COOP has added the following members to our team in 2023. We welcome them and look forward to seeing all they will accomplish during their tenure with us.

October 30, 2023

In October, COOP expanded its fundraising staff adding Shevrin Jones, M.Ed to the team. Shevrin joins COOP as he concludes his term in the Florida state senate.

At COOP, he will serve as the organization’s Director of Development, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in individual fundraising.

Prior to coming to COOP, Shevrin garnered a plethora of leadership and fundraising skills at organizations like Reading & Math, Inc. where he was the Executive Director and as Vice President of Development and External Relations at MoneyThink and in a similar role at National Advancement for Entrepreneurship for All. He has also led a team as Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Partnerships at City Year.

Most recently, Shevrin served as a member of the White House Presidential Advisory Council on HBCU’s. He holds a bachelors degree from Florida A&M and a masters from Florida Atlantic University where he is currently pursuing a doctorate (expected May 2025).

May 24, 2023

We are proud to announce that COOP has added one senior level and one director level member to our HQ staff. Our new teammates will add needed expertise in the areas of alumni engagement and program

Byron Guo (he/him) is thrilled to be joining COOP as the new Associate Director of Program in New York City.

Prior to COOP, Byron graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Economics before working a variety of roles at Amazon, Eventbrite, and LinkedIn before most recently leading a digital marketing team at Salesforce.org. In the nearly ten years he spent in the tech industry, Byron realized two truths. 1. That the contextual knowledge needed to succeed in the industry is rarely taught in school. 2. Without parents or friends in the industry, that contextual knowledge is hard to organically come by. Especially for those from under resourced communities.

This was especially affirmed from Byron’s work training dozens of interns from programs similar to COOP such as YearUp and GensysWorks throughout his career.

At COOP he is eager to infuse his experience and contextual knowledge of various corporate industries and career paths with the expertise and energy of the very talented Programs team in New York to level up the careers of all COOP graduates.

Bernex Richardson (he/him) is an experienced leader with a diverse background in education, human resources, and organizational leadership. As Senior Director of Alumni at COOP Careers, Bernex collaborates with the Chief Program Officer to oversee employment outcomes and alumni mobilization.

With a passion for fostering growth in an inclusive and supportive environment, Bernex has cultivated expertise in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. His journey began as a Teach For America corps member in Greater New Orleans, making a lasting impact as a classroom teacher. Since then, he has held influential positions in education, non-profits, and global tech companies, ranging from leading literacy programs to serving as an Assistant Principal and Principal. Bernex is also a certified Diversity and Inclusion practitioner, executive coach, and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Bernex is dedicated to creating opportunities for others, drawing upon his personal experience as a first-generation college graduate. He holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Music Education from the University of North Georgia and a Master of Science in Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

March 28, 2023

We are proud to announce that COOP has added four senior level members to our HQ staff. Our new teammates will add needed expertise in the areas of finance, marketing, social work and program.

Patrick Ma (he/him) is proud to join COOP Careers as Managing Director of Finance and Operations. In this newly created role reporting to COOP’s Chief Operating Officer, Patrick will support COOP and help build operational infrastructure as COOP continues to grow and scale. Patrick is eager to apply his fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector to ensure COOP’s financial sustainability and long-term financial health as COOP marches towards serving 10,000 students in its first decade of operation.  

Before joining COOP, Patrick served in various finance and operational roles within the nonprofit sector including Chief Operating Officer at AIRnyc, VP of Business Operations at the United Way of New York City, and was the founding Senior Director of Operations at AF Accelerate: Achievement First. 

Patrick holds an HBA degree from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from Yale University. Outside of work, Patrick enjoys exploring his home borough of Queens, New York and taking weekend trips in the tristate area with his wife and two children.

Patricia Malizia (she/her) has been named the first-ever Director of Marketing for COOP Careers. She comes to the organization with over 20 years of experience building programs, developing strategies and leading teams in both higher education and nonprofits. She will be leading a staff that will be developing tools and processes that help COOP tell a consistent, compelling story about its impact and developing assets that provide evidence of our effectiveness.

As an alum of Brooklyn College, she is proud to join COOP as it supports low income, first generation graduates from public colleges in New York City, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami overcome underemployment through digital skills and peer connections so they can obtain the careers they deserve.

Adis Orta (she/her) is a proud first-generation, first-time college graduate who brings 20+ years of experience as a social services professional and mental health practitioner across the healthcare, non-for profit and higher education arenas. 

Adis received her Master of Social Work degree from Florida International University and her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership from Barry University in Miami, FL.

She is most excited to collaborate with a team of professional social workers who are making an important impact in the mental health sector among underemployed and underserved communities of college graduates.

Darlene Perry-O'Neill (she/her) comes to COOP with over 14 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She hopes to use her background in operations and program management to support both the growth of the organization and the needs of our wonderful student community.

Prior to joining COOP, Darlene served as the Senior Director of Program (Site Director) for the NY Region of Per Scholas and as the Director of Operations & Implementation for the Bank Street College Education Center. She holds a B.A. in Communications from The College of New Rochelle and an M.A. in Urban Studies from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.