Meet Our Staff
Freshman Student Advising Team
Melissa Henry (she/her)
Associate Director
Email Address: mhenry@kean.edu
Caseload: Freshman Students
Melissa Henry is the Associate Director for Freshman Students for the Center for Advising, Persistence, and Success (CAPS) in the Division of Student Success and Retention. Ms. Henry earned her B.A. from Montclair State University’s Family and Child Studies Program and completed her M.A. degree at Kean University where her area of focus was Counseling.
Prior to joining the CAPS team, Ms. Henry served as an Elementary School Teacher in East Orange, an EOF Counselor/ Retention Specialist at Passaic County Community College, and as a Senior Counselor for Rutgers University’s School of Arts and Sciences, Educational Opportunity Fund Program (EOF). She is passionate about working with first year students and believes that effective advising plays a pivotal role in student success.
James Miller (he/him/his)
Academic Advisor
jmillerj@kean.edu
Caseload: Freshman Students
A former transfer student himself, James understands the impact that an academic advisor has on transfer student’s success. James earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree from Bloomfield College. Prior to joining the team, James worked in Kean’s Office of Admissions as a Transfer Admissions Counselor for 4 years. James finds fulfillment in helping Kean’s diverse student population achieve their educational goals. Some of James’s interests include spending time with family and friends, listening to music and watching sports. He enjoys spending his football Sunday’s watching the NFL Redzone.
Matthew Smith (he,him)
Academic Advisor
Email Address: smatt1@kean.edu
Caseload: Freshman Students
Matthew Smith is an Academic Advisor for Freshman Students for the Center for Advising, Persistence, and Success (CAPS) in the Division of Student Success and Retention. Mr. Smith earned his B.A. in Special Education from Kean University. He also earned his M.A. from Rider University and M.P.S. in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland. Mr. Smith served as a Career Coach at Towson University for STEM students and advised first-year IT & Computer Science students. Prior to joining the team, Mr. Smith worked in the technology sector as the Hutch Incubator Coordinator for a software company called Fearless which is located in Baltimore, Maryland.
Mr. Smith finds passion in mentoring students and coaching them to success! In addition, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Mr. Smith is an avid music fan, his favorite music genres include gospel, soul, jazz and hip-hop. In his spare time he plays instruments, attends concerts, and most recently took a Newark based Producer’s Edge course on how to be a dj.
Javon John (he,him)
Academic Advisor
Email Address: jjohn@kean.edu
Caseload: Freshman Students
Mr. John earned his BA in English Language and Literature with a concentration in Creative Writing and completed his MA in The Studies of The Americas at The City College of New York, CUNY. Prior to joining the CAPS Team, Mr. John served as a Transfer Coach, Career Advisor, Service Learning Advisor and Transfer Advisor at Kingsborough Community College. Mr. John’s advising principles entails problem-solving, strategic planning and project management. He is detail oriented, highly focused, and supports deadline-driven operations. During his leisure time, Mr. John enjoys listening to music, enjoying nature and spending quality time with his family.
Gabrielle Planas (she/her)
Academic Advisor
Email Address: gplanas@kean.edu
Caseload: Freshman Students
Gabrielle Planas serves as an Academic Advisor at the Center for Advising, Persistence, and Success (CAPS). She holds a B.A. in Communication and Media Studies from Montclair State University and a M.A. in Higher Education from Saint Peter’s University.
Before her role at CAPS, Gabrielle worked as the Academic Advisor for the School of Professional Studies and as the Coordinator for the University-High School Dual Enrollment program at Saint Peter’s University. Outside of her professional duties, Gabrielle pursues studies in herbalism and plant medicine, aiming to raise awareness within her community. She firmly believes that with the right resources, everyone can take control of their health and well-being. This belief extends to her approach to advising; she empowers students to seize control of their education, paving the way for their ongoing success.
Sophomore Advising Team
Dawn Marie Dowd (she/her)
Associate Director
Email Address: ddowd@kean.edu
Caseload: Sophomore Students
Dawn Marie Dowd is the Associate Director for Sophomores. She has earned a B.S. degree in Biology, M.A. in Counseling with a concentration in Higher Education, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certification from Montclair State University, She has earned her Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Saint Peter’s University. In addition, she has a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) for New Jersey K-12.
Previously, Dawn Marie has worked in the School of General Studies at Kean University as the Assistant Director where she assisted with curriculum, assessment, advisement, co-curricular programs, and supported undergraduate students, faculty, and staff within the School and General Education program. Dawn Marie is committed to life-long learning and has a variety of interests including traveling and learning from others, cooking, fitness activities, and loves watching all sports.
Luis Tapia (he/him)
Academic Advisor
Email Address: tapialui@kean.edu
Case Load: Sophomore Students
He earned a B.A. in Public Administration and a minor in Economics from Kean University. Prior to working full-time at Kean, Luis served as an academic advisor at Union College for four years. Before joining the CAPS team, Luis worked in the Placement Testing Office at Kean under the School of General Studies administering the ACCUPLACER tests and assessing students’ course placements. Luis prefers a holistic approach to advising and is proactive in teaching students to be more confident and autonomous in their decision making. As leisure, he enjoys going to the beach and hiking during the summer months.
Jose Rodriguez (he/him)
Academic Advisor
Email Address:
Case Load: Sophomore Students
Jose Rodriguez is an Academic Advisor for the Sophomore Students at the Center for Advising, Persistence, and Success (CAPS). Jose earned his B.A. in Mathematics from Simpson College. In addition, he earned his M.A. in Strategic Communication from La Salle University where he was a Presentation Skills Professor.
Before joining the CAPS team, Jose served as an Academic Advisor for the School of Nursing & Health Sciences at La Salle University. He is passionate about education equity and making a difference in the LatinX community. Jose strives on building strong relationships to ensure success for the students he is serving. Outside of the office, you can catch Jose enjoying a sports event or on the golf course.
Transfer Student Advising Team
Simone Mack-Bright (she/her)
Associate Director
Email Address: smackbri@kean.edu
Caseload: Transfer Students
Simone Mack-Bright is the Associate Director for Transfer Students for the Center for Advising, Persistence, and Success (CAPS) in the Division of Student Success and Retention. Mrs. Mack-Bright earned a B.A. majoring in Psychology and History from Rutgers University and a M.A. in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education from New York University.
Previously, Mrs. Mack-Bright served as a Senior Counselor for Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, Educational Opportunity Fund Program. Mrs. Mack-Bright serves as the Secretary for Rutgers African American Alumni Alliances (RAAA, Inc.) and manages the RAAA, Inc. Scholarship, Academic Opportunities, and Mentoring Facebook page. She also served as the Public Relations Officer and Public Research Institutions Sector Representative for the Educational Opportunity Fund Professional Association of New Jersey (EOFPANJ, Inc.). She is a strong advocate for higher education and tries to support students in any way she can. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and planning events for them.
Jessica Norwood (she/her)
Academic Advisor
Email Address: jmoast@kean.edu
Caseload: Transfer Students
Jessica Norwood is the Academic Advisor for Transfer students. As a former transfer student herself, Jessica understands the excitement, fear and nervousness that comes with the transfer process and is ready to be an advocate and support system for her students! She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Rowan University and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education from Montclair State University. Before joining the team, Jessica worked for 6 years at Union County College in their One Stop Center in various roles including Financial Aid, Admissions and Advising. When Jessica is not working, you can find her binging ‘The Office’, reading, or going on road trips with her husband.