Crew / Consultants

Ariel Rojas, MS, MA - Executive Director. 
Having completed Masters degrees in Sociocultural Anthropology (Columbia University, 2003) and Social Psychology (University of Havana, 2000), Mr. Rojas, founder of Transdiaspora Network, is aware that creating a meaningful community-focused HIV prevention network requires leadership to visualize the future while engaging all actors in society: individuals, governments, civil society, private sector and most important, local communities. Mr. Rojas is a bi-cultural manager with 10 years of experience and proven track record of performing research, psychosocial assessment, community outreach, direct service and program development. He is a resourceful leader with the capability to motivate a diverse group of individuals, and possess networking skills to forge successful partnerships with stakeholders from both the private and public sector. Areas of expertise include HIV/AIDS, Mental Health and Youth Development. Mr. Rojas is keenly aware of cultural nuances and has in-depth knowledge of the Caribbean and Latino communities in the New York metropolitan area. He has a BA in Psychology from the University of Havana (1998). 

Lissy de la Rosa, MA - Communications Associate.

Ms. De La Rosa has been in journalism for more than 15 years. Conscious that the definition of news is "a real fact that has special interest for the community," she grabs the most important aspect of a topic or a historic event and presented it with an informative and dynamic style. That's why her in-depth interviews and research articles are so appealing to the readers. Because of her bold approach, she had interview personalities such as Dalai Lama, Hillary Clinton, Shakira, Tommy Hillfiger, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, make up artist Bobby Brown, Zac Efron and Cristian De La Fuente. Ms. De La Rosa has a special passion for the health and fitness topics because members of her family have high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes. This gave her a strong sensibility to work on those topics. When she is doing the research for an article, she thought first what a patient or a family member of his or her would need to know about a specific condition. She has a Master in Communication Theory (2002) and a Bachelor in Public Communication, with a mayor in Journalism and a minor in Cinema, from the University of Puerto Rico (1994), both Magna Cum-Laude.

Chelsea Downing, BA - Development Coordinator.

Ms. Downing grew up in Vermont, where she developed interest in community service and education.  She attended McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she obtained a degree in Education.  She has worked as a teacher in an urban, multi-cultural high school, and has also taught ESL in Switzerland, where she worked with adults from a variety of backgrounds.  Her experiences working at health services clinic and at a support center for survivors of sexual assault have inspired her to do her part to promote sexual health and safety among adolescents and teens.  She currently works as a sexuality educator at a school in Brooklyn.

Federica Rangel, BS - Communications Coordinator.

Ms. Rangel came to the U.S in 2003 from her native country Venezuela. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Public Relations and Corporate Communications at New York University, and holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2008, she participated in the creation of a communications department for an industrial equipment distributor, and that experience helped her develop an interest in public relations. Ms. Rangel plans to use her technical background, together with PR and communications skills, to bridge the gap between technological advances and socio-economic challenges that we face today. She has volunteered as an English as a Second Language teacher in Atlanta, GA and Austin, TX; as a math tutor; and as a Spanish interpreter at NYU Free Clinic. In her free time, she enjoys running, yoga, and live jazz.

Jessica Liu, BA - Health Reporter.

Ms. Liu was born in Hong Kong and grew up in sunny southern California. She attended the University of California, Berkeley as a Public Health major and served as the Director of Alternative Breaks, a program that connects students with underserved communities through sustainable and community-based service-learning projects across the country. After graduating in 2009, she moved to New York in search of adventure and new horizons. As an AmeriCorps member, she worked as a Case Worker with the Lutheran Family Health Centers in Brooklyn, where she provided services to the Chinese immigrant community. Jessica now works at NYU Langone Medical Center and is applying to medical school, where she hopes to continue her investigation into the intersection of medicine, public health, and social justice. Jessica also loves film photography and developing her photos in the dark room.

Goussy Celestin, BFA - Dance Mediator/Storyteller.

Brooklyn-born Haitian American, Ms. Celestin has studied and performed music and dance for the last two decades with such esteemed names as Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, C. Scoby Stroman, Max Roach, Donald Byrd, Barry Harris, and Sheila Jordan both as jazz pianist and vocalist, while as a dancer, studying with Pat-Hall Smith, Jean Leon Destine, and Camille Yarbrough. She currently performs throughout the NYC-Tri state area both as a musician and dancer, often leading her own ensemble, The C.O.R. (Catalysts Of Rhythm). She is a member of ASE Dance Theater Collective, a neo-folklore ensemble dedicated to the traditional/contemporary arts of the African Diaspora filtered through Haitian music and dance.