Out at CCNY

Francesca Anselmi
(she/her)
fanselmi@ccny.cuny.edu
Executive Director at CCNY Initiative to Promote Academic Success in STEM (CiPASS)

“I identify as Bi/Pan” 

Francesca works as the Executive Director of the CiPASS initiative at The City College of New York (CCNY). Through this work, Francesca and her colleagues aim to increase the number of underrepresented minorities studying STEM at CCNY, assist them during their studies, and provide opportunities for them to gain the experience and workplace skills that will help them reach their career goals. Francesca has nine years of experience in workforce development, scientific education, and community outreach. Before working at CCNY, Francesca was Program Director at BioBus, a nonprofit organization for science outreach and education based in New York City. She has traveled all around the City onboard the BioBus mobile laboratories, meeting students, teachers, and parents, and listening to their stories. Francesca completed her undergraduate education in molecular biology at the University of Padua in Italy and pursued graduate training at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Paris, working on neurophotonics. She received her Ph.D. in neuroscience and optics from the University Paris Descartes and then worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island. Francesca hopes to help shape the next generation of innovators and citizens, aware and proud of the environment they live in, eager to observe reality firsthand, challenge common knowledge, and formulate their own original ideas to shape the world around them into a better place for everyone to share.

Richard C. Clark
(she/they)
r.connorclark@gmail.com
Adjunct Lecturer at CCNY Critical Social/Personality Psychology Ph.D Program CUNY, The Graduate Center

“I identify as a Queer Non-Binary Transfemme” 

Richard Clark is a 3rd-year doctoral student in the Critical Social Personality Psychology Program at the CUNY Graduate Center. She is a social psychology researcher that specializes in critical discourse analysis, narrative analysis, and thematic analysis. Richard is an interdisciplinary researcher who is skilled in generating critical theory while engaging with research focused on larger social issues such as: White supremacy and Intersectional Justice. Currently, they are working on a project looking at how LGBTQ youth are engaging with whiteness and white privilege.

Joseph Davis
(he/him)
jdavis@ccny.cuny.edu
Professor, Bilingual Education & TESOL, The School of Education at CCNY

“I identify as Gay” 

Professor Joseph Davis has taught linguistics in the programs in Bilingual Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in the School of Education since 1998. He is a consortial member of the doctoral faculty in the Program in Linguistics at the Graduate Center.

Liana DeMasi
(They/Them)
ldemasi@ccny.cuny.edu
Adjunct Lecturer of English at CCNY

“I identify as Queer and Non-binary”

My name is Liana DeMasi (they/them), and I’m a queer, Brooklyn-based writer and journalist, as well as a Adjunct Lecturer and MFA Fiction Candidate at CCNY. I teach Creative Writing and Composition, focusing on an equitable, labor-based approach to learning that privileges and celebrates all students. My journalism work can be found in Atmos, The Boston Globe, Lady Science, Input Mag, Rewire Newsgroup, Poynter Institute, The Objective, FanSided, Autostraddle, and others. 

Dr. Yaari Felber-Seligman 
(they/them)
yfelberseligman@ccny.cuny.edu
Assistant Professor of History at CCNY

“I identify as Transgender/Nonbinary and Queer"

Professor Felber-Seligman specializes in the history of pre-1700s eastern Africa, comparative world, and LGBTQ history. Felber-Seligman is particularly interested in the use of non-documentary sources, comparative trade history, African encounters with others, Africa’s contributions to world history, gender studies, and LGBTQ+ history.

Keith Lee Grant
(he/him)
kgrant552@yahoo.com
Professor in Theatre and Speech

“I identify as Gay  

Keith Lee Grant (imdb page) (Harlem Repertory Theatre page) has been on the CCNY faculty for over twenty years and, is the founding Artistic Director of the Harlem Repertory Theatre. He holds an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama, an M.A. from the Pennsylvania State University, a Certificate from the American Conservatory Theater's Advanced Training Program, and a B.F.A. from the University of Utah. He has directed and/or choreographed over one hundred and twenty professional and university productions ranging from Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE It to Miguel Pinero's SHORT EYES to large-scale Musicals like Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, and Jerry Herman's MAME.

In addition to his work as a director/choreographer and college professor, Mr. Grant has also performed on Broadway in MARIE CHRISTINE, SHOW BOAT, and the U.S. premiere of the musical RAGTIME. He has worked extensively Off-Broadway, in Regional Theatre and in television/film.

Mr. Grant is the recipient of the 2009 and 2012 AUDELCO awards for the Best Choreographer of a Musical and Best Director of a Musical for his work on the HRT's productions of THE WIZ and DREAMGIRLS.

Christopher Hoffman
(he/him)
choffman@gradcenter.cuny.edu
Adjunct Lecturer and Teaching Fellow; Psychology Department at CCNY

“I identify as Queer”  

Christopher Hoffman is a dual doctoral PhD candidate at the CUNY Graduate Center where he studies environmental psychology and critical social and personality psychology. Chris studies ways to empower communities by equipping them with the resources to produce their own research, and to use their research to influence policy. Chris is specifically interested in participatory action research, youth, and the intersections of policy, education, and social justice. Chris is also a former Fulbright grantee and currently teaches Statistics, Psychology of People and Place: From climate change to gentrification, and Queer(ing) Psychology at CCNY. Chris is a co-founder of TESANDA, a transnational network of critical solidarities.

Jesús Fraga
(he/him)
jfraga@ccny.cuny.edu
Lecturer at the CCNY School of Education

“I identify as Gay” 

Jesús Fraga came to The City College of New York (CCNY) in September 2008 with 22 years of experience in teaching and school leadership! Professor Fraga has a BS in Bilingual Education from CCNY (1986), an MA in Elementary Education from Adelphi University (1988), and an MS in Educational Leadership from Bank Street College (2000). Mr. Fraga's pedagogical background includes elementary and middle school teaching in various New York City schools and districts, and supervision and administration of ELL programs (K-12) at the school, district, and citywide level, as well as urban and suburban experience. 

Brandon Judell
(he/him)
bjudell@ccny.cuny.edu
Lecturer of Theater and Speach at CCNY

“I identify as Gay"

Brandon Judell's area of specialty is cinema. He has been a journalist for over 30 years and has been published in The Forward, The Village Voice, The New York Daily News, indieWire.com, and has written about AIDS in Israel for the Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care. He teaches courses on the history of Jewish cinema. He has been awarded the "Outstanding Teacher Award" at CCNY,  has instructed at the School of Visual Arts plus the Center for Workers Education, and has been a judge at the Berlin Film Festival.

David J. Lohman
(he/him)
dlohman@ccny.cuny.edu
Associate Professor of Biology at CCNY

“I identify as Gay”

Dr. Lohman studies the ecology, evolution, and biogeography of insects in the Old World tropics. He uses a combination of field ecology and molecular phylogenetic methods to investigate how interactions between insects and other organisms affect evolution and community structure. Fun fact: Dr. Lohman has three different species named after him including Themira lohmanus, Chimaeragathis lohman, and Stichorkis davidlohmanii!

Michael J. Miller
(he/him)
mmiller@ccny.cuny.edu
Associate Dean of the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture

“I identify as Gay”

Dr. Miller is Associate Dean at the Spitzer School of Architecture here at the City College of New York - New York City’s flagship public school of architecture, and one of the most diverse architecture schools in the country.

He is an experienced administrator and leader with over 20 years of experience in the arts and higher education at both public and private institutions. His work centers around organizational change, thought leadership, and holistically serving faculty, staff, and student needs, through a focus on mission-driven strategies, support, and alignment of systems. He is deeply committed to the delivery and expansion of student services that promote physical, mental, and academic wellness.

Dr. Miller currently chairs the Spitzer JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Committee, and also chairs the CCNY Staff Council Formation committee, whose work is in alignment with his doctoral research.

He holds a B.F.A. in theater from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, an M.P.A. from CUNY- Baruch College, and an Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

Jake Nill
(he/him)
jnill@ccny.cuny.edu
CCNY LGBTQ+ Student Center Program Manager

“I identify as Gay”

Jake graduated from CCNY in 2019 with a BA in Political Science and double-minors in Community Change Studies and Women and Gender Studies. Transferring to CCNY from Suffolk County Community College, Jake hit the ground running as a student leader, especially with our LGBTQ+ student community. He was president of CCNY’s LGBTQ+ Open Alliance Club and an intern with VOCAL-NY’s Queerocracy, an NYC LGBTQ+ youth community organizing group. Earlier this year, Jake earned his MA in Urban Affairs at Queens College. During graduate school, he served as an intern with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Young Leaders, as a Queens College Urban Studies Teaching Assistant (TA), and as a policy analyst intern for the Hetrick-Martin Institute. Jake’s master’s thesis is a call-to-action toolkit for New York City’s elected officials to more effectively understand and act to solve LGBTQ+ homelessness, especially among New York City youth. 

Jake is also a CCNY representative on the CUNY LGBTQI+ Council. He serves as co-chair of the Outreach & Online Presence Subcommittee and member of the CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Conference Subcommittee.

Tom Peele
(he/him)
tpeele@ccny.cuny.edu
Associate Professor in English, Director of First-Year Writing Coordinator of Writing Across the Curriculum

“I identify as Gay”

Professor Peele has been at City College since the fall of 2014. Since then, he was been the director of the First-Year Writing program. Since the fall of 2015, he was been the coordinator of the Writing Across the Curriculum initiative. He recent publications include "Blackboard CMS for Large Scale Data Collection" in Kairos and "Is This too Polite? The Limited Use of Rhetorical Moves in a First-Year Corpus" in the Journal of Writing Analytics. 

Professor Peele is an active member of Faculty Senate and Faculty Council. He is a member of the governance committee of Campus Engagement Network, whose purpose is to promote innovative teaching and community engagement across the disciplines.  

Camille Peterson
(she/her)
camillefvspetersen@gmail.com
Adjunct Lecturer, Journalism

“I identify as Queer”

Professor Camille Peterson teaches audio journalism including radio journalism and podcasting. She has developed several new, long-form podcasts and shaped the coronavirus coverage of a daily news podcast at NPR.

She has covered business, tech, and healthcare for NPR, Marketplace, and WHYY. During the pandemic she has reported on small businesses and restaurants in New York City. She graduated from Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

Dr. Mariana Romo-Carmona
(she/her)
mromocarmona@ccny.cuny.edu
Adjunct Associate Professor of Latin American and Latinx Studies Program (LALS) at CCNY

“I identify as a Lesbian”

Dr. Mariana Romo-Carmona has taught Spanish and Spanish literature in the Classical and Modern Languages & Literatures Department, and Latin American literature in the English Department. Her teaching experience includes the MFA Program in Creative Writing, Goddard College (1994-2006), and the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (2001-2012). Interests include the poetry of the Chilean Vanguard (1930s); Latin American literature from the Southern Cone to the Antilles; the literature of Black and Indigenous People in late 20th century queer and feminist activism; Latin American migrations, and Latina/o writers in Latinx Studies in the 21st century.

Jasmina Sinanović
(they/them)
jsinanovic@ccny.cuny.edu
Adjunct Lecturer in the CCNY Department of Anthropology, Gender Studies, and International Studies

“I identify as Queer and Non-Binary”

Jasmina Sinanović teaches at Anthropology, Gender Studies and International Studies Department at the City College by day and is a performing/theatre artist by night. Their research interests are in queer, performance and postcolonial theory as well as the study of the idea of Balkanism. They hold an M.F.A. in Dramaturgy from Stony Brook University and M.A. in Theatre from CUNY Graduate Center via Brooklyn College.

Jennifer Sloan
(she/her)
jsloan@ccny.cuny.edu
Adjunct Lecturer in Sociology

“I identify as Queer”

Jennifer is an adjunct lecturer in the sociology department. Her research and teaching focus on immigration, education, and race and ethnicity. 

Bryan Stanton
(he/they)
bstanton1@ccny.cuny.edu
Performing Arts Technical Manager

“I identify as Queer”

Bryan Stanton has been working in Theatre Education and Entertainment for the past 15 years and is now happy to be at CCNY. He moved with his husband and children to New York City in August 2023 after living in Texas for five years. He is host of Teaching While Queer a podcast for 2SLGBTQIA+ educational professionals to share their stories of academia.

Dr. Matthew K. Witter
(he/they)
mwitter@ccny.cuny.edu
Student Psychological Counselor and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the CCNY Psychology Department

“I identify as a Gay male”

Dr. Witter previously worked at Rutgers University before making the switch to CUNY. He specializes in work with the LGBTQ+ community as well as people with disabilities. In his free time, Matthew runs a group for gay-identified individuals to develop more pride in their identity and develop a greater connection in the gay community.  Matthew is grateful for the opportunity to work with queer students and advocating for inclusivity. 

Olivia Wood
(she/her)
owood@ccny.cuny.edu
Lecturer in English at CCNY
 

“I identify as Queer and bi”

Olivia joined the City College community in 2022 as a lecturer teaching courses in rhetoric and composition. Her research focuses on bisexual identity and expression. She has also written about autistic/neuroqueer identity and is interested in labor studies. Outside of work, Olivia writes about queer issues and the higher education labor movement for Left Voice.