Meet Our Staff

Maureen Chiriguayo is the Office Manager for Student Support Services and Outreach Programs.  She relocated with her family from Westchester County, New York.  She is currently enjoying her new home and the warm, beautiful weather with her husband and children in Naples.  Maureen received her BS in Business Administration & Management from Dominican College in NY. Her background includes Verizon, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, & New York Medical College where she provided support to companies such as the NY Stock Exchange, MTA, Bloomberg, and IBM.  She enjoys working in the student environment along with her corporate background and is happy to be a part of FGCU.

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 (Alex) 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.

Carolyn Greene is a proud native of Trinidad and Tobago. She came to Florida Gulf Coast University in 1997. She has served in the Division of University Advancement, the Office of Community Outreach, and is currently the Senior Database Specialist in the TRIO and Outreach Programs. She earned her bachelor degree in Communication and a masters degree in Public Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University. 

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.

 

Darcy Dalziel was born and raised in Iowa and is a proud graduate of the University of Iowa (Go Hawks!). After receiving her Bachelors in History, she worked for a Christian non-profit organization, leading humanitarian aid and mission trips all over the world. After working in finance and social services, she worked with youth building educational and employment skills for a WIOA program in North Carolina. When her dream job of working with students to build their educational future presented itself in sunny southwest Florida, she jumped at the chance!

Darcy is passionate about seeing students reach their educational potential and helping them achieve their goals for the future. In her spare time, she likes to volunteer at church, spend time with family, read and travel. 

 

Dakendo Michel was born in Léogâne, Haiti, and raised in Fort Myers, Florida. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated (GOMAB!) and is an alumni of Florida Gulf Coast University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and graduated with high honors earning him the rank of Magna Cum Laude. While at FGCU, he served as a Youth Development & Empowerment Service Ambassador for the Office of Service Learning & Civic Engagement, member of Student Support Services (SSS), member of Golden Key International Honor Society, and served as the Vice President for Phi Alpha Honor Society.

During his incredible undergraduate experience at FGCU he states that, “Receiving the opportunity to give back to the community (earned a total of 1,234.5 service learning hours) and being honored as the 2015 College of Health Professions and Social work undergraduate Student of the Year as some of his most memorable memories.” A few things that he enjoys doing in his spare time is playing basketball, listening to music, reading, and mentoring.