Adviser Bios
Ashley Heaton, Interim Associate Director, was raised on a farm in northwest Alabama and studied English and Anthropology as an undergraduate at Vanderbilt. She had the opportunity to study abroad for a semester at St. Andrews in Scotland, immediately after which she participated in her first archaeological project in Bolivia. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D in Anthropology with a focus in Archaeology at Tulane University, and she did excavations for her dissertation on the north central coast of Peru. Prior to joining CASPAR, Ashley served as Study Abroad Adviser as well as Assistant Registrar at Vanderbilt. She finds working in higher education and with students inspiring and energizing. Outside of work she has a longstanding love of literature with special appreciation for a well narrated audiobook, live music (bonus points if it’s outdoors), and learning what new shenanigans her talkative and clumsy cats, Hoss and Bullwinkle, have gotten into.
Email: ashley.k.heaton@vanderbilt.edu
Ryan Kim, a native of the Baltimore area, moved to Nashville at the end of 2011 and soon found himself a part of the Vanderbilt community where he received both his M.Ed in Human Development from Peabody College and his M.T.S. from the Divinity School. Before joining CASPAR, he worked directly with a variety of populations in community mental health settings—most notably with adolescents from trauma backgrounds. With his background in both the helping professions and in academia, he hopes to use his skillset to help students discover their strengths, establish new goals, and achieve academic success. In his free time he enjoys trying new restaurants, nerd culture, discussing personality theories with others, and seeing his favorite bands live.
Email: ryan.y.kim@vanderbilt.edu
KellyNoel Waldorf was raised in New Jersey, Idaho, and a small Appalachian town called Murphy, North Carolina. She studied linguistics and international studies at Duke University and pursued her MA in sociolinguistics at NC State University. She has worked as a high school college advisor with the College Advising Corps and as an admissions officer at Duke University. As a first-generation college student herself, she loves to advise students through the higher education experience. Outside of work she enjoys hiking and cooking with her wife, Lauren. Other “hobbies” include seeing all the films at Belcourt (especially horror), listening to too many pop culture podcasts, writing snail mail letters to friends, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and eating ice cream.
Email: kellynoel.waldorf@vanderbilt.edu
David Gertler is a native of New Orleans and went to the University of Michigan for undergrad, where he studied Psychology. After graduating from Michigan, he earned his M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Vanderbilt. Since graduating from Vanderbilt, David has been advising students and trying make a meaningful difference in their lives. Outside of work, David is an avid runner and loves to watch sports. David is especially excited for the future of the New Orleans Pelicans, who are proving the doubters wrong.
Email: david.j.gertler@vanderbilt.edu
Amy Cesarone, originally from the suburbs of Chicago, has lived in Brentwood, Tennessee since 2012 with her family. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Human and Family Resources at Northern Illinois University while also competing as a student athlete. She completed her Masters of Science in Counseling with an emphasis in Student Development in Higher Education also from Northern Illinois University. Upon graduation, she worked as a tenured counselor for Triton College. Most recently, she’s been focused on her family. She is excited to be a part of Vanderbilt University’s Caspar Office and to share her experience, educational background and passion for student development. Helping students explore and navigate their own university experience is just one of the ways she plans to make an impact on campus.
When not working she loves to play tennis, go to Preds games, support her children as they compete on their High School hockey and lacrosse teams, and check out new Nashville restaurants.
Email: amy.cesarone@vanderbilt.edu
Jess Blauw (They/Them/Theirs), originally born and raised in Hendersonville, TN, received their Bachelor of Arts from Western Kentucky University with a dual major in Psychology and Philosophy. They later completed their Master of Education in Counseling and Human Development with emphases on clinical mental health counseling, ethics, and trauma-informed care from Lindsey Wilson College. They completed a clinical internship with a local non-profit providing therapy services to survivors of sexual trauma as a component of their Master’s curriculum. After graduating from Lindsey Wilson, they worked as a case manager for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving services through the Michelle P. Waiver. They are now thrilled to be a part of the Caspar Advising team and help students pursue their passions, discover new strengths and skills, and make connections to optimize their academic success. In their free time, they love taking trips with their partner, spending time with their two cats, playing video games, and attending live music events.
Email: jess.blauw@vanderbilt.edu
Jeavanie Desarmes grew up in the Atlanta, Georgia suburbs and was accepted into Kennesaw State University at age 15, where she graduated with honors as a double major in Biology and Music Education. With a strong background in research, she enjoys presenting on topics ranging from maternal and perinatal health, clinical cancer research, to the environmental impact of COVID-19. Jeavanie holds a Master of Public Health from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. Her research focused on the impact of environmental factors on maternal and infant health and her thesis highlighted the role of health communications, including podcasting, in reaching underserved communities with accessible information. Jeavanie continues to contribute to the academic community through her work with the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), where she serves on the Board of Directors and chaired the 60th Annual Medical Education Convention (AMEC) in New Orleans and the upcoming 61st AMEC in St. Louis. In her free time she enjoys mentoring aspiring medical students, while also indulging in a range of interests including songwriting, photography, and musical production. As the founder and host of the upcoming TheMusicMed Podcast, she explores the intersection of medicine, music, and personal growth, aiming to educate, inspire, and inform listeners with stories of perseverance and success.
Email: jeavanie.desarmes@vanderbilt.edu