NEPTA

Jen Abbott is the Assistant Director of the Academic Coaching and Tutoring Center at Fitchburg State University, where she coordinates the peer mentoring program for First Year Experience seminars at Fitchburg State. Jen also supervises writing tutors and subject area tutors in the humanities and social sciences and manages CRLA certification at Fitchburg State. She has been a member of the NEPTA steering committee since 2019.

As Director, Amy leads a team of 42 undergraduate peer tutors, 2 graduate students as academic coaches, and an assistant director. With a background in Clinical Counseling Psychology and nearly two decades of experience supporting students in higher education, Amy is passionate about building a collaborative learning community that empowers students to grow academically, personally, and confidently. Assumption's Academic Support Center is certified by CRLA levels 1, 2 and 3.

As Assistant Director of the Centers for Learning, Advising, and Student Success, Borchers is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Centers for Learning South Campus location. The Centers for Learning covers Academic Services such as; Advising, Tutoring, Academic Coaching, Testing Center, and Graduate School Preparation Workshops.

Additionally, since 2017, Borchers has served as Co-Chair on the UMass Lowell Training and Development Task Force, under the University Council of Advisors, which focuses on training staff and faculty on best practices for academic advising, professional development, and updating advising tools on UMass Lowell websites. Borchers is also UMass Lowell’s representative on the New England Peer Tutoring Association’s (NEPTA) Steering Committee, which gives tutors across New England a platform to learn from other institution’s tutors, and Borchers also serves as the lead for the UMass Lowell Major/Minor Exploration Expo, partnering with all academic colleges to ease the change of major or addition of majors/minors at UMass Lowell.

In addition, since 2008, Borchers continues to serve as head coach for Pinkerton Academy’s Special Olympics basketball team in Derry, NH, which has captured several gold medals in the NH State Special Olympic Regional games.

Jennifer Sousa is the Assistant Director for Tutorial Services in the Student Success Center at Providence College. Sousa manages the day-to-day operation of the Christie Family Tutoring Center and oversees drop-in tutoring conducted in partnership with the Providence College School of Business (PCSB). Sousa has over twenty years of experience working as a learning professional in higher education with a focus on promoting inclusive learning environments and preparing students for standardized test success.

Dr. Lin Tang serves as the Senior Assistant Provost for Learning Resources and Undergraduate Education at UMass Amherst. In this role, Dr. Tang provides strategic leadership for the Learning Resource Center (LRC), the Office of Undergraduate Research and Studies (OURS), and the Level Up Your Learning: Success Toolkit initiative, which focuses on learning strategies and student skill development. Dr. Tang brings more than 20 years of transformative experience in higher education, student success, and academic innovation.
A Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), Dr. Tang is nationally recognized for her expertise in learning strategy, student wellness, and academic achievement. For nearly two decades, she has led the LRC and OURS, guiding their evolution from a small tutoring operation into one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive academic support and undergraduate research units. Under her leadership, these programs have become cornerstones of student success and models for best practices in academic support.
Dr. Tang’s scholarly and programmatic contributions have had a significant impact on student learning and engagement. She has collaborated on securing over $2 million in grant funding, authored the Academic Success Coaching program, founded the Office of Undergraduate Research and Studies, and developed curricula such as Level Up Your Learning: Metacognition 101 and the graduate course Helping Skills for Professionals in Higher Education. Her work integrates psychology, education, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to improve learning outcomes and promote successful student transitions.
In addition to her administrative leadership, Dr. Tang teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and holds a faculty appointment with the UMass CHAN Medical School, where she supports medical student learning and strategy development. She is a frequent invited speaker at national conferences and hospital Grand Rounds presentations, has served on numerous thesis and dissertation committees, and holds leadership roles in regional and national organizations dedicated to student success and academic support. Dr Tang's research focuses on metacognitive strategies, academic coaching, system-level interventions, and evidence‑based practices that advance equity and excellence in higher education. In her spare time, she loves to travel the world with her husband and two boys.

As the Associate Director of ACE and Peer Tutoring, I am responsible for managing every aspect of the CRLA-certified peer tutoring program at Bryant University. I manage all aspects of hiring, training, scheduling, supervising, and evaluating a staff of over 70 peer tutors, two professional math specialists, and two professional learning specialists for student-athletes. I have been employed at Bryant since 2007 and I find it very rewarding to manage a team of peer tutors and professionals who take great pride in helping students become self-reliant, independent, confident learners.

Stephanie Carter is the Director of Tutoring and Writing Centers at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), where she leads campus-wide academic support services focused on student learning and persistence. She has worked in tutoring and writing centers for over twenty-five years, with experience spanning program development, staff training and supervision, assessment, and faculty collaboration.
In her role at CCRI, Stephanie oversees tutoring and writing center operations and is especially interested in building a community of learners. Her professional background includes supporting first-year college students across classrooms, writing centers, learning centers, and residence-based programs, with a focus on academic transition and skill development.
Stephanie holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Rhode Island and has taught composition and first-year seminar courses. Her professional interests include academic integrity, information literacy, and effective practices in tutoring and writing center work.

Tatianna Williams Ascott is a higher education professional with over a decade of experience in academic support and learning assistance. As Director of Academic Support at Connecticut State Community College Norwalk, Tatianna oversees multi-center learning support operations including the Tutoring Center, Writing Studio, STEM Lab, Learning Commons, and Academic Skills Coaching program. Her work includes designing structured peer leadership pathways, managing CRLA certifications, continuously strengthening tutor training and professional development, and fostering inclusive learning environments that support both student success and tutor growth. Tatianna places particular emphasis on student development and is committed to advancing high-quality, research-informed peer education practices.