The LEAPH Advisory Board

Ruoji Tang is Senior Marketing Manager at Shovels, an early-stage startup that aggregates and connects nationwide building permit and local municipal decisions data. She previously worked at Liftoff Mobile, an ad tech company and served as contributing editor for Wall Street Journal Magazine, China. She holds a BA in English from UC Berkeley and a PhD in English language and literature from Cornell, with research focused on British and European Romanticism. She currently lives in San Diego, CA. 

Natasha Drake, having received dual bachelor’s in business and advertising, currently works as an employee and executive communicator for Texas Instruments. While her primary focus is supporting HR communications, she also has experience with internal storytelling and brand marketing. As a self-proclaimed Dentonite, Natasha enjoys visiting the Denton Square, shopping the local thrift/antique shops, and walking around the parks (when the weather allows). You can also find her catching up on her reading, watching movies/TV shows, or spending time with her big family – five sisters, two brothers, and two dogs! 

As the Collections Registrar at the Dallas Historical Society, Jennifer’s main responsibility is the management and maintenance of the museum's permanent collection. She also oversees the collections internship program. Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of North Texas in 2019, Master of Arts in history from Arizona State University in 2021 and has over 27 years of professional experience in various industries. As a Cherokee woman her paramount concern is educating about preserving cultural history and giving voice to underrepresented communities. Jennifer and her husband of 16 years live in Mesquite and have two children, four cats, three dogs, two birds, one tortoise, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Dr. Charlotte Decoster is the Senior Director of Education for the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. An experienced educator, she has researched, taught, and written on Holocaust history. She holds a PhD in History from the University of North Texas. Dr. Decoster regularly speaks on the Holocaust, children, and child rescue during the Holocaust and in Nazi Germany.

Megan Joblin is the Historical Park Manager for the Denton County Office of History & Culture, where she oversees a village of historic structures, coordinates more than 50 volunteers, manages the Denton County Oral History Collection, and facilitates a variety of educational programs. She holds a Master of Arts in History from Texas Woman’s University and has a deep passion for research, storytelling, and preserving local history. Through her work, Megan is dedicated to connecting people with the past and bringing local history to life through the stories, places, and people that have shaped Denton County.

Gina Brynildsen brings experience from both higher education and industry to her work helping new graduates find their footing in the workplace. After more than a decade as a marketing researcher and professor—where she taught, developed courses, published research, and led curriculum and assessment efforts—she transitioned to industry. She now designs training and development programs for new hires working at the intersection of client support, research, writing, and technology. Her work centers on creating clear, supportive learning experiences that help people build practical skills, confidence, and professional judgment. She is especially passionate about strengthening the connection between a liberal arts education and meaningful career readiness.

Lisa Oldham is the founder of Full Sleeve Communications, a Dallas marketing and creative agency serving clients across music, design, architecture, food, wine, and consumer brands. With more than 20 years of experience, she combines strategic leadership with a hands-on approach to storytelling, brand development, and audience engagement. Her career spans agency ownership and executive marketing roles, connecting creative ideas with meaningful business results. She is currently working on launching Gentle Static, an independent record label supporting original artists through recording, marketing, and artist development. She has also served as COB for the public arts organization AURORA.

Dr. Seemee Ali is President of the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, where she advances the Institute’s mission of fostering thoughtful dialogue and lifelong learning through the humanities. A scholar, teacher, and public humanities leader, she earned her B.A. in Political Science from Austin College and her Ph.D. from the University of Dallas. She is a Fellow of Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies and Professor Emerita of Carthage College, where she co-founded the Hannibal Lecture Series and the Lincoln Forum for the Liberal Arts. Dr. Ali has taught and lectured internationally on literature, philosophy, history, and culture, and her work reflects a deep commitment to the transformative power of the humanities in public life.

Dr. Rachita Sharma is the Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services at the University of North Texas. As a Clinical Professor and Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in the state of Texas she supervises the clinical training of graduate and undergraduate students. Dr. Sharma brings two decades of experience working in the field of mental health and disability adjustment. She conducts numerous presentations annually at national and international conferences focusing primarily on ethics, mental health, self-care, and Mindfulness. She is an active Board member of several professional organizations including the Texas Rehabilitation Association and the Texas Brain Injury Advisory Council (TBIAC).

Adam Chamberlin is a lighting designer, technical director, educator, and production specialist with more than two decades of experience in theater, dance, opera, and live performance. He holds an MFA in Theatrical Design from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Adam currently serves as Director of Production for Amaranth Contemporary Dance and as Resident Lighting Designer and Technical Director for the Latin Ballet of Virginia. His work has included collaborations with acclaimed choreographers, musicians, and performing arts organizations nationwide. A dedicated educator, he has taught at Virginia Commonwealth University and led lighting workshops throughout the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Costa Rica, fostering innovation and excellence in the performing arts.

Dr. Sanjukta Pookulangara is Professor and Chair of the Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing at the University of North Texas. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri and is a recognized scholar in multi-channel retailing, social media, visual commerce, consumer behavior, social responsibility, and slow fashion. A certified User Experience (UX) professional, she holds a UX Research specialization certificate from the Nielsen Norman Group. Dr. Pookulangara has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to advancing international education, strengthening global partnerships, and preparing students to succeed in an interconnected world. In recognition of these contributions, she was selected as the University of North Texas's 2026 recipient of the Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Education.