Our Team
Monica Liggins-Abrams, MPA, MA
(She/Her/Hers)
Founder & Lead Consultant
Ms. Liggins-Abrams is the founder and lead consultant of Liggins Abrams Consulting (LAC), a firm specializing in strategic consulting and change management. Ms. Liggins-Abrams is an educator, scholar, and practitioner with nearly fifteen years of experience spanning a variety of leadership roles in various sectors (K-12; higher education; education technology; and industry) with expertise in a wide variety of functional areas (Grant management; Operations; Sales; Student success and retention; Diversity, equity & inclusion; Accreditation; Strategic Planning; Evaluation). Throughout her professional career, she served in highly-visible organizational roles and provided advisement in a multitude of areas to senior leaders and C-Suite Executives. Learn more about Monica and her education and expertise.
Adriana Cardoso Reyes, MSW
(She/Her/Ella)
Consultant
Ms. Cardoso Reyes has focused her educational and professional experiences on improving the Latinx community experiences in Southwest Michigan driven by her lived and professional experiences. As a first-generation college student from Guanajuato, Mexico, she is passionate about increasing educational and leadership outcomes for the Latinx community. She is an experienced bilingual, bicultural leader with a strong record of success in leadership positions in higher education and in community organizations.
In addition to her work to uplift the Latinx community, she brings deep expertise in strategic planning and accreditation. Ms. Cardoso Reyes currently serves as the associate director of institutional accreditation and planning at Western Michigan University (WMU). She also serves as a volunteer peer reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission. Adriana has deep expertise in leading the development of strategic planning processes at large, complex organizations, as well as assisting in the facilitation of strategic planning sessions. In her work, she centers equity and has a keen ability to align strategic direction with measurable actions, which draws on her experience not only in accreditation but grant management. Her professional, lived experiences and education position her to be a great asset to organizations of all sizes in their strategic planning efforts.
Adriana holds a master's degree in social work from WMU and is currently pursuing a Ph.D.in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University.
Dr. Erika Carr
(She/Her/Hers)
Consultant & Proposal Writer
Dr. Erika Carr serves as the Director of the Office of Pre-College Programming at WMU. Dr. Carr, a first-generation college graduate, has over 20 years of pre-college outreach and college access experience and teaches courses in WMU's Higher Education Student Affairs program on Women in Higher Education, First-Generation College Students, and College Student Development. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and an M.A. in Counseling in Higher Education, both from WMU. Since 2001, Dr. Carr has worked with first-generation and low-income students to increase their access to higher education through federally funded McNair, Upward Bound, and GEAR UP TRIO programs. She has directly supervised the State’s MI GEAR UP Program (formerly the King, Chavez, Parks College Day) and WMU Upward Bound programs since 2006 and has successfully renewed funding for both projects. Additionally, Dr. Carr contributed a chapter to the Pre-College Programming in Higher Education (Sheth & Tremblay, 2019). Her chapter, Importance of Research in Higher Education, highlights the need for pre-college programs to document which interventions and services impact change.
Lauren Moore-Lewis, BA
(She/Her/Hers)
Business Development Manager
Lauren Moore-Lewis is an accomplished business development professional with a strong track record in software sales, account management, and customer service in finance, start-up, and business advisory companies. With over four years of experience, Lauren has successfully generated leads, managed sales pipelines, and implemented efficient processes to drive business growth. Known for her exceptional interpersonal skills, she excels in building and nurturing client relationships while providing tailored solutions to meet their needs. Additionally, Lauren's expertise extends to operations and new hire training, where she has played a crucial role in optimizing team performance and ensuring seamless onboarding. With a results-driven approach and a deep understanding of the industry, Lauren is poised to impact any organization she joins significantly.
As a black woman, Lauren deeply understands the importance of representation in leadership roles, a lesson ingrained in her by her mother during her formative years. Throughout her childhood, her mother urged her to delve into the stories of influential black figures who brought about positive change. Now, as a black woman navigating the business realm, Lauren is determined to uphold this legacy and serve as a catalyst for progress. She aims to inspire young black individuals by demonstrating that education and cultivating relationships can pave the way for economic and social advancement.