Student Staff

Speaking Center Student Staff

The heartbeat of the Speaking Center is the student staff. Through their roles as consultants, senior consultants and program assistants, these students provide campus-wide support to help peers prepare for, practice and polish their public speaking. Learn more about the Speaking Center student team here!

Consultant interns

Senior consultants

Program assistants

Meet the Student Staff


Consultant interns

The Speaking Center recruits and trains selected undergraduate students to serve as peer consultants in the center every fall and spring semester. Consultants hold regular office hours staffing the Speaking Center and take part in a weekly seminar class on public speaking, communication skills development, facilitation and consulting.

Speaking Center consultants receive academic internship credit for their time commitment.

Apply to be a consultant!

APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2023 SPEAKING CENTER CONSULTANTS ARE NOW CLOSED. If you are interested in applying to be a consultant for the Spring 2024 semester, check back during the second half of the fall 2023 semester.

Details and a link to the application are posted on the Internship Opportunity webpage. We welcome inquiries about the position! Talk with a current consultant or send an email if you have any questions. 


Senior consultants

Senior Consultants are undergraduates who serve in a variety of roles that incorporate oral communication skills development. They support first-semester consultants and help staff the Speaking Center while also providing outreach to the campus community. When available, senior consultants facilitate workshops about oral communication and presentation skills to a variety of audiences including student organizations, student leader groups, classrooms and others.

The Speaking Center senior consultants have all served at least one semester as a consultant and have successfully completed the Speaking Center consultant seminar.


Program assistants

Students who have successfully completed both the consultant and senior consultant roles have the opportunity to serve as Speaking Center program assistants. These students support senior consultants and also facilitate a variety of outreach and programming initiatives to assist in the Speaking Center's support of students' public speaking success.


Meet the fall 2023 Speaking Center student staff team!

Adelyn Hernandez Duarte headshot
Adelyn Hernandez Duarte, consultant
Adylen Hernandez Duarte 

Consultant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/minor(s): Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies with a minor in Spanish 

Hometown: Bronx, New York

Why are you working as a consultant? My goal is to create a safe space where peers can express their concerns regarding public speaking/communication in order to improve - while having someone who understands those challenges and who can offer constructive feedback and tactics without creating an overwhelming or discouraging environment. 

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The technology at the Speaking Center allows you to re-watch your presentation as much as possible to tweak but also notice improvement!

Public speaking advice:  Have a water bottle nearby when presenting in case you are parched or need a second to recollect your thoughts that you may have forgotten while presenting.

Aedan Sennett headshot
Aedan Sennett, program assistant
Aedan Sennett

Program assistant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/minor(s): Philosophy, Politics and Law with a minor in Education

Hometown:  New Paltz, New York

Why are you working as program assistant? I loved my experience as a Speaking Center consultant and senior consultant.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center to gain confidence and experience speaking publicly.

Public speaking advice:  No one knows what you know, except for you; stay confident!

Alexandra Weldon headshot
Alexandra Weldon, consultant
Alexandra Weldon

Consultant

Year:  Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Accounting

Hometown: Long Island, New York

Why are you working as a consultant? Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it is essential for academic and professional success. I want to act as source of support for students looking to improve their confidence in speaking and presenting. 

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is such a great resource for improving your presentation and public speaking skills. It is a judgment-free space for students to bring up questions about their presentations, practice speeches, and receive insightful feedback. 

Public speaking advice: Know your topic inside and out! Not only will it improve your speaking confidence, but it will help you when it comes time to answer questions from the audience. Also, make sure to practice presenting before it’s time for the real-deal! 

Anna Ashery headshot
Anna Ashery, consultant
Anna Ashery

Consultant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/minors:  Psychology

Hometown:  Albany, New York

Why are you working as a consultant? I want to learn the necessary skills to help improve my own communication/presentation skills while also being able to work with students and other peers.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should come to the Speaking Center to learn the best ways they can be the most effective presenter, in a comfortable environment. 

Public speaking advice: Always present with great confidence even if it is not fully there. As long as you appear confident, your audience will be more engaged and you will come across as more prepared and knowledgeable.

Ashley Garro headshot
Ashley Garro, consultant
Ashley Garro 

Consultant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Integrative Neuroscience with a minor in Speech and Hearing Science 

Hometown: Wantagh, New York

Why are you working as a consultant? I want to work as a Speaking Center Consultant because it seems like a great experience on campus, working with new people, and it is such a welcoming environment.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center to prepare for an upcoming presentation, or if they just want feedback on how they can improve their skills!

Public speaking advice: My tip for presentation advice is to focus on keeping your audience engaged as much as possible!                                                                                                          

Brynn Nelsen headshot
Brynn Nelsen, program assistant
Brynn Nelsen

Program assistant

Year:  Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Human Development with minors in History and Education

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Why are you working as a program assistant? I think the Speaking Center is an amazing resource, and I want to help it thrive for as long as I can!

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center helps you grow your confidence with speaking in front of people, professionally. Everyone can use practice with that!

Public speaking advice: Let your personality shine through - don't pretend to be something you are not!

Devon Nicholson headshot
Devon Nicholson, program assistant
Devon Nicholson

Program assistant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/minor(s): Business Administration

Hometown: Queens, New York

Why are you working as a program assistant?  I am eager to return to the Speaking Center as a program assistant to assist in the promotion of the center to help reach as many students as possible.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is such a useful campus resource for presentation tips and overall speaking skills that more students should be encouraged to utilize. 

Public speaking advice: As long as you have confidence, the rest will fall into place! 

Emily Mocyk headshot
Emily Mocyk, program assistant
Emily Mocyk

Program assistant

Year:  Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): P1 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student

Hometown: Jordan, New York

Why are you working as a program assistant?  I want to get more student and faculty recognition for this amazing campus resource. This position is also an amazing opportunity to meet new people and stay involved on main campus!

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? So many people, including myself, struggle with public speaking anxiety. Students should come to the Speaking Center to help ease their nerves before an upcoming presentation/speech, or practice and improve general speaking skills!

Public speaking advice: Fun fact of the day: People will not notice if you look at their foreheads instead of making direct eye contact. If you're too nervous to make direct eye contact with your audience, check out their foreheads!

Esha Sharma headshot
Esha Sharma, consultant
Esha Sharma

Consultant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/minor(s): Financial Economics with a minor in Digital and Data Studies

Hometown: Jaipur, India

Why are you working as a consultant?  I want to support Binghamton students in becoming an effective public speaker since it is an essential skill to have in building a professional career. I also look forward to enhancing my own speaking and consulting skills by becoming a part of the consultant team! 

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? It is a great space for students who want to work on developing their public speaking skills. We have all had the same experience of being nervous before any public speaking event, so we understand you and want to make sure you leave with a positive experience and more confidence! 

Public speaking advice: Know your material! If you review you it properly, you would be way more confident in presenting it in front of a wider audience. It also helps in speaking more clearly and not being all over the place if you are familiar with your material. 

Gino DeLeone headshot
Gino DeLeone, Volunteer Senior Consultant
Gino DeLeone

Volunteer Senior consultant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Systems Science and Industrial Engineering

Hometown: Elmira, New York

Why are you working as a senior consultant? Senior Consultants get to promote the Speaking Center to the student body directly, bringing greater awareness about the Center's existence and benefits!

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center helps make presenting far less daunting - it gives you confidence in your presentation and helps you improve your delivery, giving you skills you can use in the rest of your academic career and beyond! 

Public speaking advice: Finding a way to have fun with your presentation makes it far less intimidating, and far more enjoyable!

Jade (Yuqi) Zhu headshot
Jade (Yuqi) Zhu, consultant
Jade (Yuqi) Zhu

Consultant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/minor(s): Psychology with a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies

Hometown:  Zhengzhou, China

Why are you working as a consultant? My career goal is to become a substance misuse counselor, and I believe this internship will help me improve the necessary communication skills for that role. Additionally, I want to assist fellow students in preparing for their presentations since I understand how challenging it can be at times.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Most people feel nervous when they have to give a presentation, and having a practice run with peers can really boost your confidence about your content.

Public speaking advice: Keep in mind that making mistakes while nervous is normal, and if it happens, it's not the end of the world!

Jared Richman headshot
Jared Richman, senior consultant
Jared Richman

Senior consultant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Biology

Hometown: Plainview, New York

Why are you working as a senior consultant? I enjoyed working as a consultant last semester and wanted to keep spreading the word on a larger scale about the benefits of the Speaking Center.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Everybody struggles with public speaking in some capacity, so the Speaking Center is there to help alleviate those fears and build new strengths. 

Public speaking advice: If you maintain eye contact with the audience, your body language will adjust, and you will appear more confident.

Jordan Walsh headshot
Jordan Walsh, program assistant
Jordan Walsh 

Program assistant

Year:  Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Linguistics with a minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences

Hometown: Poughkeepsie, New York

Why are you working as a program assistant?  I loved my time here as a consultant and senior consultant, so I am really excited to keep working as a program assistant! I am looking forward to working with students, collaborating with other campus organizations, and expanding our amazing resources.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it is a comfortable environment to work on a skill that many people find nerve-wracking. The feedback is really helpful and can make a big difference when preparing for a presentation.

Public speaking advice: Strategically use pauses as an opportunity for you to collect your thoughts and for the audience to catch up with you and reflect on your ideas. 

Keiko Waters headshot
Keiko Waters, senior consultant
Keiko Waters

Senior consultant

Year:  Senior

Major(s)/minor(s):  Philosophy, Politics and Law and Psychology double major

Hometown: Putnam Valley, New York

Why are you working as a senior consultant? Working at the Speaking Center taught me so much about public speaking and how to help others. I am excited to come back as a senior consultant to continue to help students with their oral communication skills, and promote the Speaking Center on campus! 

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is a comfortable and friendly environment for students to work on public speaking in any capacity. We know public speaking can be intimidating for some, and we are here to help you in any way we can! 

Public speaking advice: Having confidence and believing in yourself is half the battle!

Madelyn Hoskins headshot
Madelyn Hoskins, program assistant
Madelyn Hoskins 

Program assistant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Biology with a minor in Forensic Health

Hometown: Endwell, New York

Why are you working as a program assistant? I wanted to be a program assistant because I overall love the Speaking Center environment. I also want to further support and bring new ideas to the Speaking Center!

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it is a safe and comfortable environment for them to further develop their public speaking skills! 

Public speaking advice: Turn your fears of public speaking into confidence! 

Michelle Boateng headshot
Michelle Boateng, consultant
Michelle Boateng

Consultant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/Minor(s): Human Development

Hometown: Ghana but live in the Bronx, New York 

Why are you working as a consultant? I am working as a consultant to connect with others and improve in my speaking skills.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit if they need help with a presentation or need some writing tips for presenting.

Public speaking advice: Connecting with the audience - making the audience feel included in the speech can keep the group engaged and help them connect with the information you are presenting. Make sure you are making eye contact with the audience and ask questions to encourage input from them.

Mouctar Bah headshot
Mouctar Bah, consultant
Mouctar Bah

Consultant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/minor(s): Computer Engineering

Hometown: Bronx, New York

Why are you working as a consultant? To improve my public speaking, feedback and consulting skills while helping other students to ease their anxiety and stress when publicly speaking or presenting.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is here to provide you with personalized feedback about your presentations, so you can better your public speaking skills. If you feel you're struggling with public speaking, never hesitate to stop by. 

Public speaking advice:  Learn the ability to engage and connect with the audience.

Olivia Taverni headshot
Olivia Taverni, consultant
Olivia Taverni

Consultant

Year: Sophomore

Major(s)/minor(s): Art History, with a minor in Studio Arts (Drawing)

Hometown: Queens, New York

Why are you working as a consultant? I want to help others feel confident about their public speaking skills.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center for useful advice on public speaking and presentions from students just like you!

Public speaking advice: Eye contact is crucial to keep an audience engaged while you speak to them.

Rianna Garlic headshot
Rianna Garlic, consultant
Rianna Garlic

Consultant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/minor(s): Integrative Neuroscience with a minor in Forensic Health

Hometown: Syracuse, New York

Why are you working as a consultant?  I want to build my confidence in public speaking. I also want to help create a safe and welcoming environment for students to come and practice their public speaking. 

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because public speaking can be very scary and nerve-wracking. The Speaking Center allows for students to practice their presentations in a welcoming and comfortable environment. Students are able to build their confidence and obtain feedback on their public speaking from students who understand what they are going through. 

Public speaking advice: My best advice for public speaking is to practice and thoroughly research your topic. The more prepared you are the less nervous you will feel!

Sabbir Hossain headshot
Sabbir Hossain, consultant
Sabbir Hossain

Consultant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/Minor(s): Classics (Latin and Ancient Greek) and Medieval/Early Modern Studies (pre-law)

Hometown: Staten Island, New York (originally from Bangladesh)

Why are you working as a consultant?  As someone who needs extensive practice before presenting, I understand how nerve-wracking and difficult it can be to successfully prepare a presentation. Therefore, as a consultant, I would like to help guide others through this process and demystify the art of presentations. There are aspects that an individual simply cannot notice about themselves when rehearsing and having another person provide their perspective can be an invaluable resource. 

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? At the Speaking Center, we have all the tools necessary to give constructive feedback and consultants who have been trained to that effect— I hope many students make use of this free resource which has been a great help to myself in the past. 

Public speaking advice:  I would like to impart some advice that has helped me personally become a more effective speaker: A presentation is about your connection to the audience— rethink whether the material on your presentation slides actually add any value to the content of your presentation or if it is mere distraction - more often than not, opting not to use any presentation slides at all, or using blackout slides can be more useful than having an excess of information on-screen. 

Samuel Ehrlinger headshot
Samuel Ehrlinger, senior consultant
Samuel Ehrlinger

Senior consultant

Year: Junior

Major(s)/Minor(s): History and Philosophy double major with a minor in Education

Hometown:  Farmington, New York

Why are you working as a senior consultant? Public speaking is something that I have had many opportunities to improve upon. I believe that the best way to improve is to give presentations, and that many classes to not give opportunities to do so. The Speaking Center provides one with many opportunities to do this. I hope to continue to assist students in improving while focusing more of my attention to outreach and make the great services that the speaking center offers known to more people around campus. 

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center provides a wonderful opportunity to get feedback on how to improve a presentation that you have to give. Not only that, though; the Speaking Center gives plenty of advice to improve your presentation skills at large. If you plan to go into a career that involves presenting or communication (and all careers do to some degree), a visit to the Speaking Center is a must. 

Public speaking advice: The best advice I could give is to incorporate humor into your presentation. Humor is a wonderful tool that can add so much to a presentation, and I find it unfortunate it is not utilized more.

Sebastian Velasquez headshot
Sebastian Velasquez, consultant
Sebastian Velasquez

Consultant

Year: Senior

Major(s)/minor(s): Philosophy Politics and Law & Spanish Language and Literature  double major with a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies 

Hometown: Wappingers Falls, New York

Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to become a Speaking Center Consultant because I realized the importance of communication and speaking skills in everyday life and felt I should strive to improve my skills. This opportunity can enhance my skills while helping my peers.

Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because communication skills will be one of the most powerful tools to become effective at whatever they dedicate themselves to. At the Speaking Center, we help students develop their speaking skills.

Public speaking advice: Speakers captivate their audience when they treat their presentation as conversing with each individual in the room. It will make it less overwhelming to be in front of the group, the audience will pay more attention, and the speaker will demonstrate a good handle on the information.