The Lender Advisory Group provides invaluable guidance and support for the Lender Center. Comprised of Syracuse University faculty, staff, former Fellows, and prominent community leaders, the Advisory Group regularly meets with the Lender Center staff to make crucial decisions, including selecting Lender Fellows and developing new programs.
Staci Dennis-Taylor, Esq., is an experienced litigator, mediator, and Syracuse University College of Law graduate who has served as an Assistant District Attorney, a family law practitioner, and the Principal Law Clerk to Deputy Chief Administrative Judge James P. Murphy.
Hamid Ekbia, a university professor at Syracuse’s Maxwell School, researches the political economy of computing and how technology shapes the future of work and global socio-economic relations.
Tula Goenka is a professor at the Newhouse School, filmmaker, and activist who teaches courses in multimedia storytelling, film production, and Indian cinema.
Ahlam Islam serves as the assistant director of the International Relations Undergraduate Program, drawing on her Syracuse graduate background to connect students with opportunities that foster academic curiosity and social equity.
Seyeon Lee, the associate dean of research and DEIA and Georgia Miller Associate Professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, is a former architect who researches sustainable, affordable housing and social justice initiatives for underrepresented populations.
James Haywood Rolling Jr., the interim chair of African American Studies and professor of arts education at Syracuse University, is a former NAEA President and Lender Center co-director dedicated to exploring creative resilience and social history through art and education.
Danielle Taana Smith, the faculty director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program and professor of African American studies, researches global migration, human rights, and domestic policy to improve social and economic conditions for marginalized populations.
Julia M. White, an Assistant Professor in the School of Education and director of the Atrocity Studies minor, researches special education policy and inclusive education as a human right, with a focus on Romani students and those with significant disabilities.