Meet the Staff

Kelly Walker
Director of Community Service
kelly.walker@marquette.edu
(414) 288-7205

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Interesting fact: I love folding fitted sheets.

Why I serve: My answer has changed a lot in the past few years. Today, I serve because I believe in justice and equality, and a world where human dignity is protected. Service gives us an opportunity to confront injustice together, in solidarity with others. I love the connection that service builds among people- that we’re all together as part of this world in which our essential purpose is to be good to each another.

Talk to me about: Getting involved, reflection, AmeriCorps, service careers, planning a service event, service trips, social justice issues, why you serve- anything!

Sessie Agbley
Coordinator, Center for Community Service
sessie.agbley@marquette.edu
(414) 288-2122

Hometown: West Africa

Interesting Fact: Pro-Hunter for Africana Memorabilia… Very few will get the reference. I guess that makes this an interesting fact.

Why I serve: We need to see people and communities as sites of investments and love. Those closest to the issues are those who have the solutions. I serve to remind myself and those around me that we must compassionately engage with our communities rather than standing in awe of the injustices and conditions faced. Serving allows us to recognize the resilience of our communities; however, it urges us to change the policies affecting our communities rather than the people.

Valeria Navarro-Villegas
Office Associate, Center for Community Service
Valeria.navarro@marquette.edu 
(414) 288-4274

Hometown: Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico

Why I serve: I serve because it is in our human nature to support an care for one another. I serve to lov the whole person, community, and city all while keeping in mind the many ties that I have been a rcipent of someone else's care.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: The lakefront, ethnic festivals, street festivals, and the Milwaukee Public Market

Maddie Ramion
Graduate Assistant for Community Service
M.Ed in Education Policy and Leadership

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

Why I serve: Through service, I am encouraged to make meaningful connections with members of my, Milwaukee, community and bolster my knowledge of what working toward an equitable and just society should be. I serve because I am provided with opportunities to learn about social justice topics and to become an informed citizen. 

Courtney Lowman
Graduate Assistant for Community Service
M.Ed in Education Policy and Leadership

Hometown: Yorktown, Virginia

Why I serve: The world is big. The United States is big. Milwaukee is big. Marquette is big. Through service those big places and big spaces become small. Through meaningful connections and bonds with individuals as close as next door to across the globe we create empathetic and honest understanding of different privileges, lifestyles, and stories. We form new knowledge of equity and justice and strive to break down injustice systems. I serve to share my story and to have others share their stories with me; so that our big world with big problems can become a small world with smaller problems.

Alejandra Macias
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Junior, Elementary Education & Sociology

Hometown: Oak Creek, WI

Why I serve: I serve because I am a product of others volunteering their time and providing resources to help enrich my local community. Therefore, I hope to inspire future generations to do the same by leading by example.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: Although this place is home for me, there is always something new to see or do!

Sabrina Geraghty
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Senior, Social Welfare and Justice & Sociology

Hometown: Park Ridge, IL

Why I serve: I enjoy making meaningful connections at Marquette and in Milwaukee through service. Serving is a great way to learn about my community. I have found so many social justice issues I am passionate about.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: Eating some great desserts.

Keeley Hayden
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Senior, Physiological Science

Hometown: Sussex, WI

Why I serve: While here at Marquette, service has allowed me to get to know my neighbors, be involved in the community, and become invested in the mission for justice in Milwaukee. I truly believe that we are at our strongest when we are invested in each other, and nothing furthers that investment quite like service does.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: My favorite thing about Milwaukee is that it is the perfect mix of big city and small town. There's always something exciting going on, but it's also easy to make Milwaukee feel like home!

Lelah Byron
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Sophomore, Journalism & Political Science

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Why I serve: I serve to dismantle arbitrary boundaries and unite communities. I believe that, by engaging with the Milwaukee community, Marquette students may be able to build lasting connections and nurture a desire for justice. Service can take lots of different forms, and it is my hope that all Marquette students can get involved in some way! 

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: The Milwaukee Film Festival and all the local arthouse theaters! 

Estrella Limon
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Junior, Accounting

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Why I serve: "Injustice anywerhe is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: My favorite thing about Milwaukee is the history and resilience. One of my favoirte historical events is the Open Housing marches that reached 200 straight days, fearlessness at its finest. And I love hearing about all these wonderful organizations that never sleep, striving to better Milwaukee. There is so much I still need to learn.

Mary Thao
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Senior, Clinical Laboratory Science

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

Why I serve: I serve to better people. Growing up in Milwaukee and attending a school in a nearby suburb, I was on both sides of the spectrum. Some days I would be actively volunteering, while on other days, my family and I would receive donations. Overall, both of these experiences has modled me into someone who can dream of success. Simply said, I became a better person. The structure of society allows for the marginalized to suffer and lose their sense of "betterment," so I serve to change this mindset by allowing people to understand their worth and assist them in finding their success.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: My favorite thing about Milwaukee is the fact that it is my hometown. Even though I have been here my whole life, I always manage to find out about random palces and events in this city that I did not know. There is so much to explore!

Andrew Modder
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Junior, Accounting & Business Analytics

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Why I serve: I serve to connect with people in meaningful ways. I believe that by building and fostering relationships with community members, we can develop a mutual sense of empathy to work for a more just and equitable society. Even the most casual conversations can create a lasting impact.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: Milwaukee feels a lot like my hometown, there's that balance of being in a city but it's small enough where you recognize people when you're walking around. There's also so many different fun things to do!

Anusha Das
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Senior, Social Welfare and Justice & Criminology

Hometown: Vernon Hills, IL

Why I serve: I serve because it is the BEST way to make yourself an informed citizen as well as meet incredible people you wouldn't get a chance to if you stay on campus. Being able to go to a university that prioritizes education through service and being close with your neighbors inspires me be a better guest of the beautiful city of Milwaukee. 

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: I love the people! I am a big bus commuter and being able to sit next to someone who just wants to tell you the ins and outs of their day is something so fun to me. Never be afraid to go anywhere, use street smarts and safe thinking and you'll be SO fortunate to see the most beautiful parts of Milwaukee! 

Loren McMahon
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Junior, Education

Hometown: Madison, WI

Why I serve: I serve in an effort to be different. I strive to jump through societal boundaries and find the resilience, the beauty and the brilliance that is within Milwaukee. In addition to that, I hope that my serviice experiences will launch me into a career as an educator that is non-bias, extraorrdinary, and ground-breaking.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: I love the consistency. There are always cars driving, people talking, and music playing. There's also really good all over the city.

Ali Piccininni
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Junior, Mathematics & Secondary Education

Hometown: Naperville, IL

Why I serve: I serve because I want to work with others making our world a better and more just place. I believe service can take many forms and the best part is showing someone else that I care for them and want to help. I really believe, "Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in." -Marjorie Moore

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: There is always something to do! From student organizations to agencies in Milwaukee I love getting to know new people and try new things.

Dena Johnson
Program Assistant, Center for Community Service
Sophomore, Biomedical Sciences (major), Spanish & Psychology (minor)

Why I serve: I serve to be an active leader in the encouragement of positive growth and progression in a world beyond myself. In a place where pain, inequality, and unjustified suffering exists I choose to join the opposing force of service and hope. The world is too big to only have care and respect for my own wellness. Community service allows me to integrate and immerse myself into lives outside of my own and learn about the world through service that allows me to see the world through another person's eyes. Caring for the world and its inhabitants has always been a large part of my life, for I see a holistic benefit of all things, including my own personal growth, through the act of selfless service.

Favorite thing about Milwaukee/Marquette: I love Milwaukee for its unique beauty and the independent entity that it is. I see Milwaukee as a large acreage of land occupied by united group of people comprised of all flavors of life. This city does not follow conformity in the light that Milwaukee is its own city, incomparable to any other city. We welcome all forms of creativity and allow that inclusiveness to shape the evolution of our beauty and excellence. From the third ward, to the beach, and every other neighborhood of Milwaukee, there is optimism and hope created by those that care for their home. Milwaukee is a community that cares for every one of its branches and encourages the growth and wellness of all. For those reasons, I feel confident in my ability to grow and flourish as a person and servant for my community.