Diversity Spotlight Archive

Year-round, we spotlight people in our community, whether they are students, faculty, staff or alumni. Learn more about the people who make RIT/NTID an amazing place to be.

Heritage/Topic
Relationship to RIT/NTID
Pride Month

Anthony Bizzarro ’16 (He/Him/His)

Freelance ASL Interpreter

Self-Employed

PRIDE means visibly being your most authentic self. PRIDE is me being the person I wanted to be.

Portrait of Anthony Bizzarro

Freelance ASL Interpreter

Self-Employed

PRIDE means visibly being your most authentic self. PRIDE is me being the person I wanted to be.

Anthony graduated with a BS degree in ASL - English Interpretation (ASLIE) in 2016 from RIT/NTID and is currently enrolled in NTID's Health Care Interpretation MS program.

About Anthony

Pride Month

Raymond Ramirez ’15 (He/Him/His)

Operations Coordinator

Sorenson Communications

Pride celebrations should be fun, liberating, and safe for everyone to participate in. We need to protect and nourish our community.

Portrait of Raymond Ramirez

Operations Coordinator

Sorenson Communications

Pride celebrations should be fun, liberating, and safe for everyone to participate in. We need to protect and nourish our community.

Raymond was heavily involved in the LGBTQ+ scene at NTID during his years at RIT.

About Raymond

AAPI Heritage Month

Kaylee Willard ’22 (She/Her/Hers)

Accounting Technology AAS

RIT/NTID

I appreciate that we’re able to connect with like-minded people at NTID as well as learn more about other cultures.

Portrait of Kaylee Willard

Accounting Technology AAS

RIT/NTID

I appreciate that we’re able to connect with like-minded people at NTID as well as learn more about other cultures.

Kaylee is a Accounting Technology AAS '22 student who shared a little about her experience at RIT/NTID.

About Kaylee

AAPI Heritage Month

Aileen Wu ’13 (She/Her/Hers)

Visual Information Specialist

FDIC

Use negatives to better yourself. Constantly prove people wrong and show them that you can do it.

Portrait of Aileen Wu

Visual Information Specialist

FDIC

Use negatives to better yourself. Constantly prove people wrong and show them that you can do it.

Aileen graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design and is now working for the government in Arlington, VA.

About Aileen

AAPI Heritage Month

Melissa Keomoungkhoun ‘15 ‘16 (She/Her/Hers)

Marketing Event Coordinator

Sorenson Communications

I strive to be an example to my sisters, my family and my friends to always thrive and be one step ahead.

Portrait of Melissa Keomoungkhoun

Marketing Event Coordinator

Sorenson Communications

I strive to be an example to my sisters, my family and my friends to always thrive and be one step ahead.

Melissa graduated from RIT/NTID with a BS and MS, is the founder of Asian Hungry, and is a Marketing Events Coordinator at Sorenson Communications.

About Melissa

Featured Profile

Dhruvesh Patel ‘22 (He/Him/His)

Business Administration MBA

RIT/NTID

I hope to inspire my deaf peers and be a role model to them.

Portrait of Dhruvesh Patel

Business Administration MBA

RIT/NTID

I hope to inspire my deaf peers and be a role model to them.

Graduating in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration–Management, Dhruvesh is working on obtaining his MBA from RIT in 2024 with aspirations of being successful in the business field.

About Dhruvesh

Featured Profile

Denise Herrera ‘04 (She/Her/Hers)

Interpreter and Program Coordinator, Randleman Program

NTID Department of Access Services

Assumptions limit us; therefore, I don’t want any assumptions. See me for who I am, don’t assume.

Portrait of Denise Herrera

Interpreter and Program Coordinator, Randleman Program

NTID Department of Access Services

Assumptions limit us; therefore, I don’t want any assumptions. See me for who I am, don’t assume.

Dee is an interpreter and program coordinator for the Randleman Program.

About Dee

Women's History Month

Jessica Contreras (She/Her/Hers)

Research Program Coordinator

NTID Research Center on Culture and Language (CCL) and Rochester Bridge to Doctorate Program (Bridges)

I think women’s history month is a time to recognize, yes, we deserve equality no matter what our gender is in EVERY aspect.

Portrait of Jessica Contreras

Research Program Coordinator

NTID Research Center on Culture and Language (CCL) and Rochester Bridge to Doctorate Program (Bridges)

I think women’s history month is a time to recognize, yes, we deserve equality no matter what our gender is in EVERY aspect.

Research Program Coordinator for NTID Research Center on Culture and Language (CCL) and Rochester Bridge to Doctorate Program (Bridges).

About Jessica

Women's History Month

Rain Bosworth (She/Her/Hers)

Assistant Professor

NTID Department of Liberal Studies

My peers at RIT/NTID frequently let me know that my views are important. I love that feeling.

Portrait of Rain Bosworth

Assistant Professor

NTID Department of Liberal Studies

My peers at RIT/NTID frequently let me know that my views are important. I love that feeling.

Rain is an Assistant Professor in the NTID Department of Liberal Studies.

About Rain

Women's History Month

Trisha Gard-Thompson (She/Her/Hers)

Lecturer/Co-op Coordinator

NTID Department of Engineering Studies

Every woman I meet inspires me in different ways. I'm built with that support and I can say that they're all my heroes.

Portrait of Trisha Gard-Thompson

Lecturer/Co-op Coordinator

NTID Department of Engineering Studies

Every woman I meet inspires me in different ways. I'm built with that support and I can say that they're all my heroes.

Trisha is a lecturer and Co-op Coordinator in the Department of Engineering Studies.

About Trisha

Women's History Month

Jalon Hall ‘19 (She/Her/Hers)

Investigator Analyst, Social Impact and Human Rights

Google

It's through darkness and through isolation that you really find what is truly important to you.

Portrait of Jalon Hall

Investigator Analyst, Social Impact and Human Rights

Google

It's through darkness and through isolation that you really find what is truly important to you.

Jalon received her AS degree in Hospitality Services Management AS in 2017 and finished her undergrad career with a BS in Human Resources Management. She minored in communication and entrepreneurship with an immersion in criminal justice.

About Jalon

Women's History Month

Mechelle Cureaux ‘22 (She/Her/Hers)

Chemistry MS

RIT/NTID

Don't let someone change who you are at heart. Let people transform you into a better person, but never let them dim your shine.

Portrait of Mechelle Cureaux

Chemistry MS

RIT/NTID

Don't let someone change who you are at heart. Let people transform you into a better person, but never let them dim your shine.

Mechelle is a second-year Chemistry master’s student expected to graduate in May 2022. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Loyola University New Orleans.

About Mechelle