PhD Researchers
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Angela Ebreo, PhD, is an Associate Research Scientist at the University of Michigan’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, She also leads the Personal Assets and System Strengths (PASS) Program, a partnership between researchers who are interested in understanding how personal strengths lead to contributive lives in which positive human values are expressed in various contexts. A social psychologist by training, Dr. Ebreo is interested in interventions that contribute to the positive development and well-being of persons of all ages, particularly young adults, and the elderly. Although funding for the Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and the Louis Stokes Regional Center of Excellence for the Study of STEM Interventions (LSRCE-SOSI) ended in 2025, Dr. Ebreo and her colleagues continue work on topics related to broadening participation in STEM, in addition to other projects. From 2007 until 2013, she served as Assistant Director for Research and Training in UM’s National Center for Institutional Diversity. Prior to her position with the University of Michigan, Dr. Ebreo was the Assistant Director for Research and Training at the Institute for Race and Public Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago. During her employment at UIC, she developed relationships with several Asian American serving non-profit organizations, including Advancing Justice – Chicago, Alliance for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment, CIRCA-Pintig, and the Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago. Due to her long-term commitment to community development and social justice, Dr. Ebreo continues to be involved in proposal development, grant writing and consulting.

James M. Ellis, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. His research investigates the degree to which microaffirmations and microaggressions promote or impede the college transition experiences of first-generation college students and undergraduate men of color. In addition to his scholarship, James has served in a variety of professional roles in partnership with programs and organizations dedicated to advancing educational opportunities for adolescents and young adults from racial-ethnic and socioeconomic marginalized backgrounds.

Joseph Romero-Reyes is an Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership and Higher Education at Iowa State University. His research and teaching explore multilevel, strengths-based approaches to understanding the community college experiences and vertical transfer pathways, particularly among underrepresented student populations. His work also places a special emphasis on the community college experiences and trajectories of first-generation and low-income men of color. In 2025, he received the Dissertation of the Year Award from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division J. His recent research has been published in leading journals, including the Community College Journal of Research and Practice and New Directions for Community Colleges.