Theme: Knowns & Unknowns

Our theme this year is KNOWNS & UNKNOWNS. We’ll be exploring some ways in which knowledge – or the absence thereof – have shaped our speakers’ personal and professional lives.

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United States

Ashley Rizzotto

career advisor

Ashley Rizzotto is a career advisor with the Office of Career Development at NSU. Ashley works with undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni to help them confidently pursue their career endeavors. Ashley is a proud native of Brooklyn, NY. She attended Stony Brook University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with two minors: Health and Wellness, and Women and Gender Studies. She continued her education by earning a Masters of Education degree in Student Affairs Administration and Higher Education at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Prior to joining the Office of Career Development, Ashley has held roles in Career Services, Orientation Services, and Health and Wellness Education. These experiences, along with Ashley’s winding and bumpy career journey to find her own path inspires her daily in helping students discover the strengths that’ll set them up for success academically, socially, and professionally.

Barry Nierenberg

professor

Barry Nierenberg, PhD, ABPP, has been working at the interface of psychology and medicine for the past 40 years, specializing in people living with physical trauma and chronic illnesses. He is a Professor of Psychology and has academic appointments within Nova’s Osteopathic and Allopathic Medical Schools. He is Board Certified in Rehabilitation Psychology, is Past President of the Academy of Rehabilitation Psychology and Past President of APA’s Division of Rehabilitation Psychology. He is the recipient of numerous national awards including APA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2008, their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009, and their Mentoring Award in 2015. In 2017, Dr. Nierenberg was selected as the NSU College of Psychology’s Distinguished Professor. Some his more recent research projects include utilizing his Well Being Workshop approach with individuals with Spinal Cord Injury. Further, he and his students are working on a novel interprofessional approach to mastering chronic pain.

Guy Harvey

artist, scientist, angler, diver, conservationist, & explorer

Guy Harvey is a unique blend of artist, scientist, angler, diver, conservationist and explorer. Growing up on the south coast of Jamaica, Guy learned to fish and dive, gaining an appreciation for the marine environment. He combines his love of the sea and a Ph.D. in marine biology with his art, business, and philanthropy. Guy’s artwork is reproduced on a range of merchandise that brings the undersea world into everyday life. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Guy Harvey product benefits the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF). The GHOF funds research organizations and educational programs worldwide and supports the NSU Guy Harvey Research Institute, which provides the scientific information necessary to understand, conserve and effectively manage the world's marine fishes and their ecosystems. Guy continues his relentless pursuit to unravel the mysteries of the sea, traveling the world to better understand the habits and habitats of marine wildlife.

Mansoor Choudhry

medical student

Mansoor Choudhry is a third year medical student at the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine and a Boston College alumnus where he studied psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy. When he is not busy with his studies, Mansoor enjoys kayaking, hiking, classical philosophy, contemporary philosophy, and learning new languages. Through his exploration of different languages, Mansoor found there were subtle differences in the ways different languages encode experienced reality. This linguistic relativity led him to pose the question: How much of the “truth” is discovered and how much is created?

Maria Valladares

student

Maria Valladares is an undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies with a minor in Paralegal Studies and Global Engagement. She was born in Nicaragua but moved to the United States with her mother when she was seven years old. Being an immigrant has enabled Valladares to be passionate about law, human rights, world issues, and equality. Valladares reflects these passions through her involvement at NSU. She is a member of the Razor’s Edge Global, a program that is dedicated to raising global awareness and celebrating diversity throughout campus. She is also the vice president of the Latin American Student Association and is currently the multicultural delegate for all of the registered student organizations. Her childhood love for storytelling is reflected in all she does because she believes that there is power in telling our stories and allowing the stories of others to inspire us to become the best version of ourselves.

Mariana Guzman de Perez

graduate student

Mariana Guzmán de Pérez is a Venezuelan who came to study in the United States five years ago. She received a Master in Applied Psychology at Lynn University and is currently in her second year as a doctoral student in Marriage and Family Therapy at NSU. Mariana, together with her husband Oscar and three children: Isabella, Juan Diego and Oscar Jr., have been able to overcome the many and not so easy challenges of living with uncertainty. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, she supports families in their resilience building efforts, giving them hope for a better future.

Rita Shea-Van Fossen

professor

Dr. Rita Shea-Van Fossen is Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Management in the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at NSU. A native New Yorker and first generation college graduate, Shea came to academics after a two-decade corporate career as a CPA, consultant, and senior financial leader. Her research explores change and challenge among individuals and organizations. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal online, and The Atlantic have spotlighted her research work. An award-winning teacher, Shea considers the best part of her job being able to help her students explore new ideas and connect them to opportunities. Shea received her BS from Rutgers University, MBA from Temple University, and PhD from Baruch College and Graduate Center at the City University of New York.

Sarah Goltsman

student

Sarah Goltsman is in the class of 2020 at NSU pursuing a major in Speech, Language, and Communication Disorders. She is from a small town outside of Chicago, Illinois, and was brought up by her mother, a Russian immigrant. She is the first generation in her family to have a shot at an American education, which has put big pressure on her to keep moving forward with no time to break. Even when the parental aspect of that faded, she found herself still putting this pressure on herself. Sarah prides herself most on her sense of humor and constant storytelling because she believes that between the two of these skills lies both the lesson to share and the way to make it last in the minds of others. Sarah is passionate about photography and stand -up comedy, and spends her time wishing she had more time to spend on those.