Meet the Staff

Brook Paradise
Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Inclusion and Engagement

Dr. Brooke Paradise (they/them/their) joins the Skidmore community with over a decade of experience in High Education at multiple institutions, most recently being the Associate Dean of Residential Experiences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Brooke has an undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry from Castleton University, a master’s in health sciences from Sage Graduate School, and a Doctorate from the University of New England in Educational Leadership. 

Brooke plays a key part in the initiatives that address disparities and promote cultural change in educational settings with specialties in inclusive leadership and inclusive excellence. They have taught at Russel Sage College, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and serves on doctoral student research committees. Their passion is creating inclusive learning environments and equitable access to learning for all students. Brooke has also been active in multiple professional associations, holding numerous leadership positions during their career. Their commitment to supporting professional development for all staff reflects the investments that others made in their growth and development, as well as their own personal commitment to their professional development activities. Brooke enjoys coaching and engaging with team members about their professional development plans. Brooke’s vision for student life is largely informed by their own college experience as a first-generation college student at a small, public institution and from their experience as a resident assistant. As a result of these and other impactful experiences, they see the objective of Student Affairs as helping each student feel that they matter and belong. This objective of belonging is crucial to the vision and drives the focus of the division’s programs, services, and philosophy. 

When Brooke is not at work, they spend love spending time with their wife, Katie, and their three children, Quintin, Phoenix, and Everest. 

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Mary Ann Toia
Pre-Orientation Coordinator
Administrative Assistant, Office of Campus Life & Engagement
518-580-8338


Mary Ann earned a B.S. degree in communications from the State University of NY College at Oneonta. She joined the Office of Campus Life in 2011 and is currently the Pre-Orientation Coordinator managing all programs both on and off campus for First Year Students. Mary Ann also created a program S.O.L.E (Sophomore Outdoor Leadership Experience) which launched in August 2012. Prior to coming back to work at Skidmore she worked at The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs for 9 years in many facets. Mary Ann was a flight attendant and was able to travel the world extensively after college. She has a passion for outdoor education and believes in the effectiveness of experiential learning. She spent 18 months raising a guide dog who is now successfully guiding in Ohio (pictured). When she is not busy at work she is enjoying time with her 3 daughters where they can usually be found doing something outdoors!

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Carlos Navarro
Director, Office of Leadership Activities
518-580-8352

Carlos Navarro (he/him) received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and his Masters of Education in Postsecondary Administration for Student Affairs from the University of Southern California. 

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Nicki Damiano
Coordinator of Club Sports, Office of Leadership Activities
518-580-8315

Nicki received her B.A. in History Education from SUNY Cortland in 2007 and her M.S. in Ethnic Geography in 2009 from Binghamton University. Nicki first served as Assistant Swimming Coach for Skidmore from 2009-2011 and returned in August of 2015 in the same position. Nicki also teaches Beginning Swimming and Swim for Fitness for the Physical Activity Department on campus. During her four years away from Skidmore, Nicki served as the Head Swimming & Diving Coach/Aquatics Director for SUNY Cobleskill where her athletes broke over 50 schools records and won their conference championship during the 2015 season. Nicki is looking forward to creating a positive environment for all Club Sports and eager to work with the Club officers and students.

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Kris Leggiero
SGA Accountant, Office of Leadership Activities
518-580-5776  

Schedule a meeting with Kris:https://krisleggiero.youcanbook.me

Kris received her Associates Degree in Accounting from Nassau Community College on Long Island, where she grew up. Kris joined the Skidmore staff in 2001 as the financial advisor to the Student Government Association as well as all student clubs and organizations. Kris provides oversight of the student activity fee allocations and expenditures, financial policies and procedures, as well as leadership training on budgeting and finance. Kris is the primary advisor to the SGA VP of Financial Affairs as well as the advisor to the Budget and Finance Committee.

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Parker Diggory
Director, Office of Religious and Spiritual Life
518-580-8340 

Schedule a meeting with Parker:https://parkerdiggory.youcanbook.me

Parker's work with individual faith communities has ranged from preaching to liturgical dance to social-justice activism. She has also worked in the nonprofit sector on interreligious collaboration for peace and development. Parker's academic work includes graduate study in theology and Hebrew Bible at Emory University, where she also received her M.Div. from the Candler School of Theology. She holds a B.A. from Middlebury College, where she studied religion and theater. Her research interests include the intersections of religious texts and practice and the impact of archaeology and history on biblical interpretation. A Saratoga native, Parker enjoys being back in the Skidmore community and close to Adirondack hiking and cross-country skiing. 

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Martina Zobel                                                                                                                                      
Coordinator, Jewish Student Life and Interfaith Programming
518-580-5679

Martina has been exploring Jewish practice for decades. After rebelling from a strict traditional upbringing in the UK  in her youth, living secularly in Israel in the early '80s, and moving to the U.S. as a young mother, she fully embraced Judaism as a guiding principle for a richly spiritual and intellectually stimulating life. Martina is a keen student of Mussar, and she consistently strives as a Jewish educator to embody the balance between formal and experiential learning opportunities. She is passionate about exploring life's journey and making a difference, whether she is teaching Hebrew in the classroom, leading comparative religion workshops or leading a meditative hike. As part of the ORSL, Martina supports the Skidmore community to connect spiritually, culturally and/or intellectually in a way that serves each person's unique journey and collaborates with faculty and staff to deepen cross-cultural connections and appreciation