DIRECTOR
Lapétra Bowman, Ph.D.
Originally from Nancy, France, Lapétra Bowman, Ph.D. and her grandmother moved to the U.S. in the summer of 1985. She subsequently attended the University of Texas at San Antonio where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in English (1997), her Master’s Degree in English (2000), and her Doctorate in English (with a focus in comparative literature by women) (2010), all the while being the primary caregiver to her beloved grandmother for well over twenty-two years.
As the Director for the Office of Academic Advising, Bowman oversees the advising team and is responsible for coordinating, planning, developing, integrating, facilitating, and implementing advising policies, practices, and processes with a strict adherence to a student-centered holistic and developmental advising model. Bowman is responsible for creating and maintaining a Total Intake Advising structure at Trinity, which provides academic advising for all First Year and Sophomore students through to major declaration, at which point students are re-assigned to a faculty advisor in their respective academic departments. Additionally, she establishes and maintains close collaboration between professional advising staff, faculty advisors, and academic departments in an effort to best serve students and to provide consistency in messaging and practice as it relates to the campus’ overall vision and strategic initiatives. In addition to being an Academic Adviser for 17 years, Bowman was lecturer for 12 years, during which time she taught undergraduate courses in English, Humanities, and Women’s Studies for more than a decade. Courses taught include “Body Narratives in American Film,” “The Modern World,” “The Romantic Age,” “Medieval World,” “Introduction to Women’s Studies,” “Feminism and Globalization,” “Alfred Hitchcock,” and “Gender and Media." She has also worked as a retention specialist, program coordinator, assessment coordinator, internship coordinator, and honors thesis program coordinator. She has also been involved with curriculum development, revising catalogs, and peer mentoring programs.
When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling with her husband Todd, as well as cooking complicated but delicious French cuisine, attending theatrical or musical events, playing violin with a local orchestra, hiking throughout the Texas Hill Country, swimming, practicing yoga, meditation, and gardening. Her favorite band is The Cure (she has seen them 8 times in concert!) and she is unabashedly addicted to watching the Golden Girls. Most recently, she has discovered The Great British Baking Show on Netflix and is hooked!
Specialization
- Provides strategic coordination, planning, budgeting, and assessment for the Office of Academic Advising and its objectives and student learning outcomes for all First Year and Sophomore students in accordance with the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) in higher education, NACADA, and Trinity’s Strategic Initiatives
- Collaborates with staff and faculty on college-wide student retention efforts and initiatives
- Designs and facilitates training programs and Advising Workshop Series for professional advising staff and faculty advisors
- Serves as a resource for faculty advisors regarding academic advising issues
- Provides supplemental advising to declared majors through proactive curricular review, including guiding students through the impact and consequences of academic decisions and strategic advising related to academic directions in relation to majors, post-graduate opportunities (what she lovingly refers to as 'conocimiento conversations')
Meet with Lapétra Bowman, Ph.D.
ADVISER
Michael Leach, M.A.T.
Originally from Houston, TX, Michael Leach has worked in education since graduating from Trinity University’s MAT Program in 2013. During his tenure as a student at Trinity, Michael’s focus was on choral and instrumental education and performance, performing with the Trinity Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Choir, Chamber Singers, Handbells, and Trinitones at various points. During the MAT Program year, he focused on Secondary Orchestra instruction. While working in secondary education, Michael served as the Choir and Strings Teacher before moving into the Dean of Students and finally Director of Student Affairs role for the bulk of his tenure at a local charter school.
Michael’s developmental approach in advising aims to equip students with the necessary skills and tools to not only achieve success, but take full advantage of every opportunity the university offers its students. He strives to serve as an advocate for students, while also teaching them self-advocacy and sufficiency to have continued success later at Trinity and wherever their post-graduation journey takes them.
In his free time, Michael enjoys going on weekend grand adventures with his fiancé Cathryn to the dog park and games stores to play too much Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons, performing with the community orchestra at UIW, singing in the Parish Choir at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, cheering way too enthusiastically for the Houston Astros, maintaining a ridiculous amount of Lego sets, culinary adventures in the kitchen, and woodworking in the garage when it’s not 100°+ outside.
ADVISeR
Jennifer Reese, M.B.A.
Jennifer has worked at Trinity University for over 17 years and has enjoyed supporting students in different ways. She practices holistic and developmental advising as a way to help students explore the Trinity curriculum and reach their personal and academic goals. While she is well versed in all Majors and Minors that Trinity has to offer she specializes in advising the following pre-majors: Engineering Science, the School of Business, Mathematics and Mathematical Finance.
While originally from Temple, Texas, Jennifer moved to San Antonio to work for Trinity University after earning a Bachelor in Business Administration with a major in Marketing (2003) from Texas State University. In 2006, she earned her Master's in Business Administration from Texas State University. During her 17 years at Trinity she has also worked as Records specialist, Graduation Coordinator, and Degree Audit Coordinator.
When not at work, Jennifer enjoys being with her husband, Victor, and daughter Layla. She also enjoys going to the gym, decorating for the holidays and watching scary movies.
Specialization
- Business
- Economics
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Health Professions
ADVISeR
Regina Romero, M.S.
As a native of Texas, Regina was born and raised in San Antonio and lived in Austin for 4 years while attending the University of Texas at Austin. While at UT, Regina earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. After moving back to her hometown of San Antonio, she attended Our Lady of the Lake University, where she earned a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. With over 10 years of experience in higher education, Regina strives to empower students to discover what success means for them and how they want to impact the world around them. She provides support for pre-major students including, but not limited to the following areas of interest:
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Neuroscience
- Physics
- Health Professions
Regina is an advocate for mental health and works to create safe and brave spaces where all are welcomed and perspectives are shared and further developed. Her advising approach is student-centered and solution-focused. She aims to provide holistic support that ultimately empowers students to identify and build on their own individual interests, talents, and strengths. As a first-generation graduate, Regina aspires to help students reach their full potential and to learn to lean into challenges. She is honored to be a small part of students’ transformational experiences and encourages them to be the author of their own educational process and life story!
In her free time, Regina enjoys exploring new local restaurants and trying new foods. She practices self-care by spending time with family and friends, playing with her rescued pups, and practicing hot yoga. She enjoys being outdoors and discovering new adventures through traveling. She approaches life's challenges as a learning experience and draws on Nelson Mandela’s quote as inspiration: “I never lose. Either I win or I learn!”
ADVISeR
Catherine Terrace, M.A.
Catherine Terrace was born in Pensacola, Florida, and grew up in the greater Houston area. She received her B.A. in Anthropology with a minor in Political Science from Trinity University in 2019. While at Trinity, she worked for the Trinitonian, and was an active member of Chi Beta Epsilon. She began her professional experience by working at several local non-profit organizations throughout her undergrad career. After graduating, she worked for two years at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation providing sexual health counseling and testing services. In 2021, she left San Antonio to pursue a Master’s of Arts in the Social Foundations of Health from Vanderbilt University, where her research concentrated on disability studies and higher education. While at Vanderbilt, she worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Graduate Assistant in the university’s Student Access Office.
In her meetings, Catherine practices holistic advising, and looks to support students’ academic, mental, emotional, and physical health. She strives to be one of her students’ biggest advocates throughout their higher education journey, and aims to equip them with the tools they need to be successful at Trinity and beyond. As a Trinity alum, she is dedicated to empowering students to explore all Trinity has to offer to support their personal, academic, and professional journeys. Catherine provides support for pre-major students including, but not limited to the following areas of interest:
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Neuroscience
- Physics
- Health Professions
Catherine’s personal and academic background is rooted in accessibility advocacy, and enjoys spending her free time reading up on emerging trends in disability studies. Outside of work, she greatly enjoys watching Grey’s Anatomy, taking care of her small collective of plants, and occasionally visiting Brackenridge Park for short walks.
ADVISeR
Katie Welch, B.A.
Born and raised in San Antonio, Katie attended Trinity and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communication with a minor in Religion. During her four years at Trinity, Katie spent time as a research assistant and peer tutor in addition to her time interning with the SoL Center of San Antonio, an interfaith education center. After graduating from Trinity in 2018, Katie spent two years as a college adviser with the Trinity University College Advising Corps. She was placed at Fox Tech High School, working with 9th-12th grade students on postsecondary planning that included college and financial aid applications, scholarships, and career and major exploration. Her experience working in college access led to her passion for ensuring student success at a postsecondary level.
As a first-generation graduate, Katie is dedicated to helping students learn to navigate their college experience and connect with resources on campus. She is student-centered and passionate about working towards educational equity in higher education. Katie is a passionate advocate and ally for her students, and she seeks to empower her students through a holistic advising approach. In her free time, Katie enjoys spending time with family and friends, experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes, and catching up on her Netflix queue. She is also an animal lover, and when she isn’t working, she is spending time with her Chihuahua!
Specialization
- Business
- Economics
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Health Professions
ADVISeR
Alexis von Biedenfeld
Alexis von Biedenfeld is a person with many stories to tell. She has spent most of her life in Texas, but she has also lived in Japan and Hawaii and traveled within four continents. Alexis attended public schools in Houston, graduated from Rice University, with a B.A. in English and Linguistics, and completed an M.A. in Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Her main academic interests are Business writing, interdisciplinary collaboration, all things Language Arts, and identity markers, but she is almost certainly interested in your research as well.
Alexis will be supporting Humanities, Liberal Arts, and Social Sciences, among other disciplines, in her role as academic advisor in the Office of Academic Advising. She will be actively working towards creating equitable educational experiences for students, developing self-advocacy and self-care routines, connecting needs, values and learning, and continuing the tradition of academic excellence at Trinity University.
In addition to teaching and advising, Alexis enjoys reading, writing, wandering, laughing, playing board games, playing music on the cello, listening to music, exploring Japanese culture and drinking tea with her two human children and one canine child.