Staff

Academic Director

Dr. Elaine S. Brooks

esbrooks@uno.edu

Professor of Spanish and Seraphia D. Leyda University Teaching Fellow and has taught at UNO for twenty years. Dr. Brooks came to New Orleans in 1989 from the University of California, Davis, after earning a master’s degree in Spanish and a Ph.D. in Spanish Medieval literature. Dr. Brooks is a fifth-generation Californian having grown up in both Northern and Southern California. “When I accepted the position to teach at the University of New Orleans, I had never been to the Southern states of the United States. But, my home is now New Orleans and as an avid Saints fan, I have no desire to move back to California.” Dr. Brooks has lived in three Spanish-speaking countries: Mexico, Spain and Costa Rica. As a member of Latin American Outreach at UNO, she has visited every country in Central America, except Nicaragua, and she has made many trips to Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. During her career at UNO Dr. Brooks has published articles on 15th-century Spanish poetry and has published two books on Spanish literature and language. In July 2007 Dr. Brooks became the Academic Director of Interdisciplinary Studies, a position she enjoys because she and her colleagues are dedicated to advancing the importance of integrative learning at UNO, and to fulfilling the academic goals of the more than 600 IDS majors.

Associate Director

Dan Harper

dhharpe1@uno.edu

Dan has been employed with UNO for 17 years. He started with BGS as a Counselor in 1996 and now holds the position of Associate Director for Interdisciplinary Studies. In addition to his duties with IDS he also serves as the Coordinator for the National Student Exchange Program at UNO. Prior to arriving at UNO he worked for LSU in Eunice for 5 years where he held positions as Director of Student Activities and Orientation, Tutorial Coordinator, and Counselor. Dan graduated from Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) University with a M.S. in Counseling in 1990 and is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). He was a late higher education bloomer as he did not enroll in college until he was 34. After holding several jobs between the ages of 14 and 34 he decided to give college a try as means to move forward in a career. Like many students, regardless of age, he was not sure what he wanted to be when he grew up! He tried out several majors before settling in to the best personal and academic fit. In short, entering college turned out to be the right decision as it has led him to where he is today. Like many other transplants, Dan visited New Orleans for the first time as a tourist and fell in love with the city. At that point (25 years ago) he declared that one day he would live and work in NOLA. And here he is today with no regrets!

Academic Counselor

Gerard A. Williams

gwilliam@uno.edu

Gerard has been employed at The University of New Orleans since January 2005 as an Academic Counselor. He is also a graduate of UNO, having earned his undergraduate degree in General Studies and master’s degree in Counselor Education. He is a National Board Certified Counselor and currently working toward professional licensure. As a member of the IDS staff, he performs a variety of duties and tasks. One of his favorite responsibilities is coordinating graduation for the department. According to Gerard, “One of the things I do is work with students towards graduation. When students come to our program, the main goal is getting to commencement. Seeing students accomplish that goal is rewarding, but sharing in their joy is an even better perk.”

Program Specialist

Natalie J. Tompson

njtomps1@uno.edu

Natalie is a two time alumna of the University of New Orleans and the newest member of the IDS team!  Natalie earned both a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Counselor Education at UNO. As a student, Natalie was very active on-campus working in the Office of International Students and Scholars and serving as an advisor to the International Student Organization. While pursing her graduate degree, Natalie fulfilled internships with both UNO Counseling Services and Interdisciplinary Studies. Those experiences lead her to pursue a career in higher education. Currently, Natalie serves on the UNO International Alumni Association Board of Directors and encourages all  future IDS graduates to stay involved with UNO! Additionally, Natalie manages IDS' Facebook  page ( https://www.facebook.com/unoids ) She feels privileged to work as the new Program Specialist in the Interdisciplinary Studies degree program at her alma mater, cheerfully stating, "Helping college students pursue their dreams is what I love to do".