Connor Adams is a senior communication major with a minor in sociology from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Currently, he interns with the Maryland Clean Energy Center, supporting marketing and communication efforts to promote clean energy initiatives. On campus, he is the founding father and president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, where he focuses on building community and leadership. Connor believes strong communication is key to confidence and impact, and he’s excited to bring that mindset to the Oral Communication Center to help students strengthen their voices and carry those skills beyond the classroom!
Kelly Banks is a junior from Frederick, Maryland majoring in general communication with a minor in nonprofit leadership and social innovation. Outside of the OCC, Kelly is a member of Pi Sigma Epsilon, a professional business fraternity, and a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America. She loves to hangout with her friends on the Washington Quad, go on walks, try new foods, and explore DC. Kelly looks forward to helping others become a better public speaker and work with new people through the OCC!
Lara Becker is a senior communication and public relations major from Montgomery County, MD. As the Engagement Research Fellow at the OCC, she focuses on researching and developing strategies to strengthen both internal and external engagement with the center. Her work includes analyzing data, reviewing best practices, and creating recommendations to support student involvement and improve OCC operations. Outside of her work, Lara enjoys spending time with friends, exploring new places, and staying active through Pilates and the gym. She looks forward to supporting the OCC and helping it continue to grow as a resource for students across campus.
Morgan Bledsoe is a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in communication with a concentration in political communication and public advocacy. She has strong experience in public speaking, content creation, and presentation design. Outside of academics, she works at The Hub College Park and is an active member of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoys meeting new people, reading, listening to music, and traveling. Morgan is excited to support others and looks forward to connecting with everyone in the OCC!
Edric Brillantes is a senior from Ellicott City, Maryland. He is a communication major on the media and digital track. Edric joined the OCC because he wants to help those in need of refining their public speaking and presentation skills. With experience in working social media and sports media, Edric is excited to support the OCC on the social media side of things. Outside of school, Edric loves to watch football, listen to music, and hang out with his friends.
Kirsten Butler is a junior at the University of Maryland. She is currently pursuing a degree in special education. She is very passionate about education, advocacy, and inclusivity. At UMD, she continues to explore opportunities that combine her interests in communication, teaching, and community. She has developed strong presentational speaking skills through her multiple leadership roles and academic projects. She has really started to enjoy sharing her ideas and voice with audiences just recently. It is now one of her favorite ways to connect, inform, and inspire others. She sees it as a way to share with others. She decided to become a peer consultant because she wanted to help fellow students in finding their voice and gaining confidence in presentations. She believes that effective communication is a vital tool for advocacy. She is excited to help others strengthen their presentation skills and share their unique perspectives.
Jackie Carlos is a junior communication major with a minor in general business from northern New Jersey. Before going to UMD, she didn't like public speaking that much and didn't consider herself good at it. However, since going here, she has improved so much and has grown to enjoy doing presentations for her classes! She declared her major in communication in June of 2024, and since then has been very passionate about the field and about the public speaking skills that students learn from it. She is excited to help people who feel the way she used to feel about public speaking so that they can get more comfortable in front of an audience. In her free time, she loves having movie nights with her friends, going on walks, and playing with her dog. She is looking forward to her time at the OCC!
Michael Clubb is a senior studying communication from Ocean City, Maryland. During his career at UMD, he grew passionate for public discourse and debating in a safe environment. He plans on taking the skills he has learned and attending law school after graduation. He has had thorough experience with public speaking throughout his academic career, and he looks forward to working with the OCC in helping students at UMD to feel more confident and prepared when they speak in front of a live audience. Outside of school, he enjoys fitness, reading, and spending time with his family back home.
Nicole is a senior from Westchester, New York, studying communication on the media and digital track. In her free time, she enjoys going on nature walks, cooking, listening to music, and spending time with friends. On campus, Nicole is a part of the Women's Network Club, specifically on the marketing committee. She is also an active member of Greek Life and enjoys having a close-knit community at such a large school. Nicole wanted to become a peer consultant to help students improve their public speaking skills. She was excited to join the OCC to help students overcome their anxieties surrounding public speaking. Nicole is always open to assisting with presentations and speeches and looks forward to helping students boost their confidence!
Ella Cooper is a senior at the University of Maryland studying communication, with a minor in nonprofit leadership and social innovation, and is also pursuing a graduate degree in management studies through the Robert H. Smith School of Business. She is the strategic design and social media manager at Heather Walter Consulting, and the strategic HR intern at Hillel International. On campus, Ella serves as an ambassador for the Do Good Institute, is active in Greek Life, and participates in several other student organizations. From an early age, Ella has had a passion for public speaking and helping others, which is why she values being part of the OCC. She thrives in collaborative environments and enjoys bringing her creativity, leadership, and strong interpersonal skills to every project. Now in her senior year with the OCC, she is excited to continue sharing her knowledge while supporting students in becoming confident and effective communicators.
Raquel Crossling is a senior communication major on the public relations track from Montgomery County, Maryland. This is her second year tutoring at the OCC, and she’s excited to welcome both new and familiar faces this semester! Outside of the OCC, Raquel enjoys traveling, reading non-fiction, spending time with friends, and proudly showing off photos of her cats. After taking COMM107, she realized how common public speaking challenges are and how much support from the OCC helped her group prepare for their final. Now, she hopes to help others feel more confident speaking in front of audiences. Raquel is thrilled to be part of the team again and looks forward to supporting both her peers and the OCC.
Alyssa is a sophomore at the University of Maryland from Baltimore County, studying communication and business. She’s always loved helping people and has experience with public speaking, which is why she wanted to become a peer consultant. Alyssa is excited to support other students and help them feel more confident and less stressed about giving presentations. Outside of class, she’s usually spending time with family, exploring D.C., trying new food spots, or walking around campus. She also loves animals and being outside whenever she can. Alyssa’s looking forward to a great semester and can’t wait to meet and work with other students!
Victoria Ebaugh is a junior from Baltimore, Maryland, majoring in media and digital communication. This is only her second semester at UMD, transferring from Fordham University. She was first introduced to the OCC while taking COMM107, and after having an appointment with a consultant, she knew that she wanted to get involved. As someone who would get very nervous about public speaking and would avoid it at all costs, Victoria now wants to help students feel more confident and show them that growth is possible. Outside of school, Victoria is working with UMD's athletic department as a marketing intern. She's super excited to work at the OCC!
Kendall Francis is a junior from Columbia, Maryland. She is currently a double major in English and communication, and is also minoring in law. Kendall has always had a passion for helping people and bettering her community, and her lifelong goal is to attend law school and start her own non-profit organization to help the youth. For the past two years, Kendall has facilitated leadership workshops for middle and high schoolers, where her public speaking skills truly began to excel, and she was able to help the youth find their confidence and excel on their own. Kendall also holds the position of vice president in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., where she focuses on networking, community service, and sisterhood within the UMD campus. Her experience in her sorority has helped Kendall continue to develop her confidence and facilitation skills, and she is super excited to bring her skills and experience to more students within the UMD campus!
Kyle Gonce is a senior communication major with a focus on media and digital communications. Kyle has always had a love for the stage as an actor. His first public speaking class at Howard Community College fostered a love of presenting to an audience. Kyle wants to inspire his peers at the OCC to find that same love of public speaking that he found years ago. When not in class, Kyle loves talking and hanging out with his friends, playing video games, and making short films. Kyle hopes that his eccentric thinking will inspire you at the OCC.
Christopher Hyre is a senior communication major on the general communication track, from Gaithersburg, Maryland. He began his academic journey at Montgomery College before transferring to the University of Maryland. Although he once feared public speaking and presentations, taking a public speaking course at Montgomery College helped him to overcome those challenges, and develop a passion to help others build their confidence and improve their public speaking skills. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his friends and playing pickle ball.
Jadyn Kestenbaum is a junior from Livingston, New Jersey, studying communication on the media and digital track and pursuing a general business minor. During the school year she is a communication intern for Maryland Athletics, a part of Greek Life on campus, and has gained valuable insight from being Vice President of the Undergraduate Communication Association. In her free time, she enjoys going on walks, hanging out with friends, and listening to music. Jadyn wanted to become a peer mentor to connect with others and help people feel more comfortable with public speaking skills. She is excited to tutor and can’t wait to meet everyone!
Faizan Khan is a senior communication major on the general communication track from Burtonsville, Maryland. He transferred to UMD in 2024 after spending 3 years at Montgomery College with an associate's degree, undecided on his future. He then took a class on public speaking in his first year at MC, where he realized just how much it helped him grow as a person. His future aspirations include being involved in sports media after he graduates. Outside of classes, he loves playing and watching sports, hanging out with friends, and watching movies/TV shows. He hopes to help other students with public speaking in the same way many people did for him.
Ryan McDonald is a senior general communication major with a minor in general business from Anne Arundel County Maryland. Outside of school, Ryan enjoys working out, being outside, and hanging out with friends. Ryan was intimidated with public speaking, but with practice, he has improved his public speaking skills and doesn’t get as nervous as before. Ryan is looking forward to improving his public speaking skills during his last year of school, and is looking forward to helping others with public speaking because he once was in the same position. Ryan looks forward to meeting other UMD students while working in the OCC.
Lyndsey Miller is a senior from Annapolis, Maryland, majoring in communication at the University of Maryland. She transferred from the University of Tampa in 2023 and became an active member of the UMD Women’s Club Lacrosse Team, where she currently serves as vice president. In this role, she developed her leadership and mentoring skills. Before transferring, Lyndsey did not enjoy public speaking, but through her coursework and experiences at UMD, she has significantly improved her confidence and skills. She now hopes to support other students in overcoming the anxieties of public speaking, helping them feel more comfortable in both academic and professional settings. Lyndsey is excited to connect with her peers and contribute to their success.
Lauren is a senior from Orlando, Florida, majoring in general communication. She attended Penn State University for two years before transferring to the University of Maryland and has completed three Disney College Programs, where she worked in hospitality across the various theme parks and resorts at Walt Disney World. This experience allowed her to refine her communication skills and grow more comfortable with public speaking. In her free time, Lauren loves to read and journal, and can almost always be found with a book in hand. She is looking forward to her first semester with the OCC and connecting with her peers!
Maggie is a junior from Rockville, Maryland. She is a communication major on the general track but one day hopes to work in PR or marketing. In her free time, she enjoys going on long walks, getting coffee with friends and writing. She is the director of social media and marketing for Kappa Delta Sorority here at UMD and thrives when in a group. She has always had a knack for public speaking and really enjoys meeting new people and using humor to make others feel comfortable in any public setting. She hopes to use her skills and passions to help other students gain confidence in their public speaking skills and leave the OCC just a little better than they were beforehand.
Lauren is a junior from Westchester, New York pursuing a major in finance. Lauren has been passionate about helping others reach their truest potential since she began tutoring through her high school in freshman year. She is also involved in other on campus activities such as Carillon Communities, multiple clubs and being in Greek Life. Aside from public speaking, she enjoys listening to music and being around friends/family. Through her love of spending time with others, Lauren hopes to work with the OCC to help her peers in order to promote well-equipped speakers. She believes that it is crucial for every individual to be able to communicate their ideas with confidence and ease, which she hopes to be able to instill in others.
Wendy is a senior from Long Island, New York. She is a theatre and communication double major at the University of Maryland. She enjoys performing in plays and musicals. She hopes to use her theatrical background to allow her to help others in the OCC. Outside of the OCC, Wendy is the president of The Muses, UMD’s all-female-led theatre troupe. Before her position as president, she was the group’s social media coordinator and ran their Instagram account. She also enjoys coffee, working out, and traveling. Wendy can’t wait to help others feel more comfortable speaking in front of an audience and hopes her experience in the OCC will help her improve upon her performance skills!
Jayne is a senior from Montgomery County, Maryland, double majoring in government & politics and communication. She loves connecting with others and building relationships, as seen by her involvement in numerous political, writing, and leadership based clubs on campus. Jayne also works for the Division of Student Affairs and is committed to helping Terps succeed. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, playing with her dog, and doing arts and crafts. She has worked hard to improve her own public speaking ability and is excited to help others do the same.
Jakob Sandberg is a senior studying communication and media production & entrepreneurship from Rockville, MD. His love for public speaking began in 2015 after his 5th grade graduation speech. Since then, his public speaking skills grew as he performed in theater productions, worked as a tour guide, and had more speaking opportunities through student government. On campus, Jakob is involved as the stage manager with the generics acapella group and as the head of production with Survivor Maryland. Jakob is passionate about filmmaking, music, and creativity. Outside of the UMD campus, Jakob enjoys traveling, hiking, coaching swimming, dancing, and talking with new people. If you need help with your oral communication presentation, Jakob is here to help!
Lucy is a third-year general communication major with a minor in nonprofit leadership and social innovation. This will be Lucy's third semester as a peer consultant. She has extensive experience with public speaking, including a TED Talk she gave in high school. Her involvement outside of the classroom includes serving as president of the Jewish Student Union and working as a policy and education intern for JCRC in Bethesda, Maryland. In her free time, Lucy enjoys going on long walks, hanging out with friends, watching sports, and cooking. She is excited to work with new students this semester and can not wait to see you grow into great public speakers!
Rebecca Solon is a sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia, majoring in operations management and business analytics with a minor in leadership studies. She is on an accelerated three-year track to complete her bachelor’s degree before pursuing UMD’s +1 master’s in marketing analytics program. She enjoys cooking, watching TV, and hanging out with her friends in her free time. Rebecca joined the Oral Communication Center because she enjoys empowering peers to share their voices effectively. She believes that strong speaking skills can open doors in academics, careers, and beyond, and she looks forward to supporting students as they grow into more confident and impactful communicators!
Reece is naturally introverted and if he could text all the time he would. However, he realized that public speaking had more benefits if he could master it and although he’s not a master at it, right now, he feels confident and comfortable. He knows that public speaking can be scary but as his parents say “closed mouths don’t get fed”.
Ryan Tepper is a Junior from Livingston, NJ, majoring in media and digital communications. Ryan understands how hard it is to work with deadlines and the pressures to manage everything in school, which is why he is looking forward to helping other students. When not in school, Ryan enjoys watching hockey, spending time with friends, and traveling. He looks forward to a great year working at the OCC!
Dylan Wolf is a senior majoring in general communication from Howard County, Maryland. Alongside his studies at UMD, he has honed his communication skill through several customer service-oriented positions where connecting with people and problem-solving were part of the everyday experience. He is eager to support students at the Oral Communication Center this semester—whether they are working through public speaking anxiety, refining a project, or simply looking for a listening ear. Dylan especially enjoys collaborating with peers to refine ideas into clear and effective expression, and he looks forward to growing as a communicator while helping others do the same.
Emma Zaslavsky is a junior studying general communication with a minor in general business. She is from Central New Jersey and chose Maryland because after her first time visiting it became her dream school. This is her second semester at the OCC! Outside of classes, she is the President of the Undergraduate Communication Association, the Social Media Coordinator for the Public Relations Student Society of America, a board member of the ARHU Dean’s Advisory Board, and a part of Greek Life. She loves getting to know new people and helping in any way possible. Emma has a passion for public speaking and is eager to assist people with their public speaking skills! She can’t wait to meet you all!