Meet Our Academic Success Workshop Facilitator Team

Meet your team of workshop facilitators:

• LaDonne Croffe, MBA
• Sam Drake, Ph.D.
• Kirby Gibson, M.S.
• Jake Kasper, M.Ed.
• Alysa Lucas, Ph.D.
• Seven Mattes, Ph.D.
• Sara Morales, M.A.
• Brooke Robinson, M.A.
• Ryan Smith, Ed.D.
• Gabby Wahla, M.A.
• Murriah Warren, MSW candidate

LaDonna, a proud first-generation college graduate from Flint, MI, holds a BBA from Baker College of Flint and an MBA from Amberton University of Texas. She is an Academic Specialist in The Honors College, previously serving in similar roles in the College of Arts & Letters and the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. 

In addition to her work at MSU, LaDonna is a certified Transformation Coach. She is passionate about serving students and helping them reach their full potential. On weekends, she enjoys playing Uno No Mercy with family, volunteering in the community, attending comedy shows, working out, cleaning, or taking a nap on the couch.

Dr. Drake (He/His) is a first-generation college student from Cleveland Ohio. He holds a BS in Mathematics from Cleveland State University, and MS in Applied Mathematics from MSU and a Ph.D. in Measurement and Quantitative Methods from MSU. He has been involved in student success work for over 25 years. Sam Currently serves as the Director for Student Success in the Brody Neighborhood as part of the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative. Sam is also an Adjunct Mathematics Instructor at Lansing Community College.  In addition to student success work, he enjoys horror films, martial arts films, and cooking.

Kirby R. Gibson (she/her) is a scholar-practitioner dedicated to cultivating communities centered in narrative sharing, lifelong learning, coalition building, liberation, and love. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Residence Education for Student Learning and Leadership at Michigan State University (MSU). Kirby hails from the great city of Chicago but calls Wisconsin her second home where she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee respectively. Additionally, Kirby is a 4th year doctoral candidate in the Higher Adult and Lifelong Education (HALE) program at MSU. Kirby has approximately 10 years of progressive experience in student affairs and higher education including strategic planning and decision making, supervision, crisis response and management, student success, collaboration and partnerships, residential curriculum, and professional/paraprofessional staff training and development. Kirby also has experience with trainings/workshops, intergroup dialogue, and seminars centered on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ).

When Kirby is not busy being the ‘Olivia Pope of Student Affairs’ and spreading Black Girl Magic everywhere, she enjoys playing video games, watching anime, reading, traveling, cooking, all things Disney, Beyoncé, and being a creative. Furthermore, Kirby is a proud and active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, the first Black Greek lettered organization committed to sisterhood, scholarship, and being supreme in service to ALL mankind.

Jake holds a History/Secondary Education degree from Bradley University and a M.Ed. in Education Leadership from The University of Arizona. He has been supporting and challenging students for the past 17 years throughout multiple institutions, landing here at MSU five years ago. In his other (non-work) life, he enjoys reading and being with his family which include his spouse and their 4 kids.

Alysa is a two-time MSU graduate with a BA and MA in Communication. After graduating from MSU, she continued her education at Penn State University earning a PhD in Communication. She served as an Assistant Professor of Communication at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania for four years and another ten years at Central Michigan University. In her time as a professor, she worked closely with students on their success journeys and she taught them in over seventeen classes: including: Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication, Interviewing, Interpersonal Communication, Lying & Deception, and Public Speaking, and currently teaches UGS 110: First Year Seminar and UGS 201-325: Making Friends in an Epidemic of Loneliness. She currently serves as the Associated Director of Undergraduate Students overseeing all first-year seminars on campus. Outside of work you can find Alysa watching a movie a day, reading and attending book club, attending sporting events, and walking her dog, Finny.

Seven Mattes is an Assistant Professor in the Center for Integrative Studies at Michigan State University. Seven teaches large-format Integrative Social Science courses, an Undergraduate Learning Seminar, Interdisciplinary Research Methods, and an FSA Study Abroad to Japan. As a life-long procrastinator, Seven continues to develop understandings and positive habits that minimize chaos and maximize leisure and joy. Sharing these time management skills with those who are similarly struggling is one of Seven’s favorite teaching activities. Let’s get organized!

Sara Morales (she/her) currently serves as the Program Coordinator for UGS 110 and the Academic Success Workshop Program within the Office of Undergraduate Education. Sara is a first-generation college student who received her B.A. (History and AnthroArchaeology) from the University of Michigan and her M.A. (Higher Education and Student Affairs) from Western Michigan University. Sara has a passion for teaching, learning and student success and has supported that work through previous roles in Residence Education. There she focused on developing students and staff through the creation and implementation of training, residential curriculum, and intentional supervision. As the Coordinator for Peer Educator Training and Professional Development, she created and facilitated training workshops for peer educators throughout MSU.                                                                                                                                                                      
When not at her computer creating curriculum for undergraduate seminars or facilitating a class or workshop, Sara can be found traveling, taking photographs.

Brooke is a higher education professional with almost a decade of experience in student affairs, curriculum development, and leadership. As a Program Coordinator for UGS 201 Big Ideas Seminars and UGS 210 Second Year Seminar she designs student success seminars, facilitates professional development, and supports curricular strategy with a creative and system-oriented approach.

Ryan Smith joined Michigan State University as the Assistant University Ombudsperson in December of 2018. In this role, he helps members of the university community to navigate conflict, as well as university policies and procedures. Prior to his work at MSU, he worked in various student affairs capacities including residence life, student activities, and student conduct.

Ryan also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Albania where he taught high school English and organized youth development programs. Ryan holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education and an M.A. in International Development from the University of Denver; as well as a B.A. in History from Regis University. Ryan has additional experience and training in conflict mediation, conflict coaching, and restorative justice.

Gabby Wahla (she/her) is the Global Programs Coordinator in the Office of Undergraduate Education. She teaches some UGS courses, coordinates First-Year Seminar Abroad programs, Global Tech Experience, and Spartan Early Start. She also is a double Spartan grad, earning her Bachelor's in 2017 and Master's in 2021 from MSU. Gabby is excited to work with the Academic Success Workshop team and students this semester, and hopes to see you at her workshop!

Murriah Warren specializes in the America Reads/America Counts program and is passionate about supporting it after serving as a mentor and tutor in Lansing Public Schools for three years. Her commitment to young people and her community is rooted in her Bachelor of Arts in psychology, which she earned from Michigan State University in May 2025, along with minors in Youth & Society and Educational Studies. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in clinical social work at MSU.

Murriah is dedicated to giving back to—and learning from—every community she is part of, especially MSU, where she proudly serves as a student, alum, and staff member. She participated in the PsyScholar program from 2023–2025 and currently works as an MSW interim case manager for the Office of Student Support and Accountability, as well as the Center for Community Engaged Learning’s Campus Compact/AmeriCorps VISTA.