HerStory in the Making: Kickoff Event
HerStory in the Making: Kickoff Event on Workforce, Leadership & Career Pathways in Health
Thursday, March 13, 2025
E-Building, E-500
10:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.
Program:
Welcoming Remarks
Keynote Speaker, Vilda Vera Mayuga
Panel Discussion
Breakout Sessions
Breakout sessions
Presenters: Professor Miguelina Rodriguez, Social Sciences and Karla DeBlasie, The Women’s Center & LGBTQ+ Hub
This breakout session during the WHM Kickoff Event will provide students with a valuable opportunity to harness the power of their breath to navigate challenging emotions. Participants will learn breathwork techniques to integrate into their daily lives, helping them manage intense feelings around academic and personal success. By the end of the workshop, students will have practical tools to foster emotional resilience and enhance their overall well-being.
Presenters: Caridad Munoz, Marketing & External Affairs and Jessica Perez, Center for Career and Professional Development
Participants will explore the power of personal branding as a critical tool for career advancement and self-empowerment. The session will guide women through the steps of crafting an authentic personal brand that highlights their strengths, values, and unique skills, enabling them to stand out in competitive professional landscapes within social media. The workshop will also delve into diverse career pathways, offering insights into overcoming challenges and leveraging opportunities unique to women in the workforce.
Presenters: Michele Mills, MA OTR/L, Professor Laguardia Community College, OTA Program; Natasha Scott, MA OTR/L, LAGCC Alumni
Participants will explore the meaning of sexual health, sexuality and intimacy as it applies to their daily lives. In occupational therapy, sexual health is recognized as an important activity of daily living that applies to individuals across the life span. Participants will leave the session empowered to further explore and engage in activities to promote their own sexual health and well-being. Participants will learn the importance of advocating for themselves and others along with incorporating self-empowering practices.
Speaker Bios
Vilda Vera Mayuga, Keynote Speaker
Vilda Vera Mayuga was appointed as the commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) in February 2022.
Mayuga is a seasoned public servant across all levels of government with extensive experience in consumer protection, workers’ rights, and engagement with immigrant New Yorkers. Prior to becoming commissioner of DCWP, she served as deputy secretary for Economic Opportunity at the New York State Department of State. In that capacity, she oversaw the Office for New Americans, the Division of Consumer Protection, the Division of Community Services, and the Address Confidentiality Program. Mayuga was also the secretary of State’s designee to the Committee on Open Government.
From 2014 until June 2018, she served as chair of the New York State Industrial Board of Appeals. She was the first Latina to hold the position.
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Previously, Mayuga was deputy commissioner for Worker Protection at the New York State Department of Labor, overseeing the divisions of Labor Standards, Safety and Health, and Immigrant Policies and Affairs. She started at the Department of Labor in February 2011 as executive director of the Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs, where she implemented the agency’s first U-visa certification protocol and expanded the agency’s role and presence in the fight against human trafficking. Under her direction, the Agriculture Labor Program was started to provide services to both agricultural employers and workers. Mayuga also played a critical role in ensuring the agency’s compliance with language access requirements, and worked heavily on the drafting of the statewide policy resulting in Executive Order 26, which requires state agencies to provide language assistance for direct public services.
Mayuga also served as an assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Bureau of the Office of the New York Attorney General. There, she managed a diverse caseload of civil rights cases and handled every stage of litigation. Mayuga tried and settled numerous immigration services fraud cases that resulted in multimillion-dollar judgments. As a result, she received the 2009 Special Award for achievement in the Immigration Fraud Initiative.
Before that, Mayuga served as an agency attorney and investigated Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints within the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). She also conducted on-site inspections of FDNY premises, such as firehouses and EMS stations, to ensurecompliance with the FDNY EEO policy. Mayuga also worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where she analyzed, processed, and monitored requests for evidence from foreign countries.
Mayuga graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her law degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Mayuga is a member of the New York Bar.
Vilda Vera Mayuga, Keynote Speaker
Vilda Vera Mayuga was appointed as the commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) in February 2022.
Mayuga is a seasoned public servant across all levels of government with extensive experience in consumer protection, workers’ rights, and engagement with immigrant New Yorkers. Prior to becoming commissioner of DCWP, she served as deputy secretary for Economic Opportunity at the New York State Department of State. In that capacity, she oversaw the Office for New Americans, the Division of Consumer Protection, the Division of Community Services, and the Address Confidentiality Program. Mayuga was also the secretary of State’s designee to the Committee on Open Government.
From 2014 until June 2018, she served as chair of the New York State Industrial Board of Appeals. She was the first Latina to hold the position.
Read More
Previously, Mayuga was deputy commissioner for Worker Protection at the New York State Department of Labor, overseeing the divisions of Labor Standards, Safety and Health, and Immigrant Policies and Affairs. She started at the Department of Labor in February 2011 as executive director of the Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs, where she implemented the agency’s first U-visa certification protocol and expanded the agency’s role and presence in the fight against human trafficking. Under her direction, the Agriculture Labor Program was started to provide services to both agricultural employers and workers. Mayuga also played a critical role in ensuring the agency’s compliance with language access requirements, and worked heavily on the drafting of the statewide policy resulting in Executive Order 26, which requires state agencies to provide language assistance for direct public services.
Mayuga also served as an assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Bureau of the Office of the New York Attorney General. There, she managed a diverse caseload of civil rights cases and handled every stage of litigation. Mayuga tried and settled numerous immigration services fraud cases that resulted in multimillion-dollar judgments. As a result, she received the 2009 Special Award for achievement in the Immigration Fraud Initiative.
Before that, Mayuga served as an agency attorney and investigated Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints within the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). She also conducted on-site inspections of FDNY premises, such as firehouses and EMS stations, to ensurecompliance with the FDNY EEO policy. Mayuga also worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where she analyzed, processed, and monitored requests for evidence from foreign countries.
Mayuga graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her law degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Mayuga is a member of the New York Bar.
Natsha Scott, OTR/L, MSOT, LaGuardia Alumna
Natsha Scott, OTR/L, MSOT Mrs. Scott is an occupational therapist who has 18 years of experience working with neurologically diverse children with and without physical disabilities. She is a proud graduate of Laguardia Community College OTA program, class of 2002 and continued to advance her clinical knowledge by receiving a Masters in occupational therapy at Long Island University (Brooklyn Campus), class of 2007. During her career, Natasha has worked in a variety of settings, experienced with geriatric, school age and EI population. Natasha Scott joined the NYCPS after receiving the NYCPS scholarship. She has held many pivotal roles at the NYCPS (school base therapist, evaluator, SIT and SEED co-creator). She is currently holding the position as a supervisor of occupational therapy.
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She is also highly committed to quality care for children within the NYCPS by hiring competent professional clinicians, supporting nearly 130 therapists and advocating to ensure thousands of students receive occupational therapy services. She provides the school base therapist with clinical support and professional development opportunities on an ongoing yearly basis. Natasha Scott has contributed to research by presenting at both national and stateconferences along with participating in a three-part series for NYSOTA. She has spread her knowledge and passion of the profession by guest lecturing at Laguardia Community College. She is a proud member and longtime supporter of NYSBOTC.
Farhin Shariff, LMHC, LaGuardia Alumna
Farhin is a licensed mental health counselor at The Child Center of NY, where she provides mental health services and outreach to underserved minority communities in the Queens area. Previously, she worked at Rikers Island Correctional Facility and with the YMCA’s Girls Initiatives Programs. Farhin earned her AS in Criminal Justice from LaGuardia in 2018 and her MA in Forensic Mental Health Counseling from John Jay in 2022. She also volunteers as a Crisis Counselor for the Crisis Text Line.
Karla DeBlasie, CHES, LaGuardia Alumna
Karla DeBlasie is a Health Educator, who graduated the Human Services program here at LaGuardia. Karla went on to complete her B.S. in Community health education, the Health Educational Specialist certification and became a clinical health educator with NYU Langone. In this role, she worked alongside physicians to provide comprehensive health education, rapid testing and counseling for pregnancies, Hep C and HIV to high school students on campus. Outside of the school based clinic, they worked with NYU Langone’s Family Health Centers providing patient education and navigation to patients aged 18-24. After a few years in this role, they decided to pursue their Masters in Public Health at the CUNY School of Public Health and Policy to advance her understanding of environmental health and chronic conditions.
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Her support and journey to linking environmental sciences to public health stems from experiences in her own community of Rockaway – home of the federally protected Piping Plover bird, site of ongoing sand dredging and most recently – a month’s long MTA structural steel rehabilitation project. The intersection of coastal preservation and repairing our infrastructure has delivered blows to our air quality, light pollution, and noise levels. This put Karla on a path to increasing visibility around environmental health literacy and NYCs unique layout.
HERStory in the Making: Resource Fair
Friday, March 8, 2024
C-Building Lobby
11:30 a.m.– 1 p.m.
Resource Fair Participating Organizations and Groups
New Women New Yorkers
At New Women New Yorkers, we unlock the untapped potential of immigrant women. Our mission is to empower these tenacious women through workforce development and supportive programs, providing them with the tools they need to secure meaningful employment or advance their education in NYC. We also offer a welcoming, inclusive haven where immigrant women can build community, connect, and share their unique narratives.
The Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention (SAVI) Program
SAVI is dedicated to validating, healing, and empowering those who have experienced intimate partner violence and their supporters to lead safe, healthy lives through advocacy, free and confidential counseling, and public education. We offer an education newsletter, workshops, and educational office hours on Mondays 3-5PM over Zoom.
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (Bureau of Early Intervention)
The Early Intervention Program provides services for infants and toddlers between 0-3 years old who have developmental delays or disabilities. Within our program, we also provide Developmental Monitoring for infants and toddlers who may be at risk of developing a delay or disability, through ongoing screenings.
LaGuardia CARES
LaGuardia CARES (College Access for Retention and Economic Success) connects students with resources, referrals and local community services to overcome financial barriers, stay in school and graduate. LaGuardia CARES provides resources for daily living expenses, including food, healthcare, rent, utilities, childcare, emergency transportation, medical expense, tuition, books, supplies, and more!
The Liberal Arts Option in Women Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGS) @ LAGCC
WGS is an academic liberal arts option of study designed for students who have a strong interest in becoming better-informed world citizens who are equipped to tackle the systemic implications and outcomes of particular local, national, and global forces that disproportionately affect women and LGBTQ people.
Women’s Community Justice Association (WCJA)
The Women’s Community Justice Association (WCJA) is a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of women and gender expansive New Yorkers affected by mass incarceration. Founded in 2018, WCJA is led by justice-impacted women and focuses on change through policy advocacy, community organizing and service. WCJA leads the #BEYONDrosies campaign and the Justice 4 Women Task Force.
Malikah
Malikah is a grassroots anti-violence and wellness organization advocating against gender and hate based violence through self-defense training, healing justice, economic empowerment, and community organizing for safety and power. We facilitate, train and organize women and girls across all five boroughs in New York City through partnerships with CBOs, public schools and religious institutions. Through our trainer model, we equip women and girls in our communities with our four programmatic pillars 1) healing 2) self-defense 3) organizing and 4) financial literacy.
Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities
Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc. was started in 1965 by a group of concerned parents and senior citizens in the East Elmhurst/Corona area of Queens, New York. At the time, the organization consisted of three neighborhood recreational programs and a senior’s club. Elmcor developed from that small volunteer organization into a major provider of human services with clients ranging from pre-schoolers to seniors. Today, Elmcor is one of the largest non-profit community-based service agencies in Queens, serving youths, young adults, seniors and more.
Women’s History Month: HERStory in the Making Committee
| Heather Barikmo | Hara Bastas |
| Jennifer Baumgartner | Deema Bayrakdar |
| Lara Beaty | Charlene Bryant |
| Dianne Gordon Conyers | Claudette Davis |
| Donniece Davis-Cooper | Alexa Duque |
| Rebeca Falla-Riff | Pratuang Jimenez |
| Regina Lehman | Caridad Munoz |
| Jessica Perez | Vanya Petrova |
| Patricia Quesada | Rocio Reynoso |
| Miguelina Rodriguez | Nedelka Sotelo |
| Nayelli Valencia Turrent | Suzanne Uzzilia |
| Ingrid Veras | Yun Ye |