Meet the DOS Staff
Marcia Lynn Sells, Esq.
Dean of Students
msells@law.harvard.edu | 617-495-1881
Marcia Sells is the Dean of Students. Sells received her J.D. from Columbia, and her BA from Barnard. Prior to returning to Columbia in 2002, she held a variety of high-level positions in academia, the private sector and public service, including: Vice President for Employee and Organizational Development at Reuters America; Vice President for Organizational Development & Human Resources and Vice President for Player Education and Development at the National Basketball Association; and Assistant District Attorney for the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.
Mark Jefferson
Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Equity
mjefferson@law.harvard.edu | 617-495-7450
Mark Jefferson is the Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Equity. Mark counsels students from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds, with a special focus on developing relationships with and working through the concerns of students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, whether religious, socioeconomic, racial, gender/sexual identity, political, or any combination thereof. In collaboration with student groups, faculty, various administrative offices, and centers, Mark develops programming that promotes cultural competency, civil discourse, and thick articulations of the unique ways social justice, inclusion, and equity intersect at Harvard Law School and beyond. Additionally, he contributes to the planning and implementation of Dean of Students Office events and programs including Commencement, Orientation, and student leadership development programs. He received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, and his B.A. in Philosophy from Morehouse College. In his spare time he reads whatever he can get his hands on, writes fiction, and contemplates the seemingly effortless genius of Sarah Vaughan, among other things.
Lakshmi Clark
Senior Director of Student Affairs
lclark@law.harvard.edu | 617-496-2437
Lakshmi Clark is the Senior Director of Student Affairs. She is responsible for managing the facilitation of law student access to academic, co-curricular, and social activities at the University. Lakshmi oversees the coordination of disability-related accommodations for the Harvard Law School community, oversees Live Well @HLS, referrals and resources for academic support, and is the primary contact for law student emergencies. She manages the medical leave of absence process for HLS students, works with the Dean of Students on Title IX matters, and coordinates support for international J.D. students. Additionally, she contributes to the planning and implementation of Dean of Students Office events and programs including Commencement, Orientation, and student leadership development programs. She has a Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities from Teachers College, Columbia University, a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from New York University, and is receiving her Doctor of Education from Johns Hopkins University.
Mel Saunders
Director of Residential Operations and Student Life Systems
msaunders@law.harvard.edu | 617-496-6054
Mel Saunders is the Director of Residential Operations and Student Life Systems in the HLS Dean of Students Office. She oversees all aspects of on-campus housing as well as all student life technology projects. She works with her amazing team of resident advisors to make sure that each dorm is a pleasant and respectful place to be on a daily basis. She also works with several student leaders who need assistance in building custom surveys or election systems. Before joining the Dean of Students Office, Mel traveled the Northeast working in college housing at institutions such as Iona College, Boston University, and the New England Institute of Art. She has a Masters in Higher Education Administration from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Dramatic Literature from Clark University. Mel is a proud mother to her newborn son, an avid Red Sox fan and an artist.
Sheena Prosper
Administrative Director of Publications and Student Life
sprosper@law.harvard.edu | 617-495-3694
As the Administrative Director of Publications and Student Life, Sheena manages the journals operation and the publications cycle for 16 Law Journals. In addition, Sheena maintains the journals finances, collaborates with students on conferences and various symposiums, and participates in the planning and execution of Orientation and Commencement here at HLS. She is known to create a fun and friendly environment where the Student Journal editors can feel free to inquire about any publications related issues. Sheena joined Harvard in 2003 by working in financial administration before moving to the Dean of Students Office in 2008 as the sole journals administrator. She has a Certificate in Business Administration, Associates in Human Resources Management, Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Masters in Higher Education Administration.
Dianne Ribeirinha-Braga
Assistant Director of Financial Operations
drbraga@law.harvard.edu | 617-495-3770
Dianne Ribeirinha-Braga is the Assistant Director of Financial Operations in the Dean of Students Office. Dianne is responsible for the budget development and forecasting of all Dean of Students Office operations, including Commencement, Orientation, accessibility, Board of Student Advisers, and student activities. Some of her other responsibilities include student reimbursements, invoices, credit card reconciliation, check processing, and financial training for student organizations. Dianne has been at Harvard for over 35 years, working most recently in Facilities at HLS for 18 years. Prior to HLS, Dianne worked for Harvard Real Estate, FAS Registrar’s Office, Langdell Library, and Harvard Dining Services. She has a Business Administration degree from Mount Ida. Dianne is first generation, having parents from Trás-os-Montes, Portugal and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She also speaks fluent Portuguese.
Edgar Filho
Program Administrator for Student Affairs
efilho@law.harvard.edu | 617-495-1880
Edgar is the Program Administrator for Student Affairs in the Dean of Students Office. He provides extensive support with a multitude of DOS events and activities such as commencement, orientation and student organizations. Edgar also provides assistance to the Student Support Services team and manages Dean Sells’ calendar. His knowledge base of DOS operations and good nature are good reasons to stop by and ask questions you may have.Edgar has been at DOS since 2014 but with Harvard University since 2003 working in Landscape Service and HLS Facilities Management. Edgar is the recipient of the 2005 Harvard Hero Award, the 2013 HLS Dean’s Award for Excellence and the 2018 HLS Suzanne L. Richardson Staff Appreciation Award. Originally from Guaira-PR, Brazil and fluent in Portuguese, Edgar enjoys movies, bicycling, hiking, travelling and exploring the United States. He is certified as a medical interpreter and is also a notary public. Edgar has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Carolyn Hubbard
Assistant Director, Student Support Services
chubbard@law.harvard.edu | 617-495-8773
Carolyn Hubbard is the Assistant Director of Student Support Services in the Dean of Students Office. She works closely with the Senior Director of Student Affairs to manage accommodations for students and guests at HLS. Before joining Student Support Services at HLS, Carolyn worked in a special education program in Providence, RI where she conducted assessments, developed curriculum, and determined reasonable accommodations for students requiring specialized support. In addition to her role with Student Support Services, Carolyn assists with HLS Wellness programming, which promotes students’ overall well-being. Carolyn has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and a Master’s degree in Education from Lesley University.
Sarah Kinkade
Staff Assistant
skinkade@law.harvard.edu | 617-496-2411
Sarah works at the front desk of the Dean of Students Office and is the liaison for all DOS emails, phone calls and in-person requests. She also assists with various DOS events and activities. Sarah has a Master’s degree in Medieval Studies from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and World History from Lesley University.
Laurie Lower
Accessibility Services Coordinator
llower@law.harvard.edu | 617-384-7215
Laurie Lower is the Accessibility Services Coordinator in the Dean of Students Office. She provides students with alternate format materials, manages assistive technology programs and devices, and coordinates captioning and CART service for students who receive accommodations. In addition to her work in Student Support Services, Laurie assists with HLS Wellness programming as well as other Dean of Students Office events. Laurie was a Dean’s Award for Excellence recipient in 2019. As a Library of Congress certified Literary Braille Transcriber, Laurie worked at National Braille Press before joining Student Support Services at HLS. Laurie received her BA in German and English from Luther College.
Yvonne Smith
Administrative Coordinator, Board of Student Advisers
yvsmith@law.harvard.edu | 617-495-4535
Yvonne Smith manages the Board of Student Advisers (BSA). The BSA is a student organization charged with providing several essential services to the Harvard Law School community. The members of the BSA serve as teaching assistants in the First Year Legal Research and Writing Program, and as academic and pastoral advisers to members of the first-year class. Yvonne oversees and monitors and manages the committees that perform the functions of the BSA, including Upper Round Ames, Orientation, and First Year Ames. Yvonne was a 2016 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellence. She has worked at Harvard Law School since 1987.
Marla Allisan
Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Clinical Social Worker
Marla Allisan JD, LICSW is a clinical social worker with HUHS dedicated to Harvard Law School. Based in CAMHS/Pound Hall, Marla helps law students with skill-building in relationships, coping with personal and family issues, integrating personal and professional identities and finding resolutions to impediments to achieving goals. Marla is also an actively licensed attorney and senior advisor to an adoption agency. She received her BA in psychology and women’s studies from Mount Holyoke College, her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law and her masters of social work degree from Smith College School for Social Work. In her spare time, Marla enjoys playing piano duets, making art and thinking about how interdisciplinary thinking in the mediation/negotiation field can contribute to peace. Appointments with Marla can be made through HUHS Counseling and Mental Health Services, 617-495-2042.
Sarah DeLorme
Web & Communications Administrator
sdelorme@law.harvard.edu | 617-384-0139
Sarah DeLorme is the Web & Communications Administrator in the Dean of Students Office. In addition to keeping the Student Services portion of the HLS website updated and assisting with marketing efforts, she provides website support and maintenance for student journals and organizations. Sarah comes to HLS from Boston College, where she was an associate Digital Scholarship Librarian. She received her BA in Art Therapy from Emmanuel College, and her MLS in Library and Information Science from Simmons College. In her spare time, she likes to illustrate children’s books and hang out with her dog.