Mercedez is a bilingual adult education teacher who has taught a wide range of different age groups and students from different nationalities in the Dominican Republic, the US, and Spain. Most recently, she has focused on the adult education of immigrants in NYC. She co-created a community for adult ed teachers that offer their classes in Spanish. This community includes a list of over 100 educators across the US (including Puerto Rico). Along with other colleagues, she has also led and organized workshops called “Compartir entre Colegas” for those teachers who feel excluded from developing their knowledge in their native language.

Dr. Liza Talusan is an educator, speaker, leader, writer, leadership coach and parent. With over 25 years of experience in PreK-20 education, Liza is an engaging facilitator in conversations about diversity, anti-racism, bias, privilege and power and creates environments that allow for people to discuss these difficult topics openly. Through her direct work with organizational leaders, staff, students, teachers, and communities, Liza empowers individuals to create a more inclusive organization, environment, community and team.

Liza earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Connecticut College, a Master's Degree in Student Personnel Administration from New York University; a certificate in Human Resources; a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Massachusetts Boston; and her certified coaching credentials from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. Her scholarship has been published in peer reviewed journals, edited book collections, online platforms, and she has been featured on several podcasts and interviews related to education, identity, and inclusion. She serves in a number of national organizations focused on education and equity, and she has consulted with well over 350 schools, organizations, and corporations across the country and internationally. Currently, Dr. Talusan is a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Boston where she teaches graduate level courses focused on leadership, equity, anti-racism, and justice. Her new book “The Identity-Conscious Educator: Building habits and skills for more inclusive schools” is published by Solution Tree Press and was released in March 2022.