CUNY-IIE hosted the virtual launch of its new resource, Supporting Immigrant Students and Families: A Guide for New York State Secondary School Counselors.
Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 6:15 pm ET
Via Zoom
CUNY-IIE partnered with 11 secondary school counselors across New York State to develop a guide grounded in their practices and experiences supporting immigrant school communities. In this webinar, participants learned about key resources and promising strategies used to intentionally support immigrant-origin students and their families.They also heard directly from counselors about their experiences and the impact they’ve had on their diverse school communities.
Panelists included:
Orfelina Cisneros, School Counselor
Ivana Espinet, Associate Investigator at CUNY-IIE and Associate Professor at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY
Emilia Fiallo, Project Researcher at CUNY-IIE
Carolina Perez, School Counselor
Chynna Smith, School Counselor
Madeline Tineo Cuddy, School Counselor
Video recording of virtual launch of counselor’s guide for immigrant students hosted on April 29, 2026
Speaker bios:
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Orfelina Cisneros was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the United States as an adult. As an immigrant, she understands firsthand what it feels like to be welcomed and accepted into a new country. Orfelina is an executive member and a Region 10 governor for the New York State School Counselor Association (NYSSCA). She enjoys traveling worldwide and is a culinary enthusiast who believes that food shapes identities and fosters traditions that promote a deeper understanding of others across cultures.
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Ivana Espinet is an Associate Professor at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY. She holds a Ph.D. in Urban Education from the CUNY Graduate Center and an M.A. in Instructional Technology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is originally from Argentina and her journey as an immigrant and mother of three bilingual children has shaped her research interests on the use of multimodal and collaborative methodologies to learn about the experiences of emergent bilinguals and their families in schools, as well as language education policies and practices.
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Emilia Fiallo is an experienced educator specializing in English Language Arts and Bilingual Education. With over a decade of service in NYC public high schools, she has developed culturally responsive and inclusive curricula that celebrate the needs of multilingual and multicultural students. She holds a Master of Arts in Bilingual & Bicultural Education with a Bilingual Extension from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Secondary Education from Hunter College.
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Daniel Nebarai is a School Counselor and Bronx native whose parents are from Asmara, Eritrea. A proud CUNY alumnus, he earned degrees from Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Alfred University. Before joining the NYC Department of Education, Daniel worked with nonprofits focused on empowering youth through academic enrichment, social-emotional learning, and community engagement. He is passionate about mental health, social justice, and education, and enjoys the arts, sports, and traveling.
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Carolina Perez is a certified School Counselor in Bilingual Education and an Adjunct Lecturer at Hunter College. Her services as Summer School Principal and adult education ESL/GED coordinator, demonstrate a deep commitment to supporting diverse learners. Born in Chile and migrating to the United States at age 11, Carolina is dedicated to working with and advocating for immigrant and undocumented students, ensuring they receive the resources and support necessary to achieve their educational goals. Carolina has published peer-reviewed articles and was honored with the Bilingual Education Support Personnel Award (2020–21) from the New York State Association for Bilingual Education (NYSABE).
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Chynna Smith is a School Counselor at the Bethlehem Central School District and Adjunct Professor at the Esteves School of Education at The Sage Colleges. She specializes in equity and social justice in education and facilitates Implicit Bias and Courageous Conversations workshops through NYSUT. Her work bridges counseling, teaching, and professional development to foster inclusive and transformative learning environments.
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Madeline Tineo Cuddy is Bilingual (Spanish) High School Counselor at Ossining High school in Ossining, NY from Washington Heights, born to Dominican immigrants. She holds an M.A. in School Counseling from Manhattan College and a M.S. in Educational Leadership from Hunter College. Madeline is an advocate for immigrant and undocumented youth. Her work centers on providing spaces for immigrant and undocumented students/families to have full access to college and career opportunities. More than a counselor, Madeline sees herself as a mentor and voice for those often overlooked, committed to dismantling barriers and championing the potential in every student.
