The Board

The Board is here to serve you, our members. Meet our current leadership board:

CO-PRESIDENT

Jana Bilanovic

Graduate Fellow in the Victora Lab

Jana is thrilled to serve her third year on the Board of WISeR. In her role as Co-President, she aims to empower and inspire the WISeR community and create a welcoming environment for everyone. She is excited to organize career development and community building events and keep supporting WISeRs initiatives to promote the success of women in STEM. Before joining the Rockefeller PhD Program, Jana studied Biochemistry at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. In the Victora Lab she is interested in understanding T cell-B cell crosstalk in the germinal center reaction. Outside of lab, she enjoys exploring the city, yoga and trying out new cuisines.

CO-PRESIDENT

Clare Cahir

Graduate Fellow in the Marraffini Lab

Clare is excited to serve as a WISeR co-president this year. She is looking forward to helping plan the events that amplify and celebrate the voices of women in science. Before starting at the Tri-Institutional Program in Chemical Biology, she attended the University of Notre Dame and studied Chemistry and Italian.  In the Marraffini lab, she is studying the molecular mechanisms of CRISPR systems in different bacteria.  Outside of the lab, you can find Clare exploring the NYC food scene or running with the UES running club.

 TREASURER 

Nicole DelGaudio

Graduate Fellow in the Birsoy Lab

Nicole is thrilled to join the amazing group of women that comprise WISeR. She is looking forward to brainstorming new ways to extend the reach of WISeR throughout the Rockefeller community. Before coming to Rockefeller, she studied Biology at Wesleyan University and was then a technician for two years at Memorial Sloan Kettering across the street studying the genetic and epigenetic basis of myeloid malignancies. She is currently in the Birsoy lab studying the metabolic dependencies of cancer. Outside of the lab, you can find her spinning, doing barre, or cheering for the Mets!

CO-MENTOR LUNCH COORDINATOR

Anita Gola

Postdoctoral Fellow

As a Friday Breakfast coordinator, Anita aims to contribute to making resources more accessible to women in STEM and creating a more inclusive scientific community both inside and outside the Rockefeller campus. The scientific process is for everyone who passionately wants to learn about the natural world, and we should strive for better diversity and representation across race, gender, sexual-orientation, age, economic-income and disability (to mention some). Prior to her time in the Fuchs lab, Anita obtained a joined PhD between the University of Oxford and the NIH. If not in the lab, Anita likes to spend her free time outdoors, with a particular (beginner) passion for cycling and climbing.

WEBSITE COORDINATOR

Claribel Charway

Research Assistant in the Brivanlou Lab

Hello! My name is Claribel and I am so happy to be joining WISeR this year as the website coordinator. I am hoping to promote all the good work WISeR is doing within our campus and the broader science community. I am deeply passionate about the diversification and representation of women from all backgrounds within research. As a research assistant in the Brivanlou lab, I utilize embryonic stem cells to study the mechanisms and phenotypes of Huntington's Disease. Outside of the lab, I enjoy roller-skating, trying new restaurants, playing tennis, participating in community organizing, and writing. As a new member of WISeR, I am hoping to bring new ideas and perspectives that will help make WISeR an inclusive community for all.

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Heather Soileau

Graduate Fellow in the Kapoor Lab

Heather is really excited to get involved with WISeR this year! She is passionate about creating spaces for underrepresented minorities in STEM to be heard and feel welcomed. She’s looking forward to getting involved in outreach and mentorship programs at Rockefeller and in the city. She studied biochemistry at the Xavier University of New Orleans before joining the Tri-Institutional Program in Chemical Biology. She is now a second-year student that recently joined the Kapoor lab, where she is interested in the biochemical and structural biology of DNA damage repair helicases. Outside of the lab, she enjoys spending time with her two silly cats Simba and Sadie. She loves being in the outdoors, exploring NYC, playing softball, and cheering on her favorite Louisiana football teams, the LSU Tigers and the Saints!

SECRETARY

Natalie Alexander

Graduate Fellow in the Fuchs Lab

Natalie is excited to engage with the Rockefeller community in her role as Secretary of the WISeR board. She is looking forward to bringing new voices to campus and expanding the role of WISeR through outreach and mentorship initiatives. Before coming to Rockefeller Natalie studied Biology and History at Boston College. Following her undergraduate education, she continued exploring her passion for biomedical research as a technician at Massachusetts General Hospital profiling neutrophil function in patients suffering from recurrent infection. Now, Natalie is pursuing her PhD in the Fuchs lab studying the consequences of chronic inflammation on the skin microenvironment. When she’s not in lab Natalie enjoys attending concerts, reading, and wandering the neighborhoods of NYC in search of the perfect matcha latte.

FRIDAY BREAKFAST COORDINATOR

Alice Cassel

Graduate Fellow in the Marraffini Lab

Alice is excited to serve as a WISeR board member this year and is glad to be a part of building a supportive and engaging community that advocates for and uplifts women and underrepresented people in science. She studied microbiology and evolutionary biology at the University of Idaho before coming to Rockefeller to join the Marraffini lab, where she is studying CRISPR-Cas systems and archaea (the most under-appreciated domain of life!). When she’s not growing salty cultures in the lab, Alice can be found hanging out with her cats, running all over the city, listening to vinyl records, and enjoying live theater.

CO-MENTOR LUNCH COORDINATOR

Laura Berneking

Postdoctoral Fellow in the Tarakhovsky Lab

Laura is passionate about supporting women in science. Serving as the Wiser lunch coordinator alongside Anita Gola, her objective is to shine a spotlight on the varied careers and achievements of female scientists, fostering connections among them. Laura earned her MD-PhD from the University of Hamburg, Germany and became a part of the Rockefeller community in September 2022. Within the Tarakhovsky lab, she studies epigenetic memory in infectious diseases. Beyond her academic pursuits, Laura enjoys exploring NYC with her husband and two children, exploring museums, practicing yoga, and rock climbing.

SOCIAL COORDIANTOR

Deniz Abdusselamoglu

Postdoctoral Fellow in the Fuchs Lab

Deniz is very excited to join WISeR community and be a part of this inspiring group. Her mission in WISeR is to cultivate an environment of inclusivity that particularly empowers women in STEM, fostering their growth and success. Deniz firmly believes that science knows no bounds, welcoming all who possess a passion for learning, and she champions the notion that a diverse and inclusive scientific process leads to unparalleled advancement. Prior to her time at Rockefeller, Deniz earned her PhD at IMBA in Vienna, Austria. She is currently a postdoc in the Fuchs lab, where she is studying the complexities of cancer stem cells. Beyond her research, Deniz likes to climb and is always on the lookout for new city eateries to discover.

COMMUNITY EVENTS COORDINATOR

Caroline Harrer

Postdoctoral Fellow in the Fuchs Lab

Caroline is excited to join the WISeR board this year to serve as a coordinator for cultural affairs. She is hoping to encourage discussions concerning e.g., the visibility and participation of women in STEM from a more interdisciplinary lens by bridging concepts from arts and sciences. Before coming to Rockefeller, Caroline studied Medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany and pursued an MSc in Integrated Immunology at the University of Oxford, UK. Caroline is a second-year Graduate fellow with a major interest in immunology, (emerging) infectious diseases and neuro-immune interactions. Outside of the lab, you can find her on and off the basketball court (let’s go NY Liberty!) or exploring the city, its parks and cultural scene.