Our Team
Administration
Hailing from the South Bronx, Sasha joined the Double Discovery Center in 2022. With Columbia since 2011, she has worked in the Office of Alumni & Development and the Office of the Dean at Columbia College managing alumni leadership boards, key College-wide initiatives and serving as deputy chief of staff to former Columbia College Dean, James J. Valentini. Prior to joining Columbia, Sasha worked at the American Red Cross in Greater New York leading youth development programs and at the National MS Society building its volunteer programs. She earned a B.S. from Cornell University and a Master’s from Teachers College. Sasha is known in the Columbia community for her commitment to excellence, strong work ethic, humility and sense of humor. She has a heart for young people, which has been consistently present in her 20-year nonprofit career. Sasha loves creating art, international travel, and is the Center's self-proclaimed resident photographer.
Tiffany Cole, a native of Long Island, NY, began her journey in finance armed with a bachelor's degree from SUNY Old Westbury. Joining the Double Discover Center in May 2024, she brings a wealth of experience from the healthcare sector. Tiffany's proficiency in financial management and strategic planning has earned her recognition among colleagues and leaders alike. Outside of her professional pursuits, Tiffany finds solace and inspiration in reading and cooking for her family and friends. Her passion for cooking shines brightly in her kitchen, where she experiments with diverse recipes and cuisines, infusing each dish with her unique touch.
My name is Katarina and I am the Financial Assistant for the Double Discovery Center at Columbia University. I recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in Finance from Baruch College and in my spare time I love playing tennis.
Academic Enrichment
Rabiyya is a proud Brooklyn native and HBCU graduate of the illustrious Spelman College. Instilled with her alma mater’s mission to provide service to her community, Rabiyya has served as an educator in urban settings for 15 years. A long standing adjunct lecturer in the English departments of the City University of New York’s Medgar Evers and York colleges, Rabiyya implemented the practice of culturally relevant teaching to spark the minds and interest of undergraduate learners from culturally diverse backgrounds. She has also taught for academic enrichment programs like Sponsors for Educational Opportunity and NJ LEEP. Rabiyya holds a B.A. in English Literature, an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Toledo; and her years of classroom teaching experience have led her to Teachers College at Columbia University where she is currently pursuing an M.A. in Higher and Postsecondary Education Administration. To quiet the noise of busy days, Rabiyya loves to practice Bikram yoga.
College Access Programs
Gizzel Edmund was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and still lives there with her wife and 2-year-old son. She received her Bachelor's in Sociology and Master's in Counseling from St. Bonaventure University. She is a proud HEOP alum and believes that opportunity programs are why she made a career in supporting youth as they identify and acquire the skills necessary to be successful adults.
Wil joined the Double Discovery Center in September 2023. He discovered his love for post-secondary access work as a tutor in college, helping high schoolers with their college application essays. After earning a BA in English and Film at the University of Rochester, Wil worked for a college prep program that placed him in a high school in Rochester, NY. Raised in the West Village, a love of city life drove him to bring his passion for post-secondary access back home. When he isn’t working, Wil is usually reading, or on his way to one of the city’s wonderful art house movie theaters.
Mone joined the Double Discovery team in January 2024. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Hampshire College, majoring in Psychoanalysis and African American Studies. Her professional journey has been diverse, ranging from working as a barista to employment at a delicatessen, ultimately leading her to a role in college success. Mone is passionate about ensuring that everyone, particularly those marginalized, othered, disenfranchised, and abandoned by unjust antiquated systems, deserves education and grace. In her current position, she aspires to empower students, providing them with the knowledge that there is much greatness in store, and access to higher education is just the beginning of their journey to future enrichment. In her leisure time, Mone dedicates herself to perfecting her recipes, crafting her graphic novel, and savoring the pleasures of fine dining.
Healthy Minds and Bodies
Day is a Licensed Master Social Worker who hails from Kansas City, Kansas. She completed her Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees at the University of Kansas, and felt a drive to actualize her education and hone herself professionally in NYC, where she has lived since 2017. Her passion for the profession of social work has given her the opportunity to work with varying populations in multiple roles, including case management and supervision with unhoused and undocumented families, foster youth, and justice-involved populations at one of the largest supervised release organizations in New York City. Day believes that no matter the role, a person-focused, clinically-informed lens is necessary in order to work with people and communities holistically and in a manner that privileges unique strengths, and this is a focus that she brings in her current role as Assistant Director for the Healthy Minds and Bodies program. In her free time, you can find Day cooking vegan food, reading nonfiction or fanfiction, or shopping new niche fragrances.