Meet Our Staff

Valerie is originally from New Mexico and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of New Mexico (Go Lobos!). Additionally, she earned her Masters of Education degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont. Valerie moved to Fort Myers and joined the FGCU family in July 2010. Since June 2014 she has served as the Director of the Student Support Services – Classic program. Valerie’s experiences and interests include supporting first-generation college students, new student orientation, fraternity and sorority life, student involvement, and assisting students with the transition from high school to college. 

Lisa received her B.S. in Public Relations and M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University. While at FIU, she served as a Graduate Assistant at the Office of Multicultural Programs & Services where she helped her students reach new heights and develop their full potential. She was afforded the opportunity to serve as an Academic Advising Intern at Penn State University’s Division of Undergraduate Studies where she worked closely with exploratory students. Prior to joining FGCU, Lisa worked as an Academic Advisor at Broward College where she assisted lower division students with educational planning and career exploration. She started her career at FGCU in 2015 as an Academic Counselor for First Year Advising and later joined the SSS Team as the Classic Program Coordinator.

Lisa is among the first generation in her family to graduate from a university and believes that advising and mentorship had a profound impact in her further pursuit in higher education. She hopes to pass along that same support and encouragement to other students as they experience their own unique journey at FGCU.  In her free time, Lisa enjoys quality time with her family, traveling, and being outdoors.

A first generation Colombian-American and native of New York, Alexandra Angel Pipitone moved to Fort Myers in 2017.  She earned a BA in Communication and an MS in Educational Administration from the University at Albany. She has over 10 years of experience in Higher Education, with 5 years of experience within Student Support Services TRIO. Her career has included event planning, program and organizational development, academic advising, marketing, and finance, to name a few. Alex’s main area of interest has always been student engagement and success in higher ed and is passionate about advocating for students and empowering them to find their voice. She stays active with yoga, salsa dancing, and spending time with her two kids.

Ana Victoria Holmes, aka Vicky, was born and raised in Miami, Florida and is the first generation in her family to be born in the United States. She joined the U.S. Army after graduating from high school. She is a Gulf War Veteran and very proud of the fact that she was able to serve and fight for our country’s liberty. While in the military she started her college education in Fort Knox, Kentucky. She completed her four years of active duty and decided to move to Fort Myers to continue her education at Edison Community College, where she graduated with an AA degree. Vicky found a great opportunity to work with the Small Business Development Center at Florida Gulf Coast University, where she worked for 11 years. In December of 2009 she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a focus on Environmental Studies and a minor in Interdisciplinary Studies.  She has worked in the Office of TRIO and Outreach Programs as the STEM Coordinator for the Student Support Services STEM Program since 2011.  In 2019, she earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Management.

Dr. Angela J. Corley has served as an advocate for students pursuing opportunities in post-secondary education for almost a decade. Dr. Corley earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Florida State University (FSU) College of Education, in her hometown of Tallahassee, Florida. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Northern Kentucky University. Prior to joining the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) TRIO and Outreach Programs staff, Dr. Corley worked for Florida A&M University (FAMU), wherein she held positions with educational programs such as Upward Bound, College Reach-Out Program (CROP), and Educational Talent Search.

Although Dr. Corley has provided leadership for Federal TRIO programs, as well as implemented numerous counseling sessions, workshops, instructional activities, college tours, and speaking engagements with TRIO participants and their families; she believes her biggest contribution has been her research. Dr. Corley’s background with first-generation college students was the inspiration for her dissertation entitled, “Understanding the College Readiness Experiences of Rural High School Students in Pursuit of Postseconday Education.”

Prior to working in higher education, Dr. Corley spent several years serving as a Public Relations professional for a major non-profit organization called, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center; located in Cincinnati, Ohio. During her tenure at the Freedom Center, Dr. Corley was an integral part of the community engagement team, which helped to raise awareness for the $110 million capital campaign for the completion of this museum, which highlights the stories of heroic leaders from the Underground Railroad to inspire modern-day freedom conductors. Dr. Corley’s experiences at the Freedom Center helped to spark her spirit of activism, which she uses today to connect TRIO students to opportunities in higher education.

 

Marie Cherline Chery is South Florida raised with Haitian roots originating from her family's hometown of Les Cayes, Haiti - often referred to as Aux Cayes - and Saint Martin's French side. As a first generation college student, she was fortunate enough to get her start in TRIO and Outreach Programs as a participant of the Student Support Services program at Edison State College. She went on to transfer to the University of South Florida where she earned a B.A in Communication with a concentration in Culture & Media. While at USF she was heavily involved in coordinating scholarship events such as the 22nd Annual Miss Haiti Cultural Pageant and successfully led the initiative to re-establish the Annual Neg Mawon Scholarship Showcase back into the USF community, following it's 3-year hiatus. She was awarded the 2016 USF Club Creole Member of the Year for her commitment to amplifying cultural awareness and recognition for Haitian-American students on campus. Her desire to further situate her studies through an interdisciplinary and global lens led her to Florida International University where she earned a M.A in African and African Diaspora Studies (AADS). Here she worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and studied the relationships between media, culture, and immigration, particularly as it relates to people from the Caribbean. She also served as the Council of Student Organizations representative for the AADS Graduate Students Associations. Marie continues to remain active in her community and has had the privilege of working alongside the National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals since 2019 and serving as a Media and Public Relations intern for Angela Rye Inc. and Impact Strategies. Marie is a pop-culture and history fanatic, when she is not writing or binge watching movies and 60 Minutes, she is spending quality time with her family and friends.

 

Anisa is a Florida native and a senior here at FGCU working to complete her bachelor's degree in Analytics & Informatics. She is passionate about helping others and is excited to be a part of the team and help assist students in their academic endeavors!