Melissa Kouha received her BS/BA degree in International Business and French. She received her master’s degree in IT. She is currently a third year PHD student in Computer Science. Her research interest focuses on broadening minority participation in computer, computer education, and Black women in computing.
Emily Mathiak is the Evaluation Coordinator at Quality Measures LLC. Emily earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in French, with a focus on education, from Virginia Wesleyan University. She has lived overseas in London, and enjoyed a study abroad in Dijon, France. Emily has experience in French/English translation, market research, as well as quality assurance. She also holds a certification in Data Analytics and looks forward to helping bridge the gap between researched data and actual implementation. She currently resides in Chesapeake, Virginia where her hobbies include sewing and Mixed Martial Arts.
Katreena Thomas is currently serves as a postdoctoral researcher at Clemson University, through the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) eFellows postdoctoral fellowship. She received her Ph.D. from Arizona State University in Engineering Education Systems Design. She was a member of the Coley Shifting Perceptions, Attitudes, and Cultures in Engineering (SPACE) Lab research group during her doctoral education. She also served as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Intern for the Journal of Engineering Education. Her research interests include broadening participation in engineering, engineering leadership, and marginalized student experiences in engineering. Her dissertation explored the experiences of early-career Black engineers in leadership. She received her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and her M.S. in Human Systems Engineering from Arizona State University. Before starting her graduate studies, she worked in the tech industry in operations field. Katreena is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity and hopes that her work will impact the culture and environment of the engineering education ecosystem.
Cecilia La Place is pursuing her Ph.D. in Engineering Education and holds a bachelors and masters degree in Software Engineering. She works on internal tools as a developer and as a community leader supporting her local hackathon community. She is experienced in qualitative research and trained in quantitative and mixed methods research. Her work blends informal and formal educational practices and spaces by focusing on technology, accessibility, and diverse frameworks