Jesse Allen, lectures in Sociology and Composition at Guttman Community College, City University of New York. Allen brings a long history of work in education first engaging with nuerodiverse students at Future Inc., before creating narratives and directing storytelling at Brooklyn Library. Allen came to academic after serving as a Peace Corp volunteer in Ethiopia where he worked in educational development.

Shadisadat Ghaderi, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from West Virginia University (WVU), and her M.Sc. in mathematics from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Her research interests include combinatorics, graph theory, matroid theory, and their applications. Her Ph.D. dissertation is on infinite matroid theory and solving open problems in that domain. She has developed and taught various courses in mathematics at undergraduate level at WVU. She had the opportunity to teach in the Emerging Scholars Program (ESP), i.e. the honors-level calculus program with a very strong student support component, which mostly serves underrepresented minority students. She received fellowships to implement active learning methods in instruction to foster in students critical thinking and to improve their effective communications with peers as well as their technical speaking and writing skills. She also pursued a Certificate in Applied Statistics at WVU. At Guttman, she teaches statistics.

Gary Greaves, has been teaching at Guttman Community College since 2014. He holds an undergrad degree in Sociology with a minor in History and a graduate degree in Political Science from Brooklyn College. After obtaining his undergraduate degree, he was a Social Studies Teacher at his former high school Nazareth Regional where he taught World History, American History and Anthropology. He also coached the Nazareth Speech and Debate Team with students winning local, state and national championships. After graduate school, he worked as an Analyst within the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), during the Dinkins Administrations assisting New York City agencies (Police Department, Fire Department, Sanitation and others) through the managerial and performance audits process conducted by the New York City Comptroller, the New York State Comptroller as well as federal oversight agencies.

Following his time at OMB there was a stint at the Law Office of Anthony W. Agard, before moving on to the Rockaway Development and Revitalization Corporation, (RDRC), a non-profit organization in Far Rockaway, Queens. At RDRC he developed economic development strategies benefiting the commercial corridors and shopping districts in the Rockaways. He also coordinated the federal government “Weed and Seed” anti-crimes strategy in Far Rockaway in collaboration with the NYPD’s 101^st Precinct, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, state and federal elected officials, community leaders, residents, and other stakeholders. At RDRC he also developed a “Youth Entrepreneurship Program” and was RDRC’s “Employee of the Year.” He was next a Senior Program Manager within New York City’s Department of Small Business Services’ (SBS) Neighborhood Development Division during the Bloomberg Administration helping to implement economic development strategies within Brooklyn neighborhoods and commercial districts. He assisted in providing economic funding to non-profit and not-for-profit organizations to benefit local businesses and business districts. He also aided in the development of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Brooklyn to improve conditions for businesses in a specific area, attract and retain businesses, generate jobs and improve quality of life for those who use the district.  While at SBS he assisted in the agency’s rollout of the Workforce 1 Career Centers.

It was after leaving SBS, that his academic career began. As an instructor, Professor Greaves has taught Communication Studies at Long Island University, speech classes at Medgar Evers College, and American History at Katherine Gibbs. Since 2014 he has taught a variety of social science courses at Guttman Community College including: American Government and Politics, Urban Politics – New York City Government, Crime and Justice in Urban Society, Urban Anthropology, Introduction to Sociology, Introduction the Urban Planning and Policy, New York City Government, Ethnographies of Work, the Critical Issues section of the City Seminar course. He also teaches in the Political Science Department at Adelphi University. He has served as a senator on the CUNY’s University Faculty Senate, and is a trained mediator. In 2016 he received Guttman’s “Provost’s Award for Excellence in Part-Time Teaching.” He an avid runner and has participated in three triathlons, a 100-mile relay, and many 5K’s and 10K’s races.