CRA-WP Staff
Erik Russell
Director of Programs, CRA
As Director of Programs at the Computing Research Association (CRA), Erik provides operational leadership, program management, and relationship building for the organization. He drives CRA’s talent development initiatives primarily focused on diversity and inclusion and has been successful through the careful engagement, recruitment, cultivation, and support of talent, thereby increasing CRA’s visibility and amplifying efforts to promote advanced computing research.
Before joining CRA, Erik worked to advance computer science education through his service as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow within the Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering at the National Science Foundation. Erik has been actively working to engage and retain students from underrepresented groups in computer science.
Daniela Cárdenas
Senior Program Associate
As Senior Program Associate, Daniela supports CRA and CRA-WP program activities with administrative and logistical matters such as planning meetings, workshops, outreach activities, and committee support.
Daniela holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government and a minor in Education from Florida State University. In her spare time, Daniela enjoys boxing, painting, and spending time with friends.
Alejandra Guzmán
Senior Program Associate
Alejandra graduated from Brown University in 2015 with an Education Studies degree. During her undergraduate career, she was deeply involved with student organizations that supported underrepresented student communities such as first-gen, low income, etc.
She has continued that work in her professional career as she supports disenfranchised students, particularly in STEM fields. Before joining CRA, Alejandra promoted computer science learning through Code Success, a Google-sponsored program at the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), which focused on enhancing NSBE members’ CS technical skills as well as professional skills to ensure they were job ready upon graduation. In her free time, Alejandra enjoys spending time with her family, reading, running and playing with her cats.
Lauren Lashlee
Program Associate
Lauren Lashlee is a program associate for the Widening Participation (CRA-WP) committee. In this role, she supports CRA-WP programs that focus on increasing the success and participation of underrepresented groups in computing research.
Lauren was raised in Savannah, GA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an endorsement in K-12 English as a Second Oral Language. Before joining CRA, Lauren was an educator for six years in Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools. She enjoys cooking, painting, and physical activities.
