North Carolina A&T State University

Dorothy J. Phillips retired from Waters Corporation in 2013 as Director, Strategic Marketing. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in 1967 and her Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 1974. She began her forty-year industrial career at Dow Chemical Company and later joined the Waters Corporation. She has been a member of the American Chemical Society since 1973.

Dr. Dawn Holt leverages a rare combination of scientific depth and pedagogical acumen as the portfolio manager of the ACS Bridge Program. Holding a Ph.D. in Medical Pathology and a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, she’s driven by a dual passion: nurturing academic rigor and empowering students to achieve their full potential. Her stewardship of the Bridge Program encompasses strategic development aimed at bolstering the chemical sciences landscape, alongside personalized mentorship for students. Her core mission is to eliminate obstacles faced by students in graduate programs, cultivating a supportive and inclusive environment conducive to success. This is realized through a comprehensive support framework, which includes the design and oversight of career and professional development opportunities. These initiatives are meticulously crafted to equip students with the tools necessary to realize their academic and professional ambitions. In essence, Dr. Holt’s multifaceted expertise and unwavering commitment to student success solidify her as a transformative leader, driving positive change within the chemical sciences and beyond.

Saderrick is a student affairs practitioner with 18+ years of experience in student engagement & outreach, leadership development, and career development. In his current role at ACS, he is responsible for recruiting and engaging undergraduate and graduate students globally to become active members of the society. He leads the ACS Student Communities team in strategic development related to engaging student chapters and graduate student organizations, developing new outreach programs, and connecting students to resources and leaders throughout the society’s global community. Saderrick holds a B.A In Mass Communications and a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Nicholls State University. He sees education as a transformative experience and uses his talents to enhance and elevate the student experience beyond the traditional campus classroom. Through building purposeful connections and innovative programs, he uses his skillset to mentor students, enhance their academic careers,  and to help them launch successful professional careers.

Sederra Ross is a Program Manager at the ACS Green Chemistry Institute®. She has dedicated her career to solving environmental injustices and researching methods to remove hazardous contaminants and chemicals contributing to global heating. Her research has covered various topics, including creating biodegradable composites that divert solid waste from landfills, developing programs to galvanize environmental grassroots activists, and employing molecular spectroscopy to identify and characterize gas-phase progenitors that give rise to soot, a PM 2.5 climate pollutant. Sederra holds a Ph.D. in Green Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a B.S. in Chemistry from Clark Atlanta University. In her role, she strives to inculcate green chemistry and engineering across the global chemistry enterprise to provide present and future generations with the knowledge and resources they need for a clean, sustainable environment and an equitable future.

Dr. Lori Ana Valentín is an analytical chemist and ACS Career consultant whose professional experience has spanned industry, government and higher education. She served the New York State Police Crime Laboratory System for seven years as a forensic scientist where she performed criminal casework before moving into laboratory management.  She now applies her analytical skills to her favorite element – people – full time in training and talent development. She has a BS in Biochemistry from SUNY Fredonia and earned her MS and PhD in analytical chemistry at Binghamton University.  She resides in Albany, NY with her son Isaac, partner Renaldo (a Trooper with NYSP), and their giant dog Chico.