Our Staff
Meet our dedicated team…
Denise Hilliard, Director
Denise loves that, through the DLC, she is able to continue to promote education for those that want to improve their lives. In one way or another, Denise has been working in the education field for her entire career and especially likes that at the DLC, she has the opportunity to interact with such wonderful people. She loves to see the students’ eagerness to learn and is equally inspired by the great staff and dedicated tutors that make up the DLC community.
Sr. Robin Richard, OP, ESL Program Manager
Sr. Robin likes working at the DLC because the team tries to help learners feel like they have a “home away from home.” She appreciates that the DLC welcomes all people regardless of race, creed, nationality, or background. She came to the organization to share her ministry passion for teaching language to those who need and to join with other Sisters and Associates to incorporate witness to working with the marginalized. The DLC helps learners set goals that address their immediate needs, and when those goals are incorporated into the curriculum, learners are better able to succeed in the workforce and around the community.
Adriana Johnson – ESL/Spanish GED Program Coordinator
Adriana works at the DLC to make a difference in the lives of her friends and neighbors. At the end of the day, she says, she has made a difference in our students’ lives. She believes in the organization’s slogan, “Education improves lives,” and seeing how the DLC improves the community by teaching others to read, speak or write.
Sister Mary Riley, ABE/GED Program Manager
Sister Mary has had the joy of teaching children and ESL to refugees and immigrants. The faces of these little ones, refugees, and immigrants, with their trust and openness, truly reflect God’s tender love and allow us to glimpse God’s face more clearly. Sr. Mary is grateful for the opportunity to join the passionate staff and volunteers at the Dominican Learning Center who strive to follow St. Dominic who confidently placed the details of his journey in God’s Hands. Today, as in the time of Dominic, we too are called to journey with all those God places in our lives entrusting this ministry to our compassionate God.
Sr. Shawn Fitzpatrick, OP, Language Arts Specialist/Tutor
Sr. Shawn loves working with those struggling to learn, fighting addictions and trying to improve their and their family’s lives. After working as a principal for 23 years, she was asked to become the Director of the DLC, which was a great fit because of her love for education and working with the poor. Serving today as a tutor, she believes that the DLC helps adult learners who live in generational poverty and facing many adversities to reach their goal of providing a better life for themselves and their families.
Sr. MaryRuth Leandres, OP, Math Specialist/Tutor
Sister MaryRuth is a math tutor with GED/ABE learners and contributes to the monthly Success Course at the DLC. She finds her experience in teaching and background in bilingual/multicultural education and pastoral ministry foundational in her efforts to educate to improve the lives of her learners. Education is the joy of her life especially when her learners have that AHA! moment.
Sr. Mary Deane, OP, Language Arts Specialist/Tutor
Sister Mary likes teaching and helping people. Her experience in teaching English makes her a valuable addition to the DLC staff. She hopes that the ripple effect, not only in getting a GED and a better job, but being treated with dignity, respect and care, will make it easier for learners to share this with others when they leave the DLC.
Melody Johnson, Trainer
Melody has found that the DLC has given her a mission after she retired from teaching. She chose to work at the DLC to help those who are trying to get a better education to improve their lives. Education is the way to improve lives, which in turn improves the community.
Annette Cohn, Administrative Assistant and Receptionist
Annette brings her experience in customer service and office management to the learning center as well as her passion for working in service to the community. She is glad to be a part of a caring team that is devoted to enhancing and improving lives through education. She especially enjoys her daily interaction with learners and tutors and seeing the progress learners are making.
Sr. Roberta Miller, OP, Office Assistant/Receptionist
Sister Roberta is a retired educator and says that listening to and learning from others from diverse lifeways is a time for growth for her. To see and experience the amazing diversity in humanity and Nature is awesome and hopeful in these difficult times. Her hope and prayer is to provide the understanding, compassion and skills needed by those coming to the Learning Center to achieve their goals.
Sr. Manuela Crisologo, OP, ESL Registration/Testing, Receptionist
Sister Manuela received her master’s degree in educational psychology and was a middle and high school teacher for twenty-seven years in her birth country, Peru. She is grateful for the opportunity to work at the Dominican Learning Center helping to improve the lives of learners through education by providing quality service to people who need to learn English like her. She learns from each person who works here as they provide their services and time with dedication and cheerfulness.