Meet Our Leadership
Book office hours with our Leadership Group members. Our organization is run as a partnership between the optiMize department in the University of Michigan College of LSA and the optiMize student organization at the University of Michigan. Our first guiding principle is student-led education, youth-led change, and all decisions for the organization are made by consensus among our student leaders and full-time staff. We are proud of the democratic, participatory model we are creating together — hopefully illuminating possibilities for more just, sustainable, and joyful ways of building institutions and working collaboratively. You can learn more about us and schedule time to meet with any of our Leadership Group members below.
Not sure who to meet? Email us at optimizemi@umich.edu and we’ll help you find the right person to speak with!
Peer Mentors
Social Innovation Challenge (SIC) Leads
Andrew DiGisi (he/him)
SIC Co-President
Anne Li (she/her)
Tech Ops SIC Lead
Creative Team
Mara Serbanescu (she/her)
Content Lead
Shreya Sampath (she/her)
Design Lead
Angela Shechtman (she/her)
Content Committee Lead
Jacqueline Lopez-Bravo (she/her)
Content Lead, Design Lead
Jonathan Slack (he/him)
Design Commitee Lead
Tanvi Doshi (she/her)
Design Lead
Mikayla Misiak (she/her)
Design Lead
Tech & Ops
Bheeman Govindarajan (he/him)
Technology Operations Lead
Arvin Yaple (he/him)
Technology Operations Lead
George Kolarchick (he/him)
Operations Lead
Mentorship and Leadership Development
Connor McCormick (he/him)
Mentorship Lead
Adele Lowitz (she/her)
Infinity Lead, Accessibility & Inclusion Lead
Organizational Culture
Bella Weiss (she/her)
Organizational Culture Lead
Community Partnerships Program Assistants
Transfer Bridge Coordinators
Oresti Dine (he/him)
Wellness & Program Development
Nayseth Fernandez (she/her)
Creative & Wellness
Jasper Oakley Tinoco (he/him)
Tech Ops & Program Development
Sara Hollingshead (she/her)
Wellness, Accessibility and Inclusion, & Infinity
Paulo Zepeda (he/him)
Operations & Program Development
Tyler Phillips (he/him)
Tech Ops, Operations, & Program Development
Transfer Bridge Fellows
Alanna Schwartz
Hailey Mauro
Paulina Witt
Alicia Jackson
Lexi Keenan
Samyak Srikant
Chris Medina
Lexi Poupore
Shaina Tudayan
Day Diaz
Mary Czelusniak
Shantaisa King
Full-time staff
Jeni Olney (she/her)
Director for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Book Office Hours>>
Dallas McGhee-Henry (he/him)
Community Partnerships Manager
Not sure who you want to connect with?
Email us at optimizemi@umich.edu and we will help you find the right person!