About Us
Staff
Stacy Cooper Patterson
Senior Director of Student Affairs
[email protected]
Stacy Cooper Patterson (she/her/hers) joined the Peabody community in August of 2021 as the Director of Student Affairs. Stacy works alongside the Student Affairs team to enhance student learning, develop engaging co-curricular experiences, and create a warm, welcoming, and empowering environment for all students.
Most recently, Stacy served as the Associate Dean of Students at Goucher College in Towson, MD. She has direct experience in residential life, student engagement, leadership programs, new student programs, and career development, and has a broad understanding of Student Affairs work and leadership. Beyond her tenure at Goucher, she previously worked at Vassar College and Yale University. Stacy earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ohio University, a Master of Arts in Counseling in Postsecondary Education from Western Michigan University, and a Graduate Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies from the University of Baltimore.
In her free time, Stacy enjoys spending time with her partner, two kids, and dog, Tyson. She also spends far too much time trying to keep her plants alive and loves listening to live music, hiking, working out, and reading.
Elizabeth Ajagbe
Assistant Director of Student Involvement and Engagement
[email protected]
Elizabeth Ajagbe (she/her/hers) joined the Peabody community in December 2021 as the Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Engagement. Elizabeth is excited to bring her passion and leadership in serving and supporting students to Peabody. She is excited for the opportunity to make meaningful and impactful connections with the Peabody student body. Being surrounded by creative students and at an institution that values innovation, she looks forward to supporting and challenging students to be the best version of themselves by taking advantage of what their time at the Peabody Institute has to offer.
Before joining Peabody, she spent the last 6 years engaging, teaching, and mentoring underserved students within higher education. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Forensic Psychology from The College of Saint Rose before heading to the University of Connecticut to graduate with a Master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Her desire to continue challenging the status quo in order to best support students is what led to the shift in career path, but her appreciation for what makes every individual unique is what joined the two.
When she’s not at Peabody, Elizabeth enjoys cooking and trying different foods considering herself a gastronomist extraordinaire. She also enjoys learning and trying new things.
Janine Cannon
Student Affairs Coordinator
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Janine Cannon (she/her/hers) is a Nebraska native (probably the only one you will ever meet) that moved to Maryland halfway through high school. After graduating college, she worked in the health field and then found her love for the Peabody community by becoming the COVID-19 testing coordinator for the campus. Now that she has moved into the Student Affairs Coordinator role, she fully enjoys talking to students, co-workers, and anyone else who pops their heads into the office. She is an avid runner, gym-goer, and overall hyper and happy person that is always full of energy. Keeping busy when away from work between her plants, dog- Derby, chameleon- Kiwi, her partner, and her new baby as of April 2022. You will find her on her breaks going for walks all around Baltimore and always with a smile. She is very focused on health and nutrition but enjoys a good gluten-free/vegan donut as much as the next person. Please never hesitate to pop into the office and say hello to her!
Deb Gould
Student Case Manager
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Deb (she/her/hers OR they/them/theirs) has been a part of the Peabody community since 2018 and currently serves as the Student Case Manager. Deb provides one-on-one support, including interventions, advocacy, referrals, and follow-up services for students who are experiencing difficulties related to any area of concern. Deb has experience working at both public and private institutions and has had the pleasure of providing supervision and guidance to graduate and professional staff members. Their professional areas of interest include the navigation of campus systems and policies while prioritizing student well-being and academic success and social justice and inclusion efforts.
Deb received her B.S. from Suffolk University (Boston, MA) in Public Relations and Black Studies and their M.Ed in Higher Education Student Affairs from Salem State University (Salem, MA).
When Deb cannot be found in her office, she is likely thrifting, road-tripping, or watching movies with her partner and long-time cat companion, Errol.
Dan Pretz
Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life
[email protected]
Dan (he/him/his) joined Peabody in 2016 as the Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life. Dan’s work centers on developing a residential environment that supports students as they transition into both the Peabody & Baltimore communities. Dan supervises the Resident Assistant staff, as well as the Graduate Head Resident. These positions deliver a campaign of both passive and active programs meant to provide students with the tools needed to adjust to the freedoms and responsibilities that come with their new role as Peabody students. Dan also works closely with the campus judicial and emergency response functions and serves as the on-call administrator for the campus.
Dan holds a M.A. in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a B.A. in Music Theory & Composition from McDaniel College, and an A.A. in Music from Howard Community College.
When he is not at Peabody, Dan can be found engaging with the Baltimore theater scene, poorly recreating crafts found on Pinterest, or contemplating life’s deepest questions such as “is a hotdog a sandwich?”
Student Affairs Assistants
Lucas Min
Graduate Hall Director
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Lucas (he/him/his) joined Student Affairs at Peabody as the Graduate Hall Director starting Fall 2023. While working with Peabody, he is pursuing a master’s degree in nursing at the JHU School of Nursing.
Lucas earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Redlands in 2016, then a Master of Art in Educational Leadership in Higher Education from Montclair State University in 2018. Right after graduating from MSU, he lived abroad for three years and then came back to California.
While not at work or in school, Lucas likes to go on hikes, attend concerts, and most importantly, listen to Taylor Swift.
Leah Wenger
Graduate Hall Director
[email protected]
Leah joined the Peabody community in June of 2022 as a Graduate Hall Director. She is pursuing master’s degrees in Historical Performance Voice and Musicology. Leah hails from Harrisonburg, Virginia, which is nestled in the Shenandoah Valley, and surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, where she spent her years hiking, biking, and chasing running water. She received her B.S. in Psychology and Vocal Performance at Eastern Mennonite University, where she also participated in the Honors Program, served as the president of the Student Government Association, and played four years as the starting goalkeeper for the varsity soccer team.
Leah brings a breadth of working experience with her that includes social work and mental health care, food service and catering, student government, administrative work, and most recently becoming an expert at pour-over coffees with her hometown coffee roastery. She loves weaving the tapestry of life with each unique thread of personal connection. Creating spaces for people to exist in comfortably, and fully, energizes her, and she hopes to do just that through her role in student life.
If Leah is not around the student life offices, she has likely stepped out to find a hole in the library, a local coffee shop, or a waterfall. Join her in the courtyard any time it rains in order to ponder the intricacies of life together.