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!
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.
Applications for the Spring '26 semester are now closed.
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 Spring 2026 Speaking Center student staff team!
Consultants:
Aliya Moss, Consultant
Aliya Moss
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Political Science
Hometown: West Hartford, CT
Why are you working as a consultant? I want to be a Speaking Center Consultant since I value the power of communication,
which allows people to connect and build confidence. Through my work with the 91社区
CCE and in other experiences, I have seen how active listening and speaking can create
understanding across diverse perspectives. I want to support people to present their
ideas with clarity and confidence
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Visiting the Speaking Center provides a supportive, low-pressure environment where
students can improve a key skill: effective communication. Whether you're nervous
about public speaking or want to refine a class presentation, the Speaking Center
offers peer guidance tailored to students' needs. It is a valuable resource that helps
students speak clearly, confidently, and authentically in any situation
Public speaking advice: One of my favorite public speaking tips is to pause and take a deep breath. Whether
you're starting a presentation or mid-sentence, a deliberate breath helps you refocus,
steady yourself, and re-center on the message you want to convey. While it's a simple
tip, it can make your delivery feel clearer and calmer.
Hoi Yau Lam, Consultant
Hoi Yau Lam
Consultant
Year: First-Year
Major(s)/minor(s): Environmental Studies and PPL
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I strongly believe teaching is a two-way street and I want to learn more about consulting
as I help others.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit because I'm gonna be there! Joking aside, the Speaking Center
is a free resource for all students to use to improve their public speaking skills.
Come check out the newly renovated Speaking Center!!
Public speaking advice: Smile!
Joseph Costa, Consultant
Joseph Costa
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Computer Science
Hometown: Greenlawn, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a speaking center consultant to help others improve their public
speaking skills. Public speaking is a crucial skill, including for many classes offered
at 91社区. I want to help others get over their fear of giving presentations,
while also improving my own public speaking skills.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Student should visit the speaking center to receive feedback on their presentations!
The consultant will pick up on things you don't realize, present them constructively,
and allow you to enhance your presentation.
Public speaking advice: Be confident in yourself and bring energy to your presentation! Project your voice
and don't be afraid of pausing to regain your train of thought rather than using filler
words.
Katarina Sirrani; Consultant
Katarina Sirianni
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Psychology and Global Public Health & Minor in Spanish
Hometown: Buffalo, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I believe that public speaking is a vital skill for students regardless of what career
path they choose to pursue. I have always greatly enjoyed public speaking and the
opportunity to be able to communicate to an audience effectively. As I have experienced
public speaking takes time and preparation for anyone to feel confident in themselves,
and their abilities. Therefore, I wanted to become a Speaking Center consultant to
help instill the knowledge I have gained through the public speaking courses I have
been involved with to them. This will allow them to build the confidence they need
to succeed in their own presentation skills.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it is a great resource that is
open to everyone and can provide feedback for a wide variety of projects. Wherever
students are in the process of their presentations, interviews, or speeches the center
can provide the support needed for them to excel in their work. The center provides
a very comforting environment where students will be able to see their practice turn
into progress in real time. Additionally, feedback from the consultants can support
the students in developing different strategies to improve their presentation skills,
many of which they may not have considered at first.
Public speaking advice: Find what excites you the most about the topic you are presenting and don't shy
away from it! Passion allows our personalities to shine through and leads us to be
more confident in what we are presenting. Plus, the most memorable speeches are the
ones that are dynamic and personable.
Lindsay Weinfeld, Consultant
Lindsay Weinfeld
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Biology; Minor in Health and Wellness and Education
Hometown: Long Island, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant because I believe that having strong and
effective communication skills is one of the most important abilities a person can
have as they move through their schooling and beyond and I want to be there as a guide
for other students to help them succeed!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it is a great resource that offers
a supportive environment that is peer focused and aims to assist and empower students
in their goals to improve their communication skills.
Public speaking advice: A presentation is so much more than the physical words you are saying so make sure
you are aware of how you are presenting yourself whether that's your body language
or tone.
Maleka Kakkar, Consultant
Maleka Kakkar
Consultant
Year: First-Year
Major(s)/minor(s): Biology
Hometown: Syosset, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a speaking center consultant because I believe that my experience
from being on the debate team in high school would help me give advice to others that
are struggling with public speaking because it is a very hard thing to do. I also
wanted to be more involved in the campus community and felt like this would a great
way to make an impact while also experiencing new things!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the speaking center because public speaking is a skill that
is beneficial in every environment and coming to the speaking center will allow you
to improve those skills and become the best public speaker you can be.
Public speaking advice: Never forget the importance of making eye contact with your audience!
Maria Mattei Consultant
Maria Mattei
Consultant
Year: Senior
Major(s)/minor(s): Political Science; Minor in French
Hometown: S茫o Paulo, Brazil / Queens, NYC
Why are you working as a consultant? As someone who had to learn English from scratch, I can understand the struggle of
not being able to transfer your thoughts into words. Eventually, I realized the importance
of speaking up for yourself properly, and I want to help other people with this skill.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the speaking center whenever they are feeling nervous about
a presentation or just want some extra practice with an assignment of this sort. It's
a great way to build up confidence and learn to feel comfortable while presenting.
Public speaking advice: Remember that everyone else in the room is just a person
Sophia Borderon, Consultant
Sophia Borderon
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Psychology
Hometown: Queens, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? To improve my teaching and communication skills
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is a great way to practice public speaking in a low-stakes environment,
and to get feedback from people who are trained to give it.
Public speaking advice: Make eye contact and don't be afraid to pause. These behaviors not only project confidence,
but they also help ground you in the present moment. If you get nervous, pausing can
give you the chance to recollect yourself, and looking at the audience helps redirect
your focus from inward to outward.
Tiffany Wong, Consultant
Tiffany Wong
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Political Science; Minor in Education
Hometown: Elmont, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I want to be a part of the speaking center because I would like to assist others in
improving their public speaking skills, while also continuing to develop my own. Having
the ability to share information and ideas can help put one鈥檚 ideas at the forefront
and help make individuals better candidates for positions in the future. I hope to
support my fellow students in developing these skills and reaching their full potential.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it is an essential resource for
91社区 students that provides support and guidance in the skill of
public speaking. Public speaking is crucial not only to one鈥檚 academic career but
also to their professional and personal lives. The resources offered by the Speaking
Center help to create a supportive environment where students develop into proficient
speakers.
Public speaking advice: My advice to others is to approach public speaking鈥攐r any project鈥攚ith the mindset
of always growing from your last experience. There is always room to improve, and
embracing that growth helps you develop not just in your work, but holistically as
a person.
Trevor Miles, Consultant
Trevor Millies
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): English Literature and Rhetoric; Theatre Minor
Hometown: Fishkill, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to become a Speaking Center consultant because I love helping people feel
confident in themselves. Public speaking can be intimidating, and I like being the
person who makes it feel manageable and even fun. It鈥檚 rewarding to watch someone
walk in nervous and walk out knowing they can actually do this.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it鈥檚 a low-pressure place to get
real, personalized help on something almost everyone struggles with. Whether they鈥檙e
prepping a class presentation, organizing ideas, or just trying to sound more confident,
having someone to practice with makes a huge difference. You walk out clearer, calmer,
and more prepared than when you walked in.
Public speaking advice: Take time to BREATHE! Focus on connection, not perfection. If you treat your presentation
like a conversation instead of a performance, you calm your nerves and your audience
is eager to listen.
Yamilet Chabra, Consultant
Yamilet Chabla
Consultant
Year: First-Year
Major(s)/minor(s): Integrative Neuroscience
Hometown: Haverstraw , New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I want to be a speaking consultant to help students with their speaking skills and
help them feel more comfortable presenting, as I know many students struggle with
public speaking, including myself! However, public speaking is an essential skill,
as it enables us to communicate effectively with others.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? It is always a good idea to practice before a presentation to stimulate what it's
going to feel like on that day.
Public speaking advice: Don't be afraid to mess up! If you stumble during a presentation,
it's okay just keep going.
Senior Consultants:
Emily Habrylo Consultant
Emily Habrylo
Senior Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Biology
Hometown: Queens, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant because I empathize with those who struggle
with speaking in front of crowds, and I want to ensure students get the proper feedback
they need in order to flourish.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the center because it is a free resource on campus that serves
as a safe space for students to work closely with the consultants in order to improve
their communication.
Public speaking advice: Practice makes perfect! Preparing an outline of your speech beforehand and practicing
with that structure can ease your nerves, and help you understand the material better.
Madelyn Fried, Senior Consultant
Madelyn Fried
Senior Consultant
Year: Senior
Major(s)/minor(s): Global Public Health
Hometown: Oradell, New Jersey
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a speaking center consultant because I know how hard it is to give
a presentation confidently. I wanted to help people prepare themselves for public
speaking in class while also preparing them to speak in the professional world.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Even if you feel confident in your public speaking, it is still a great idea to visit
the speaking center to gain a consultant's point of view on your presentation
Public speaking advice: Fake it till you make it!
Victoria Melendez , Senior Consultant
Victoria Melendez
Senior Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Human Development with a minor in Speaking and Hearing Sciences
Hometown: Bronx, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? As someone who wants to pursue speech pathology, I felt that becoming a speaking
center consultant would allow me to catch a glimpse of what a future in that career
path might look like. Additionally, I have wanted to get more involved in 91社区's
community and felt this was a perfect way to both help others and learn new things!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the speaking center if they want constructive feedback on their
public speaking abilities and wish to practice and perfect their presentations before
the time comes to present in class.
Public speaking advice: If you struggle with making eye contact, try looking towards the back of the room
or people's ears!
Program Assistants:
Alysha Kuhn, Senior Consultant
Alysha Kuhn
Program Assistant
Year: Senior
Major(s)/minor(s): History and Anthropology
Hometown: Marion, NY
Why are you working as a senior consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant because I have always enjoyed public
speaking. I want to make a bigger impact on the 91社区 community and help them
enjoy public speaking as much as I do!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because no matter what your level of public
speaking is, consultants will always be able to offer advice. It is a great way to
critically think about your own public speaking skills and learn how to become the
best public speaker you can be!
Public speaking advice: One public speaking tip that I would like to share with others is to have confidence!
It is important to first and foremost, be confident in what you are talking about.
People are more likely to trust you if you trust yourself!
Elise Harshbarger, Program Assistant
Elise Harshbarger
Program Assistant
Year: Senior
Major(s)/minor(s): English with a minor in Biology
Hometown: Syracuse, New York
Why are you working as a program assistant? Communication is a fundamental skill, one that I am looking forward to improving
myself, as well as helping others.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is a resource to help students build confidence and each meeting
can be tailored to fit a student's needs.
Public speaking advice: A good presentation isn't a memorized one. Sometimes it's best to leave room for
spontaneity.
Brandon Levy, Program Assistant
Brandon Levy
Program Assistant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Financial Economics with a minor in Digital and Data Studies
Hometown: Woodbury, NY
Why are you working as a senior consultant? I want to help other students' get over some fears and flaws with their public speaking
skills while also improving my own public speaking skills.
Public speaking advice: Take a deep breath, speak at a comfortable pace and project your voice
Irene Cui, Program Assistant
Irene Cui
Program Assistant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Business Administration
Hometown: Queens, NY
Why are you working as a program assistant? I want about helping others overcome challenges in public speaking.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is a great way to prepare beforehand for a presentation and improve
your own public speaking skills.
Public speaking advice: Trust yourself and be sure to practice your speech beforehand.
Santiago Perez, Program Assistant
Santiago Perez
Program Assistant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Business Administration
Hometown: 91社区, New York
Why are you working as a program assistant? Communication skills are some of the most important skills in every day life and it
seems like a great opportunity to improve my own, and help others with their skill
as well!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the speaking center because it's a valuable tool for feedback
and help with presenting which is something practically everyone has to do.
Public speaking advice: Practice can help make you more comfortable once you start presenting, making you
appear more confident and knowledgeable. Some good hype up music is also crucial prior
to any big presentation.
