ACU and DePaul Conference on Community Engagement and Service-Learning

Associate Professor of Political Science, DePaul University

Christina Rivers is an Associate Professor of Political Science at DePaul University. She is the author of The Congressional Black Caucus, Minority Voting Rights, and the U.S. Supreme Court, and has written about ballot access for pretrial detainees, felony disenfranchisement laws, and prison-based gerrymanders. From 2016-2024 she taught at Stateville Correctional Center as part of DePaul's Inside-Out Prison Exchange program and coordinated a law & policy think-tank. There, she collaborated with her incarcerated students in writing the Re-Entering Citizens Civic Education Act, which mandates voter & civic education as part of the exit process from Illinois' prisons. She also volunteers with voter access and education for eligible voters at Cook County jail, serves on the "Freedom to Learn" campaign to expand college programming in Illinois prisons, and directs the DePaul Institute for Restorative Educational Engagement, which seeks to enhance academic and civic programming for incarcerated students and their communities.

Master’s in Public Policy candidate, DePaul University

David Pintor was born and raised in Chicago, IL, and brings over 18 years of experience in community engagement throughout the city. He is currently a Master’s in Public Policy candidate at DePaul University, where he previously earned his BA in Sociology after beginning his undergraduate studies at Carleton College in Minnesota. David’s professional journey has been deeply rooted in equity, education, and grassroots building. He has served as a Program Manager at DePaul’s Steans Center since 2019, where he cultivates university-community partnerships and strengthens student community engagement. His diverse background includes roles in community organizing, nonprofit management, anti-oppression training, and work as a teaching artist. Outside of his professional life, David enjoys collecting vinyl records, spending time with his two dogs, Cacahuate and Frijol, and never turns down a plate of chilaquiles. 

Architect and Environmental Planner, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde

Dottie Asela D. Domingo is a licensed Architect and Environmental Planner. In 2010, she joined De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde as a pioneering faculty member of its Architecture Program. In 2015, she was chosen to be OIC Associate Dean. A year after, she was appointed Dean for the School of Design and Arts handling thirteen Degree Programs. Under her 8-year Deanship, she has stabilized its school operations, sustained its growth even during pandemic, and spearheaded its strategic spin-off into 3 new schools. Currently, she is serving as Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of Academics. She is also recently appointed as Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Architecture Technical Panel member.

Prior to joining Benilde, Arch. Asela had years of corporate practice in different real-estate companies, Ayala Land, Landco Pacific, and Phinma Properties. She completed her Architectural degree in UP Diliman and her MBA in Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

Senior Director of integrative Engagement and Global Impact, Northeastern University

Dr. Becca Berkey is the Senior Director of integrative Engagement and Global Impact at Northeastern University, overseeing Community-Engaged Teaching & Research as well as the John Martinson Honors Program, and additionally serves as a lecturer in Human Services at the university. She has more than 15 years of experience in higher education, and is an interdisciplinary learner, researcher, and educator focusing in her role as a practitioner-scholar on faculty development and community impact of SLCE, and in her role as a scholar-activist as an Environmental Sociologist working with community and coalition-based organizations on issues pertaining to farmworker justice, health, and safety. 

Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Media & Sport Management at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Doug Strahler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, Media & Sport Management at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. With expertise in strategic communication and media, he teaches courses in digital media production and engages in research focused on community engagement and media studies. He was the recipient of the 2016-17 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and serves as a Community-Engaged Learning Faculty Associate with SRU’s Center for Community Engagement. Outside the classroom, he is actively involved with the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE), Campus Compact, and the New York State Communication Association. 

Senior Lecturer (Bioscience), Australian Catholic University (ACU) School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences

Isabelle Lys is a Senior Lecturer (Bioscience) at Australian Catholic University (ACU) School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences. She has more than 20 years of experience in higher education as a researcher and educator.  As an ally for Aboriginal and Torres Strait students and staff, and local communities, Dr Lys  advocates for Indigenous Knowings in Sciences. She has experience in scholarship and teaching of Community Engagement (CE) in both Biomedical Science and Exercise Science disciplines, in addition to teaching Biomedical/Health Science units. She completed the De La Salle University Uniservitate Service-Learning Course in 2022 and is one of the co-facilitators of the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement Practitioner Scholar Committee (IARSLCE PSC) online course. Her passion is in leading/developing CE curriculum/projects that are inclusive, reciprocal, engaging, evidence-based, and addresses real-world challenges. 

Director of Education Training, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Dr. Wedemeyer serves as Director of Education Training in the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine where she collaborates across disciplines to develop community engagement and service-learning initiatives within the surrounding communities. As Assistant Professor, she also has teaching responsibilities across several courses including as small group facilitator in the Promotion & Maintenance of Health and Art & Practice of Medicine. Her research and scholarly activity have been informed by positions in humanities and professional school graduate assistantships, research assistantship with University of Michigan youth injury prevention, and presently on creating pathways for youth to become compassionate, community-engaged physicians.  

Physiotherapist, Mercy Health

Ellen is an experienced physiotherapist who embraces new challenges, including establishing the primary contact physiotherapy role in the Emergency Department at Bendigo Health. She enthusiastically joined the iGEN program when the opportunity arose in 2019 and has since played a pivotal role in its leadership. Ellen has been instrumental in guiding the intergenerational program through its early development, the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its continued growth and refinement. Her visible passion for iGEN is fuelled by the joy of witnessing meaningful relationships form between students and residents, and the benefits for all involved. Ellen has also supported the ACU research team in collecting data on the program, aiming to deliver the best possible experience for all participants while contributing to the broader research base on intergenerational programs involving teenagers. 

Colin Hogan
Secondary Teacher, Catherine McAuley College

Colin is an experienced and passionate secondary teacher at Catherine McAuley College in Bendigo, Victoria. With extensive pastoral leadership experience across various year levels and structures within the College, he transitioned into a leadership role within the iGEN Learning program to further support students’ personal development. Colin has actively pursued the growth of the iGEN program, both within his school and across other Mercy Education and affiliated Colleges. Through his involvement and leadership in the program, he has collaborated with the ACU and GrandSchools research teams, and engaged in professional dialogue on the field of intergenerational learning, recognising its value in fostering meaningful, collaborative, and constructive connections between students and others in the community. 

Executive Director, Steans Center, DePaul University

Dr. Rosing is the Executive Director of the Steans Center. He oversees the work of Academic Service Learning and the Egan Office for Urban Education and Community Partnerships and supports DePaul's partnership with the Asset-Based Community Development Institute. He works with faculty to develop scholarship on service-learning and community-based research and serves as a faculty member in Community Service Studies and an affiliate faculty member in Geography, Sustainable Urban Development (MASUD) and Community Psychology. He also co-directs MASUD. Dr. Rosing has taught and developed numerous service learning courses including Community Food Systems, Sustainable Urban Food Systems, and Geography, Food and Justice. His teaching directly supports DePaul's Minor in Food Studies and Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Urban Food Systems. Dr. Rosing is a cultural anthropologist whose research focuses on sustainable food systems development, urban food access, economic restructuring, and food justice movements in Chicago and the Dominican Republic. 

Lecturer, Thomas More Law School (TMLS), Australian Catholic University (ACU)

Ian Lam is a Lecturer in the Thomas More Law School (TMLS), Australian Catholic University (ACU). Before joining TMLS, as a qualified solicitor and chartered accountant, Ian taught taxation law in the Peter Faber Business School of ACU. Currently, Ian is a teaching scholar specialised in Commercial Law and Taxation Law. Ian is also the pro bono program coordinator at the TMLS which is the only law school in Australia that requires students to complete 80 hours of supervised pro bono legal work within the law curriculum. The program provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate positive impact on society. In the past three years, Ian and the pro bono team has taken the program to a new level by working with approx. 250 students/year, and providing no less than 50,000 hours of pro bono legal work (20,000 hours/year) to help the vulnerable in the community.

Assistant Director, ABCD Partnerships, DePaul’s Asset-Based Community Development Institute, DePaul University

Jen Kouba (they/them) holds both BA and MA degrees from DePaul University's College of Communication. They currently serve as the Assistant Director of ABCD Partnerships at DePaul’s Asset-Based Community Development Institute and teach in both the Peace, Justice, & Conflict Studies Program and the School for Continuing and Professional Studies. Jen is both a certified Peace Circle Facilitator and Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program’s Facilitator. 

Beyond their work at DePaul, Jen is a job developer and job coach with Project Wright Access at Wilbur Wright College, supporting young adults with disabilities in career development. Their writing has appeared in Speak Up Magazine, Advancing Philanthropy, Better Magazine, and Harness Magazine. Jen has also been featured on media platforms such as CANTV’s Change Agents, Fox 32 Chicago, Comcast Newsmakers, and WBEZ. 

Jen is an avid traveler, artist, reader, and volunteer living in Chicago.  

Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), Lecturer at Australian Catholic University (ACU)

Jessica Malcolm is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and lecturer at Australian Catholic University (ACU), dedicated to advancing education innovation in nutrition and dietetics. With extensive experience working alongside schools, community organisations, and government agencies, she designs collaborative initiatives that improve nutritional outcomes across diverse population groups. Her work spans settings that support people of all ages, backgrounds, and health needs. 

In her role at ACU, Jessica coordinates units within the Bachelor of Nutrition Science and Master of Dietetic Practice programs, integrating public health, community nutrition, and culinary nutrition into curriculum design. She champions experiential and community-engaged learning, creating meaningful, practice-based opportunities that develop socially responsible, adaptive, and future-focused graduates.  

Director, DePaul University Egan Office of Urban Education

Professor John Zeigler is Director of DePaul University Egan Office of Urban Education and He believes in the power of building effective networks and creating opportunities for community partners to share their practices, promising ideas, and challenges to create impact. His work is rooted in the belief that if we create the right environments people will organize together and solve their own problems. He works with local leaders to assess the opportunities and needs that can be addressed by leveraging internal resources with external investment. He is an Asset Based Community Development and Shannon Institute Fellow. While director of the Egan Urban Center he was awarded the Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace award given by Morehouse College in Atlanta Georgia. John has been awarded the Peace Corp’s Loret Miller Ruppe Award for Outstanding Community Service, Young Chicago Authors Wallace Douglas Distinguished Service Award, and the State of Illinois, “Everyday Hero”.  

Community Development Program Manager, DePaul's Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning

Kaliah Liggons is the Community Development Program Manager at DePaul's Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning. Kaliah graduated from DePaul University with a Master of Public Administration degree. She currently holds a B.A. in Sociology and a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. Some of her social interests include educational reform, youth advocacy and food and housing insecurity. Kaliah enjoys traveling and exploring diverse cultures, live music, culinary experiences and learning, often referring to herself as a life learner. 

Founding director, Master of Occupational Therapy program, DePaul University

Dr. Kate Barrett joined DePaul University in the Fall of 2019 as the founding director of the Master of Occupational Therapy program. Building on the mission of DePaul University, she developed a community-engaged curriculum in which each occupational therapy student is paired with a community partner for the duration of their didactic curriculum.  

Her primary areas of interest include global health, immigrants & refugees, and integrating skills for cultural fluency into health care education. She serves on the Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation academic committee and has taught courses in the first occupational therapy baccalaureate program in Haiti at the Episcopal University of Haiti. Over the past 30 years, she has partnered with organizations in Peru, Ecuador, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic to build relationships and learning experiences that support the growth of the profession globally.  

  

Senior Lecturer (Music Education) and National Professional Experience Coordinator, Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University (ACU)

Kathleen is an international leader in community engagement through music and education, with a 40-year career embedded with social justice advocacy. Her work uses the performing arts to address critical social issues, creating transformative learning experiences for participants while affecting positive change. At ACU, she leads longitudinal research on the impact of issues-based community music engagement in higher education. Accolades include the University of Surrey (UK) Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Achievement Award (2017), ACU’s Vice-Chancellor Staff Excellence Award for Community Engagement (2021), and an ACU Citation for Contributions to Student Learning (2022). A highlight of her work was co-creating Street Requiem in 2014. It has been performed over 45 times globally, including at Carnegie Hall, and received a Special Judge’s Citation from The American Prize for “Dignifying the Homeless Through Song”. “Kathleen McGuire Day” was designated by two San Francisco majors in 2010 and 2013, recognising her significant contributions to the community.

Head of ACU Engagement - Brisbane, Australian Catholic University

Assistant Deputy Head, School of Allied Health, ACU

Michelle is the Assistant Deputy Head in the School of Allied Health, based in Melbourne. Michelle is the Speech Pathology lead for CE, and has recently commenced a lead role for the School of Allied Health. She is the National Lecturer in Charge of the third year Speech Pathology unit Community Development, Public Health and Speech Pathology, and also supports the teaching team who deliver the first year unit Communication and Development Across the Lifespan. Michelle is interested in understanding how best to support students and staff when working with communities, and how we can engage in community experiences to develop well-rounded, civic-minded health professionals.  

Associate Director, Egan Office for Urban Education and Community Partnerships, Irwin W. Steans Center at DePaul University

Dr. Mónica Haydeé Ramos is the Associate Director of the Egan Office for Urban Education and Community Partnerships at the Irwin W. Steans Center at DePaul University. She oversees school-based partnerships, family engagement, and community partner internships. Additionally, she collaborates with faculty in service-learning courses that connect their coursework with urban education. She is an adjunct professor in the Community Service Studies minor and Latin-American and Latino Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Education at DePaul University. 

Dr. Ramos received a Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) award and a UNESCO CONFINTEA fellowship. At UNESCO, she researched intergenerational learning in immigrant communities and contributed to the publication Learning Together Across Generations: Guidelines for Family Literacy and Learning Programs. She is an active member of UNISERVITATE, a global network of community engagement practitioners in higher education, and CLAYSS, the Latin-American Center for Service Learning and Solidarity.  

Advocate, Author, and Change-Maker, DePaul University

ACU Coordinator, Clemente Australia 

Brian Gurney, MTC Deputy Governor 

Associate Professor, National School of Education, Australian Catholic University

Renata Cinelli is an Associate Professor in the National School of Education, Australian Catholic University. Renata has both interest and experience working with and in communities of cultural diversity. She has led 10 international experiences for Australian pre-service teachers to countries such as Solomon Islands (2014-2020), Kiribati (2017-2018), and Italy (2018-2019), as well as experience conducting culturally appropriate research with Aboriginal peoples in urban, regional, and remote communities in Australia (since 2009). Renata has taught units on service learning, community engagement, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, and she supervises PhD students undertaking research in culturally diverse communities. Renata’s involvement in the Solomon Islands teacher education immersion program (with the team Jones, Cinelli, Gallagher, and Deenmamode) was recognised via the Uniservitate Award (2022) for providing the best service-learning experience in the Asia-Pacific region.