THE BOARD
GOVERNANCE & ADVISORY
P-CoC Inc.’s Organizational Blueprint
P-CoC Inc.’s Organizational Blueprint prioritizes empowering gatekeepers with lived experiences of racial, color, and ethnic marginalization. These individuals lead initiatives, ensuring their perspectives shape the organization’s direction. The approach centers on meaningfully involving marginalized voices in shaping policies and practices that lead to lasting change. Grounded in historical context, P-CoC continues to drive purposeful efforts and strategic actions to confront long-standing barriers.
GOVERNING BOARD
Founding President | Executive Director
DR. DAMARIS-LOIS YAMOAH LANG Dr. Damaris-Lois Y. Lang has dedicated her professional journey to education and growth, with a diverse academic background. She holds a Ph.D. and an MPhil in Biology, focusing on the Neurobiology of Behavior, from The Graduate Center, CUNY, NY. Additionally, she completed the Executive Education in Public Leadership program at Harvard Kennedy School. Dr. Lang’s academic achievements also include a Master of Arts in Biology from Lehman College and a B.Sc.-Med.Sc. in Medical Sciences from the University of Ghana Medical School. Continuously seeking improvement, she has pursued another master’s degree at Teachers College, Columbia University, along with a second doctorate (Ph.D.) at Columbia University, currently at an ABD status. Her research explores the intersection of educational theory and practice, with a focus on bridging the gap between K-12 schools and higher education pedagogy. She applies both pedagogical and andragogical approaches to learning methodologies across the sciences, including social science. With over two decades of service at CUNY, she transitioned from a Full Professor of Biology to an Academic Dean at AU, where she supported STEM programs. Throughout her career, Dr. Lang has taken on various academic roles, including Science Program Director, and has chaired several institutional committees. Dr. Lang is also dedicated to community service. She served as an elected Board of Trustee member at Hastings-on-Hudson UFSD, a district recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Dr. Lang is the Founding President of P-CoC Inc., an organization focused on education, advocacy, and outreach initiatives. Her commitment to equity is central to her work, guided by the principles of ethos, empathy, and fairness. She believes that diversity plays an essential role in achieving societal equity, comparing the process to understanding how puzzle pieces fit together because of their differences. Dr. Lang emphasizes that societal equity involves neither erasing nor ignoring differences, but rather acknowledging and balancing these distinctions to cultivate an environment of equitable coexistence. Advocating for a non-political, humanistic approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, her goal is to create equitable opportunities for all individuals to succeed. Dr. Lang’s life mantra, “What we have, we did receive” (1 Corinthians 4:7), reflects her belief in extending herself to others, among other guiding principles. dlang@p-coc.org |914 281 1129 Part of: Team(s) as needed
Vice President | Deputy Director
BEA ESPINOSA With 35 years of dedicated service as an Executive Assistant at The New York Times, Bea Espinosa has been a cornerstone in supporting senior leadership and ensuring smooth operational excellence. Throughout her tenure, Bea has cultivated a reputation for her unwavering professionalism, strong organizational acumen, and commitment to fostering a collaborative work environment. Outside of her work at The New York Times, Bea is a proud mother of three and a doting grandmother. She is deeply committed to advocacy work and is particularly passionate about issues of equity and inclusion. Bea has a strong desire to partner with organizations such as P-CoC, where she looks forward to volunteering and contributing to programs aimed at empowering communities of color. Her mission is to help create positive change and ensure that all individuals, regardless of background, have equal access to opportunities for growth and success. Bea is driven by a profound belief in the power of community and is excited to collaborate on initiatives that promote diversity, inclusivity, and social justice for persons of color. bespinosa@p-coc.org |914 281 1181 Part of: Committee Outreach Team
Treasurer | Budget Director
DR. SUNEJ HANS Dr. Sunej Hans is a Full Professor of Chemistry, specializing in Organic Chemistry. She earned her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the City University of New York. Her academic journey also includes a postdoctoral fellowship at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), followed by two years of work as a Research Scientist at BNL. Throughout her career, Dr. Hans has been deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and empowering environment for students, particularly underrepresented individuals in the scientific community. Since 2014, Dr. Hans has been a dedicated mentor through the CUNY Research Scholar Program, guiding countless students in their research endeavors. Her role as a mentor extends beyond technical knowledge. She actively works to inspire confidence in her students and cultivate their passion for science. In 2020, Dr. Hans expanded her involvement in science education by joining P-CoC, where she served as the Committee Officer of the Education Program Committee and, more recently, as a Treasurer on the organization's governing board. Through P-CoC, Dr. Hans has continued her mission to empower persons of color holistically in their educational and scientific careers. shans@p-coc.org |914 500 8702 Part of: Team(s) as needed
Secretary | Communications Director
SACHI PATITUCCI Sachi Patitucci is the proud mother of two grown daughters and a professional Cellist, Artist Manager, Creative Sync Licensing Coordinator, and Music Supervisor. She graduated from the Eastman School of Music and completed her Music Supervision studies at Berklee College of Music during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sachi is a member of the Westchester Chamber Soloists and a frequent chamber music performer in the New York area. She has recorded on film and television soundtracks, recordings and music videos, and has toured the world with various pop musicians. In addition to her freelance performing career, Sachi manages her husband’s international career as a bassist and also works doing creative sync licensing for the Brad Hatfield Music Collective. She is on the Community Engagement Team at her church and frequently plays in the Worship Band. Sachi cared for her elderly parents in her home for over 11 years. She is happy to volunteer for P-CoC on the Community Outreach Team, the Advisory Board and now as the Secretary of the Governing Board and Communications Director of the Executive Operational branch of the organization. spatitucci@p-coc.org |914 500 8735 Part of: Team(s) as needed
CHAIR OF ADVISORY TEAM
TESFA STEWART tstewart@p-coc.org Part of: Team(s) as needed
OPERATIONAL DIRECTORS
Personnel Affairs Director
JERILYN DAY JOHNSON personnel@p-coc.org Part of: CO Team
Program Partnership Director
DR. RONETTE SHAW partnership@p-coc.org Part of: EP Team
Student Director
DEBORA KONADU students@p-coc.org Part of: YAF & SALT Teams
Grants Director
DR. SYLVESTER MEADOWS grants@p-coc.org Part of: RS Team
ADVISORY TEAM
Advisory Committee Participants
Explore More Information: COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMITTEE | CO TEAM Andrea DeVarie || Committee Officer Jiney Asthappan Nicole Pierrette EDUCATION PROGRAM COMMITTEE | EP TEAM Dr. Ronette Shaw| Committee Officer Keith R. Drysdale Jr. IMPACT EVALUATION COMMITTEE | IE TEAM Reginald Dorcely | Committee Officer Dr. Maria Subert Sarah Sanders PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE | PR TEAM Dr. Mark Ntiamoah | Committee Officer Dr. Oluwaseun Adelaja Dr. Enid Stubin Teresa Keys RESOURCE SOLICITATION COMMITTEE | RS TEAM Dr. Teresa Gray | Committee Officer Rona Cole-Brady Carter Jackson Ephraim Obiamaukwu SUPPORT & ADVOCACY COMMITTEE | SA TEAM Ann F Melvin | Committee Officer Luisa Fuentes ESQ Larkland George Brady
Advisory Consultants
Explore More Information: Dr. KosJ Yamoah Dr. David Gomez Dr. Larry Johnson Jr. Laura Persichette Owen Dr. Valerie Henning-Piedmonte
Advisory Supporters
Explore More Information: Ross Abrams Clarence Feng Karina Villalona Vikki-Lynne Allen Aravind Pochiraju Anthony Artuso Sr. Nana Adu Anamor-Krow Dr. Jenice Mateo-Toledo Dr. Naa Adjeley Anamor-Krow
Staff & Interns
Explore More Information: Jolene Brown | Executive Assistant Carolina Baczewski | Office Manager Ariele D'Amil | Virtual Event Moderator Samia Asif | Graphic Designer Freelancer Amy-Ruth Gyang | S.A.L.T. - High School Team Coordinator Karen Ntiamoah | Y.A.F. - College | Post Grad Team Coordinator Samia Silver | Public Relations Support Ido Udomah | Content and Social Media Manager Nadia Shahzad | Internship Coordinator & Research Assistant
