An accomplished Educational Professional with over two decades of dedicated service in the Higher Education industry, Nestor brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.
Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering positive relationships, both within the academic community and beyond. One of his key strengths lies in driving campus-wide programs that actively promote engagement among students and faculty. He is passionate about creating a vibrant learning environment that encourages not only academic excellence but also personal and professional advancement. His initiatives foster a safe and inclusive space where diverse perspectives are valued.

Deanne DeCrescenzo, Ed.D. is a dedicated student affairs professional with extensive experience in Orientation, Leadership, and Student Activities. She has worked with both undergraduate and graduate students, creating inclusive, student-centered environments that foster engagement, leadership, and a strong sense of belonging. Passionate about student development, Dr. DeCrescenzo designs and implements impactful programs that enhance the academic experience while promoting personal growth and social change.

Asantee Mitchell, born and raised in Queens, NY, earned her Associate's degree in Marketing from New York City College of Technology and a Bachelor's degree in Mental Health from the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS). During her time as an Undergrad at CUNY SPS, she served as Co-chairperson for the Student Association and the University Student Senate, Meetings and Programming Chair for the Black Student Union, a mentor for the Black Male Initiative, and a student representative for the Committee on Inclusion, Equality, and Diversity at both the SPS and CUNY-wide levels. She also served as a student representative on the Governing Council and Class on 2023 Commencement Speaker.

Asantee is a professional life coach, author, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of The Student Place of Talent (The S.P.O.T), an organization that serves students of all ages through self-improvement workshops and events. She has also facilitated workshops at universities, middle schools, and the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen, helping individuals with self-improvement, grief, and loss for over a decade. She is the CEO and Founder of Efayes Life Coaching and Efaye Inks Publishing Company, where she has published over 50 workbooks and journals focused on personal growth and navigating various life stages. She is also the Chairperson of the Scholarship Committee of Trinidad and Tobago United Community Assocation (TATUCA).

Currently, Asantee works full-time at Northwell Health and is pursuing a graduate degree in Disability Studies in Higher Education at CUNY SPS. She also serves as a Non-Teaching Adjunct in Accessible Communications with the Disability Services Office at SPS.

Lennyn Jacob is a Latina woman, a passionate activist, and the proud mother of a neurodiverse son with autism. She served for 12 years as a Teaching Assistant for disabled children with the NYC Department of Education.

Through a global pandemic, she earned an Associate of Liberal Arts at Bronx Community College, strategically networking and bringing awareness regarding the needs of college students with disabilities in higher education to the forefront with her involvement in student leadership.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the CUNY School of Professional Studies with a Bachelor's in Disability Studies in 2025. During her time at CUNY SPS, she again found herself in a community where service to her fellow students continued to be a priority. She participated as a mentee and later became a mentor of the BMI Urban Male Scholars program. She was Co-Chair of the CUNY SPS Student Association from 2023-2025. Additionally, she was president of the CUNY SPS chapter of Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society (DAPi), an academic honor society for high-achieving students with disabilities.

Lennyn now serves as a Co-Advisor for the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities (CCSD), a student-led, student-elected university-wide group that represents CUNY’s more than 11,000 registered and self-identified students with disabilities. In this role, she advises, guides, and helps shape the next set of student leaders within this CUNY organization. As an undergraduate student, she served as Secretary and Chairperson of CCSD, preparing her to bring her unique experiences to her role as Co-Advisor. Her statewide coalition collaborations as a student leader led to the securing of funding for disability services throughout New York State, benefiting disabled college students in higher education. Her work and advocacy led her to be recognized as part of the City & State Power 100: Most Influential People in Higher Education in 2022 and 2023.

Currently working as a Disability Accommodation Specialist at Hostos Community College, she proudly serves students with disabilities in higher education. This fall, she will begin her pursuit of a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree at CUNY’s Lehman College. This foundational knowledge, combined with her years of leadership experience in the disability field, will perfectly complement her views on leading with empathy and intention in the pursuit of access.

Leonard Blades is a CUNY alumnus of Brooklyn College with a B.A in Psychology and a 3-time graduate of the CUNY School of professional Studies (SPS) where he has received the Master's Degree in Disability Services in Higher Education, the Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies and the MA in Disability Studies. He has served as the Chairperson for the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities (CCSD), the university-wide group that represents and serves CUNY’s more than 10,000 students with disabilities. He has served as the Vice Chair for Disability Affairs for CUNY's University Student Senate (USS), the representative organization that serves CUNY’s more than 500,000 students. He is also the founder of CUNY SPS' Abilities and Resources Committee, now known as the Disability and Access Coalition (DAC).

Today, Leonard is currently a returning student at CUNY SPS pursuing the Master’s Degree in Disability Studies. He works as a Disability Accommodations Specialist for the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) at Queensborough Community College (QCC). In addition, he serves as a club advisor for the CCSD@QCC student chapter, an advisor for the CCSD University-Wide Organization, and is currently a member of the MTA’s Advisory Committee for Transit Accessibility. Leonard’s motto in life is that while you may encounter defeat, you should never truly feel defeated.