Brad Jones currently serves as the Manager of Student Support Services and Mathematics Specialist in the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes (CCACSA) at Louisiana State University. He is responsible for the overall development, planning and coordinating of the math lab program, a component of the CCACSA Educational Support Services, and also assists in managing the day-to-day operations of the Tutorial Program. He designs and implements math academic support plans for student-athletes, while also working in collaboration with academic advisors and learning specialists within the center. Jones graduated from LSU with a baccalaureate degree in mathematics in 2006, then earned his master’s degree in education at Mississippi State University in 2008. He also spent four years teaching high school mathematics at Starkville High School in Mississippi and Gainesville High School in Florida before returning to Baton Rouge in 2012 to join the LSU team Jones is a member of the Louisiana College Learning Center Association (LCLCA), the International College Learning Center Association (ICLCA), the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA), and the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A). In 2019, Jones’ mathematics program was awarded the N4A “Model Practices Award” and in 2021 was awarded the ICLCA “President’s Outstanding Learning Center Award for Specialized Populations.”

Dr. Sahara Haney is the Director of the Digital Learning & Academic Support Center (DLASC) at Baton Rouge Community College. With 15 years of experience spanning K-12 and higher education, she has advanced digital learning through roles in academic support, faculty development, and digital literacy. She has developed faculty onboarding programs, guided the integration of proctoring and AI tools, and advanced inclusive approaches to instructional design. Her work centers on developing innovative digital learning practices that improve access, affordability, and student success.

Nicole Walker has a history in Speech Language Pathology and Psychology with an undergraduate degree from the University of South Alabama in Mobile and graduate degree from LSU. She worked as an SLP for 4.5 years before moving into higher education as a Learning Specialist at the LSU Center for Academic Success in March of 2023. While always having an interest in service, she has found a passion in helping college students develop metacognitive skills, build academic confidence, and find new strategies. She has served and lead multiple committees, projects, and events throughout her professional career, and she currently serves as a coordinator of the LSU Promise Scholars Program. Nicole is now pursuing a PhD in Higher Education Administration from LSU.

Julie Garza is a Senior Learning Specialist at the LSU Center for Academic Success. She holds a BS in Mathematics from LSU and an MA in Educational Leadership, Politics, and Advocacy from NYU. Julie Garza has always loved to help students and has over a decade of experience teaching middle and high school mathematics in New York City with a specialization in inclusive classrooms. She served as a 9th grade lead teacher, a mentor teacher, and math department coordinator. Upon returning to Louisiana, Julie joined the CAS team to support college students on their academic journey. As a Senior Learning Specialist, she oversees the Center’s business operations, designs and facilitates various workshops from Math Strategies to Grad School programs, and serves students every day to build up their studying and time management skills. In this leadership position with LCLCA, she wishes to expand her knowledge on college learning and connect with higher education professionals across the nation.

Elizabeth Zhang is an alumnus of Louisiana State University with her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. Elizabeth discovered her passion for education when she became a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader with the LSU Center for Academic Success in August 2019. She worked as a SI Leader and SI Mentor for three years. After Elizabeth graduated with her bachelor’s degree in May 2022, she returned to the LSU Center for Academic Success where she served as the Tutor Coordinator and the SI Coordinator. She now serves as the Academic Support Program Manager and oversees the LSU Shell Tutorial Center and the Supplemental Instruction. In this leadership role, Elizabeth empowers and helps student leaders build their confidence in their ability to help students in challenging courses. Her experience as a student leader in this program allows her to relate with her team and understand their challenges. This year, Elizabeth hopes to begin her master’s program to deepen her knowledge and expand her toolkit to help support student success initiatives in higher education learning centers.

Shayla Tran is a Senior Learning Specialist of Outreach & Engagement for LSU's Center for Academic Success. She has a BS in Kinesiology from LSU and prior to working in higher education, Shayla supported students with autism and other developmental disorders at a Comprehensive Application of Behavior Analysis to Schooling (CABAS) accredited learning center. She has been a central figure in the office for expanding the Center's outreach across campus and building strong relationships with LSU faculty and staff. She also supervises graduate assistants, overseeing their training and caseload, and assigning them tabling events to further expand our office's reach. Shayla is passionate about putting students first, building campus partnerships while broadcasting our services, and learning more about branding and public relations.