Contact

Bio: Shabaz Brown is a Mississippi native and received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences from Mississippi State University, where she was a Cultural Diversity Center Peer Ambassador and Vice President of the Nu Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She went on to receive her Master of Science in Educational Psychology from the University of North Texas, where she was the Early Learning Initiatives Coordinator for UNT Admissions and Outreach, providing intentional and equitable experiences for prospective students from marginalized identities. Shabaz's professional journey continued on as a Coordinator and, eventually, an Assistant Director of the UNT Multicultural Center, where she oversaw identity-based mentorship initiatives such as the FLY Peer Ambassador Program and the Black Student Experience Retreat (BSE). She also advised multiple student organizations, including Black Student Union, Asian Student Association, Professional Women’s Council, and the Zeta Eta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. With servant leadership in mind, Shabaz also served on institutional and community committees, including UNT's HSI Task-force, Men of Color Task- force, Student Conduct Review Committee and the Ethnic-Minorities committee for the National Council on Family Relations. She served as the Vice President of Finance for the UNT Black Professional Network, which is an employee resource group that serves to amplify the voices of Black faculty and staff, as well as enhance the campus climate and Black professional development. As Shabaz desired to connect the relations of human development to overall student development, she served as adjunct faculty in the UNT Department of Educational Psychology. She is a member of several research teams that work to understand the impacts of systemic oppression on the well-being of marginalized folks, including the effects of discrimination on young Black adults’ mental health and the impact of COVID-19 on the Black student experience. Shabaz believes in working daily to empower the communities she serves, as well as provide education and consultation to community partners, allies, and stakeholders. Her goal is always to advocate for and assist communities in leading sustainable, secure, and fulfilling lives, through an equity and inclusion lens. In her leisure time, she likes to practice mindfulness, meditation and spend time in nature by hiking. She is excited to bring a wealth of knowledge into her new role, serve the UTA campus community, and build relationships that will have lasting impact.

Bio: Ace Willis is a southern Louisiana native, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The Southern University A&M College. Ace received his Masters of Science in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Tennessee-Martin. Ace’s background has allowed him to work at various institutions including HBCUs, private liberal arts, and large-HSI & AAPI serving public institutions over the past seven years. With a career in higher education that started in residential life, Ace has always been adamant about creating a sense of belonging, understanding, and learning for the culturally diverse students that he has worked with. Ace now serves as an Assistant Director in the Intercultural Student Engagement Center.

Bio: Nico Covarrubias is an Ohio native and received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Masters in Higher Education from the University of Toledo. After graduation Nico moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex where he started his career at the University of Texas at Arlington in the Summer of 2017 for the Department of Apartment & Residence Life. After a long standing career in Apartment and Residence Life, Nico transitioned into his current department the Intercultural Student Engagement Center where he is currently is an Assistant Director.

Bio: Mireya Contreras was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY to Honduran parents. In 2010, Mireya moved to Texas where she completed both her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Health Promotion at Texas A&M University- Commerce, while working in Housing. Upon graduation, she went to work in the nonprofit world for 2+ years. On her spare time, she loves to visit coffee shops and have a cafecito con pan.

Bio: Katherine is a Salvadoran Latina born in Fairfax, Virgina, but moved to Texas at 3 months old. As a recent graduate from the class of 2023 at the University of Texas-Arlington, with a degree in Sociology and a minor in Mexican American Studies, she was a part of several organizations such as the Association of Mexican American Students and the Cat Coalition. As well, she researched and wrote a variety of topics such as the Effects of American intervention in El Salvador, and Latinas in Video Games and Game Development. As hobbies, Katherine likes to play video games, cook, and play with her dogs, Cookie and Minnie.

Bio: Brianna Gomez is an El Paso, Texas native who obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management at the University of Texas at Arlington. She is currently pursuing her Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a Higher Education Administration emphasis at UT Arlington, where she also serves as a Graduate Assistant in the Intercultural Student Engagement Center. She enjoys playing volleyball and golf, watching TV shows, and trying new food spots.

Bio: Harsh was born in India and completed his bachelor's in computer engineering from there with first-class distinction. Currently, he is pursuing his master's in computer science at UTA. During his time in India, he actively connected with numerous social organizations. Known for his friendly nature and love for Math, he also indulges in hobbies like traveling, music, and reading. Harsh is always enthusiastic about exploring new horizons and embraces opportunities that challenge him. He is a dedicated and hard-working individual with a special interest in social welfare. Additionally, he enjoys playing games and sports, and his favorite cuisines are pizza and Indian food.

Bio: Rashini is a senior majoring in Psychology (B.Sc.) with minors in Neuroscience and Social Justice and Social Welfare. She is a third culture kid, raised in Dubai, U.A.E. and born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She is involved in multiple student organizations and is a grassroots organizer. Rashini has a black cat named Salem and loves to try new foods!

Bio: David is currently a sophomore at the University of Texas at Arlington and is currently pursuing a degree in elementary education. He is also the Student Assistant for the Intercultural Engagement Center. He is from Little Elm, Texas and graduated from Centennial High School, where he played tenor trombone and bass trombone. His hobbies include listening to music, writing, and reading comic books.

Bio: This is Denzel Peters. He is an aerospace engineering major and a student assistant here at ISEC. Some of his favorite hobbies include playing soccer, watching anime, and playing video games. He is passionate about the aviation industry and hopes to one-day fly in a jet pack (if they are ever created).