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Drew X Coles
Director of Educational Opportunity Programs and Assistant Dean of Students
Dr. Drew X. Coles is a scholar-administrator and educator committed to advancing equity, access, community, and institutional transformation in higher education. He currently serves as assistant dean of students and director of Educational Opportunity Programs at Bard College, where he leads student-facing initiatives that support historically underserved populations, facilitate inclusive learning environments, and foster systems-level change through student support, mentorship, and policy implementation.
Karen Ruiz León
Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion Programs
Karen is a Latina/Asian immigrant born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador. She is a passionate bilingual/bicultural advocate dedicated to the success of her students and community through a holistic approach and the lenses of equity and inclusion. With a Master’s in Higher Education Administration and a Certificate in Social Justice Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Karen is at the forefront of ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to succeed.
Carina Kohn
OEI Academic Advisor
Carina Kohn is a queer writer, editor, and educator from New York. She first discovered her passion for helping students navigate their academic journeys when she began volunteering as a college applications essay editor at SUNY New Paltz in 2017. Since then, she has coached hundreds of students in college essay writing, resume-building, and career exploration. She also has experience teaching undergraduate classes in creative writing and editing for literary magazines.
Josue Salazar Villacis
Post-Bacc
Josue is an Ecuadorian immigrant, born and raised in Pedro Carbo, Guayas. He recently graduated from Bard College with a joint major in economics and global and international studies, where he focused on economic inequality, development, and immigration. As a HEOP alum, Josue aims to support his students to find their voices and sense of belonging in higher education, regardless of their background.