Amanda oversees the partnership process, training, outreach, and research. She has enjoyed supporting hundreds of service learning partnerships with New Orleans-based organizations since 1999. Amanda graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Newcomb College. When she isn't  working for CPS, Amanda spends time on an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in  Urban  Ecology and  rebuilding historic residential property.

Michael Pizzolato, Program Manager
mpizzola@tulane.edu

Michael works to build partnerships between the New Orleans community and the university.  He supervises an AmeriCorps*VISTA program. This program has been recognized as one of the best 'Corporation for National and Community Service' funded programs in Louisiana.  Prior to Tulane, Michael worked with Catholic Charities of New Orleans. He worked in the emergency services office and with a homelessness prevention program for families.  Following completion of his Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Millsaps College, he served for one year with an education-focused non-governmental organization in Honduras.

Bridget Smith, Senior Program Coordinator
bridget1@tulane.edu

Bridget assists community agencies new to the partnership process, as well as coordinating the Spanish department's Service Learning courses. As the contact person for the Help NOLA program, she also offers guidance to groups from around the country looking to volunteer in New Orleans. Prior to CPS, Bridget has worked with various recovery agencies assisting displaced families post-Katrina. After receiving her Bachelor's degree in International Development and Latin American Studies from UCLA, Bridget has spent time volunteering in East Africa and traveling extensively throughout Latin America. Outside of work, Bridget enjoys dancing with New Orleans' Casa Samba and learning to play Latin percussion.

Dr. Agnieszka Nance, Assistant Director
anance@tulane.edu

Agnieszka is responsible for providing a wide variety of services and support for Tulane faculty engaged in service learning, ranging from course coordination to various workshops, seminars, grant opportunities, and conferences.  As a former faculty member at Tulane, Agnieszka's goal is to address her colleague's questions and concerns regarding service learning and the graduation requirement for Tulane students.  In 2004, she received her Ph.D. in Germanic Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.  Hook 'em Horns!  Before moving to the United States, she lived and studied in Warsaw and Vienna, earning a Magister degree in Germanistik. Agneiszka enjoys reading, traveling, teaching and practicing yoga, as well as the stress relief of BodyCombat.

Sarah Andert, Senior Program Coordinator, Internships
sandert1@tulane.edu

Sarah facilitates the internship process, working with various academic departments to develop public service opportunities and recruit and match students with these internships throughout the community. Sarah is a graduate of Tulane University where she received her Master's degree in English and her Bachelor's degree in English and Classical Studies.  A former staff writer for Gambit Weekly Newspaper, she has written on a variety of issues in New Orleans ranging from human trafficking to the local food movement. A native of Minnesota, Sarah still misses snow after living in New Orleans for nearly a decade. But she insists she's lost her "Fargo" accent.

Adam Beebe, Senior Program Corodinator
abeebe@tulane.edu

Adam coordinates service learning for Tulane courses.  Having grown up mainly in Chicago, Adam obtained a BA from the University of Chicago and is currently working towards finishing his MA in Latin American Studies from Tulane with a thesis focusing on Brazilian poetry in the 1970s.  He is also involved with community radio and is an executive staff volunteer and DJ at WTUL.

Ashley Chapman, Senior Program Coordinator
aschapma@tulane.edu

Ashley Chapman works with the Faculty Training and Support Unit and other CPS teams to implement and improve center programming. Ashley is a recent graduate of Loyola University New Orleans with a BA in English and Africana Studies.

Monique Labat, Internship Senior Program Coordinator
mlabat@tulane.edu

Monique develops the public service internship program by coordinating roles with academic departments and helping to recruit and place students in internships throughout the community. She obtained her MA in Latin American Studies from the University of Miami and her BA in International Studies and Political Science from Rhodes College

Maurice Smith, Senior Program Coordinator
mlsmith@tulane.edu

Maurice coordinates service learning classes in a wide range of disciplines, providing support to both faculty and students throughout the semester. He obtained his M.Ed in College Student Personnel Administration from James Madison University and his BA in Communications from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and studied Graphic Design at Loyola University New Orleans.  In his spare time he enjoys photography, art, cooking, and cartoons.

Katie Houck, Assistant Director
khouck@tulane.edu

Katie Houck is responsible for the Student Training and Leadership Development unit within CPS.  She oversees the Semester in NOLA program, as well as planning panel discussions, training, and leadership development workshops for students participating in different service learning opportunities.  Katie received her Bachelor's degree in History and her Master's in American Studies from the Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO.

Avery Brewton, Program Manager
abrewton@tulane.edu

Avery Brewton serves as the Community Service Program Manager, advising student groups about community service opportunities and overseeing the Community Service Scholars program.  In addition, she is the university's contact person for the Help NOLA program through which she assists students, community leaders, and faculty from around the country in promoting and coordinating volunteer opportunities throughout New Orleans.  Prior to joining the staff at CPS, Avery served as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to American (VISTA) at the Neighborhood Gallery.  A graduate of Florida A & M University, Avery holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a concentration in Urban Studies and Economic Development.

Craig Willie.  Program Manager
cwillie@tulane.edu

Craig develops the public service fellows program by coordinating roles with faculty members and helping to recruit, train, and supervise students for service learning projects.  In 2005 Craig received his Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Baylor University, where he also earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration.  Besides being an avid sports fan Craig devotes his spare time to running, sampling New Orleans' local restaurants, and serving in the Young Leadership Council.

Jim Trombella, Americorps*VISTA Leader
vista@tulane.edu

Jim is the Americorps*VISTA Leader of the CPS AmeriCorps VISTA program.  He recruits, mentors and coordinates the work of VISTA members who serve the Center's partner agencies across New Orleans.  Jim has 30 years of previous experience in mental and human services management and, just prior to coming to CPS, he served for two years in the Peace Corps teaching ESL at a primary school in a small Romanian town.  His other volunteer efforts have included: work with war traumatized children in Croatia; peace education in Capetown, South Africa; and coordination of a literacy program at a homeless shelter in his hometown of Santa Barbara, CA.  Jim received his BA in Developmental Psychology from Antioch University and completed his Master's degree in Educational Psychology at California State university, Northridge.

Penny Johnson Ward
Program Services Coordinator
pjohnso@tulane.edu

Penny Ward is a graduate of Southern University at New Orleans. Presently, she is an Urban Studies graduate student at the University of New Orleans, concentrating in Cultural and Historical Preservation. Before joining Tulane’s Upward Bound Program, Penny taught in Orleans Parish for four years as a high school Social Studies teacher, and for one year, as a middle schools teacher.

Latisha Williams, Program Coordinator
lrobert2@tulane.edu

Latisha joined Upward Bound in February 2006.  Latisha has been very instrumental in developing administrative procedures, maintaining student records, and supporting instructors and administrators in academic program initiatives.  Additionally, Latisha serves as Upward Bound's finance and communications manager.  She also co-teaches Senior Composition, preparing our Upward Bound seniors to succeed in college writing courses.  She is a student at the University of New Orleans earning a degree in Business Management.