Dr. Jean Rhodes, MentorPRO co-Founder, is the Director of the UMass Boston Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring and the Frank L. Boyden Professor of Psychology.With more than 250 peer-reviewed publications on the topic of youth mentoring, Rhodes is considered a leading mentoring expert. In addition to developing and evaluating mentor training, Dr. Rhodes co-authored several editions of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership’s “The Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring,™” which have been the guiding standards for student mentoring programs for decades. She has been awarded many campus-wide teaching awards, including the Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Scholar Award, the Student Government Outstanding Teacher Award, and the Chancellor’s Outstanding Scholar award
Dr. Alexandra Werntz, Training Director, received her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Virginia in 2020, specializing in supportive accountability for technology-delivered interventions. Dr. Werntz drew on evidence and best practice to develop our Super Ready™ series and works closely with programs and practitioners worldwide to improve their practice. An award winning teacher, Dr. Werntz has has set the standards for therapeutic mentoring training and has led national workshops on mentoring for mental health, resilience, workforce development and related topics.
Desireé Robertson, Senior Training and Program Development Specialist, has extensive expertise in mentoring, curriculum development, and professional development. As the former Director of Training and Product Design at MENTOR, she played a pivotal role in driving the organization’s vision for quality training development and product design, ensuring best practices in adult learning theory and instructional design. Her leadership led to the launch of the impactful Black and Brown Girls’ Mentoring Movement. An international trainer and facilitator, Desireé’s reach spans restorative justice, youth voice, critical mentoring, and supporting college students in finding meaningful mentoring opportunities, inspiring and empowering individuals across the globe through her commitment to fostering positive change in communities through wellness and mentoring.
Dr. Elizabeth Raposa, Training Affiliate, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Fordham University, where she has established herself as a leading expert in youth development and mental health. As a licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Raposa’s research focuses on understanding and mitigating the negative impacts of early life stress on youth socio-emotional development. Dr. Raposa has made significant contributions to the field of youth mentoring. She provides research consultation to formal mentoring programs on best practices for supporting youth, leveraging her extensive experience working with diverse youth populations as a clinician, professor, and mentor. Her teaching has been highly praised by students, who describe her as caring, accessible, and skilled at delivering engaging lectures.