Joselyne Garcia Moreno is a passionate Latina-Mexicana starting her second year in the Latinx Learners concentration of the CU Denver Leadership for Educational Equity EdD program.

With a firm belief in the mission and vision of Doctoral Students of Color, Joselyne is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people of color like herself who have been denied opportunities for far too long. Her commitment to being an agent of change is apparent as she believes that organizations like DSoC and people like those who are part of it are the key to making change happen.

With her passion and dedication, Joselyne is ready to serve as the DSoC President. With the help of other DSoC members she is dedicated to creating more opportunities for our CU Denver doctoral students, scholars, and leaders of color.

Adella Arredondo is a bilingual, bicultural, first-generation Mexican American. As the daughter of immigrant parents, Adella prides herself in representing the most vulnerable and marginalized students.

Her life experiences as a student of color have shown her the far-reaching impact community services, and education can have on lifelong success. Adella brings over 15 years of leadership experience directing programs and initiatives in school districts, and local and state government ranging from family services, and home visiting to comprehensive early childhood programming and systems.

As a second-year doctoral student in the Leadership for Educational Equity EdD program with a concentration in Latinx Learners, she is interested in a leadership role with DSoC because she wants to carry forward the great work of previous DSoC leaders and members and bring additional innovative strategies to support students of color like her in the pursuit of achieving their education and lifelong success.

Branta Lockett (she/her) identifies as a Black woman and is a second-year student in the Leadership for Educational Equity EdD program in the Executive Leadership concentration.

Branta joined DSoC as secretary because she wants to help students like her feel connected and supported in order to finish their doctoral degrees.

In Branta’s professional life, she is the Executive Director of 5280 Freedom School as well as a board member of BLM 5280. She has experience in advocating for marginalized communities, families, and students and is excited to share her strengths with Doctoral Students of Color.

John Tran (he/him) identifies as a first-generation, queer, Vietnamese- American cisgender male. John is a second year student in the Leadership for Educational Equity EdD program with a concentration in Urban & Diverse Communities.

Professionally, John is an academic advisor in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder where he advises and supports Environmental Studies and Geography undergraduate students.

As a leader with over 5+ years of experience who has held various positions in non-profit organizations such as the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (UNAVSA), Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, and now serving as the Colorado 4-year liaison to Region 10 of the NACADA Global Academic Advising Community, he is looking to make an impact and strides as the treasurer for Doctoral Students of Color (DSoC).

As a previous co-executive director for a regional conference that hosted 300+ attendees from all over the North American continent, John is no stranger to maintaining current and accurate financial matters as well as collaborating with stakeholders to make sure there is available funding. John thrives in organizational management and coordinating efficient processes to make sure that everything is smooth as possible.

Valerie Richmond has eagerly worked in education for over 20 years, primarily as a middle school math teacher and department chair, then later transitioning to family engagement in district-level community-academic partnerships. Working and living in New Jersey, Florida, Virginia, and now Colorado has offered a unique perspective to teaching and learning. Having an opportunity to translate her expertise in organizational design and community outreach outside the classroom and individual school, Valerie was able to participate in the collective efforts coalesced family and community voices have on policy. Valerie’s research focuses on the influence empowered families have on education policy when they actively engage to enhance educational practices and culture. Response to these kinds of efforts generate a space for community and support for all community members, school personnel, families, and students to facilitate exceptional student achievement and social justice change, concurrently. Valerie is a mom to 4 beautiful children and is a 4th year doctoral student currently fulfilling a graduate assistantship for CU Denver’s Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in SEHD.

Daranee Teng (she/her) is an educator, daughter of Thai-Chinese-Indonesian immigrants, and community leader. As Managing Director of Programs at Moonshot edVentures, she leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of Moonshot’s innovative programming for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ education leaders to transform learning environments and experiences for students. She has spent the last 18 years working in schools and education-focused nonprofit organizations locally, nationally, and internationally.

Daranee is a Leadership Education for Asian Pacific (LEAP) Nonprofit Impact Fellowship Graduate, a board member of Colorado Dragon Boat, and a Commissioner on the City & County of Denver’s Asian American Pacific Islander Commission. Daranee earned an MA in Educational Policy & Practice from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she examined issues of race, class, gender, and equity in education. She is currently pursuing an EdD in the Leadership for Educational Equity with a focus on culturally responsive research and evaluation methods in education.

Hailing from Hawai’i and East LA, Dr. Brandehoff a first-generation high school and college graduate emphasizing the importance of individualized advising and mentorship for all students—particularly first-generation Students of Color.  She was a high school administrator and educator for over twelve years, working in alternative education as an English, ELD, and Leadership teacher, as well as a site & grant coordinator for an elementary-based after school program in San Francisco.

During her doctoral studies, Dr. Brandehoff held the role of program director for Pathways2Teaching which allowed her to explore what it truly means to teach for social justice and equity. This work led to an invitation of membership to the national Grow Your Own Collective, which she co-leads. In this role, she worked and presented with various GYO programs and leaders from around the country to create a sustainable model for recruiting & retaining diverse, community-grounded Teachers of Color. 

Dr. Brandehoff serves as a board member of the international Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed, Inc., an organization that supports individuals and groups whose work challenges oppressive systems by promoting critical thinking and social justice through liberatory theatre and popular education in marginalized communities.