B.S. from Marist College.
Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge - Project Associate
Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge joins the Technical Assistance Center for Disproportionality after working as a Research Associate at the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST) at Teachers College, Columbia University. Before Teachers College, Dr. Stembridge served as Director of the American University Collaborative for Urban Education Research and Development, an initiative which sought to bring university faculty, staff, and resources into alignment with the efforts of school practitioners and community-based organizations to address key issues of school reform. In those roles he addressed issues of academic and racial identity, curriculum design and pedagogical strategies that improve college readiness outcomes for urban students.
He holds a Ph.D. in Education from the School of Education, Teaching, and Health at American University and received a B.A. in English from Norfolk State University in English and a M.A. in Literature from Old Dominion University.
With the Center for Equity and Achievement at the Metro Center, Rod has extensive experience in developing intervention programs and improving school scholarship data. He has more than 15 years in public education in teaching and administration. Most of his work has included developing programs in grades k-12 for "At-Risk" students. Mr. Wilkins also worked on Wall Street as an Investment Advisor. He earned his B.A. from John Jay College, an M.A. from Columbia University, Teachers College, and currently holds a NY State SDA & SBL from Hunter College. His interests include political writing, travel, and community service.
Beverly Murphy - Administrative Coordinator
Beverly has been a dedicated team member of the Metro Center for over six years. Prior to working at the Center, she worked for The John. A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing department at the University. She holds an AAS degree in Accounting from Elizabeth Seton College. Beverly assists in all facets of coordinating project workshops to ensure that our staff is well prepared to deliver professional development and technical assistance to school administrators throughout New York State. Her interest is to one day work with parents and teachers to bridge the gap to help children to reach their full potential.