About
Staff
Director of the Center for STEM Diversity (Interim)
Dr. Ellise LaMotte has always wanted to support underrepresented students in STEM as they persist to degree completion and she now has the opportunity to provide this support at Tufts University.
Prior to Tufts Dr. LaMotte was the Director of Academic Services at Olin College of Engineering working with the Provost and faculty on financial, operational and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Dr. LaMotte also spent three years with Babson College's Graduate School of Business Admissions office as the Director of Operations where she managed the reporting, event planning and recruitment outreach efforts.
Previous to Babson College Dr. LaMotte was the Director of the Women of Ethnic Diversity Initiative for the Commonwealth Institute, supporting women entrepreneurs as they grew their businesses by recruiting women, implementing programs and raising funds.
Earliest in her career, Dr. LaMotte worked within the Verizon companies managing large teams, technicians, equipment and projects. Dr. LaMotte holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering technology and master's degree in business administration, both from Northeastern University and a doctor of philosophy from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, focusing on experiences of African American women in engineering as they persist to degree completion.
As Director of the Center for STEM Diversity, she is responsible for strategic direction and infrastructure, developing and managing the external advisory board, securing programmatic resources, and grantsmanship/direction of research on best practices for broadening participation in science and engineering.
BEST Program Manager for the Center for STEM Diversity
Sehba Hasan is the Program Manager for the BEST program and takes joy in helping underrepresentedstudents achieve academic success by connecting students to right resources and organizing different workshops, seminars, events, and meetings. Born and brought-up in India, a country rich in diversity, Sehba understands and looks forward to serving a diverse population.
Before coming to Tufts, Sehba worked as an Assistant Director at the Mount Wachusett Community College and served two federally funded grants that supported First-Generation and Low-Income students and helped them achieve higher education.
She has a degree in Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunications and her Masters in Business Administration, with Management as the major. In addition to STEM, Sehba loves cooking, arts, and crafts.
Diversity Program Administrator for the Center for STEM Diversity
Before arriving at Tufts in Fall 2020, Edward Alexander created diversity education and provided strategic support for institutions of higher learning and municipal governments. He spent two years as a program assistant for the Student Life office at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he supported student-run initiatives as well as developed diversity, equity, and inclusion programming for MIT. Prior to Sloan, Edward worked as a diversity and inclusion fellow for the City of South Bend, Indiana under then-Mayor Pete Buttigieg, supporting the implementation of the city’s executive order for the development of an inclusive economy.
As an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, Edward developed diversity education seminars and colloquia for Virginia-based colleges. Some of those programs have since become accredited courses offered by the University of Virginia. As the diversity program administrator for the Center for STEM Diversity at Tufts, Edward supports the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Mechanical Engineering in developing and implementing equitable strategies for student, staff, and faculty.
Diversity Program Administrator for the Center for STEM Diversity
Mafalda has always been passionate about serving underrepresented groups in education. Mafalda spent the last two years working as a Residence Director and Co-Chair for the Council for Equity & Inclusion at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. As an RD, he supported students’ wellbeing and responded to concerns and crises as they arose. In his role as Co-Chair, Mafalda worked alongside the Dean for Equity & Inclusion on developing a positive, inclusive, and welcoming campus climate by sustaining and institutionalizing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
During his time as an undergraduate at the University of California, Riverside, Mafalda actively advocated for the undocumented student community at UCR. As a result, Mafalda served as a representative on behalf of UCR on a coalition of students and worked towards establishing permanent resources for undocumented students on all UC campuses. In coming to Tufts in Summer 2021, Mafalda's new role as a Diversity Program Administrator for the Center for STEM Diversity, he will work directly to support both the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Program Administrator for the Center for STEM Diversity
Before arriving at Tufts in 2021, Sophia earned her Bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Mary Washington, and a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Boston College. She oversaw the Campus
Activities Board at Boston College and promoted inclusive programming practices. Sophia also interned at both the University of California San Diego and Curry College; at the former, she supported a latitude of student needs through a Residence Life capacity, and, at the latter, she implemented Restorative Justice practices and created resources benefitting survivors of sexual assault.
After graduating with her Master’s degree, she worked with Wellesley College to create multi-week, comprehensive courses for all faculty, staff, and students to educate them on anti-racist practices, sexuality and gender topics, and how to be an effective ally. Sophia is also an accomplished public speaker; she has delivered speeches, presentations, and trainings to audiences of over 1,000 people on topics of leadership, advocacy, empowerment, and inclusive habits.
As the Program Administrator overseeing the STEM Ambassador program, she is responsible for the successful execution of the program and the development of the Ambassadors. Sophia is the main contact for Tufts' community partners regarding the STEM Ambassadors program and within the Engineering Ambassadors Network for Tufts.