Executive Board

President

Email: gpcpresident@missouri.edu

Felix Michael Oguche is a Ph.D. student in Biological Engineering at the University of Missouri with a background in Agricultural Engineering, Informatics, and Bioengineering. His research focuses on ergonomic tool design, smart systems, and precision mechanization for underserved farming communities. As President of the Graduate Professional Council (GPC), he advocates for student needs, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and stronger engagement. He previously served as Director of Professional Development, launching initiatives like Grad SkillXchange and the 2025 Interdisciplinary Case Competition. For questions or collaboration, contact gpcpresident@missouri.edu

Vice President

Email: gpcvicepresident@missouri.edu

Lucas Reed is a third-year J.D. Candidate at the University of Missouri School of Law. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Master of Business Administration degree from Murray State University. Lucas has been in a variety of leadership roles, including GPC Director of State Affairs, ASUM Graduate Representative, Associate Editor of the Missouri Law Review, MU Federalist Society Treasurer, and as a Senior Student Ambassador for the law school. He is currently serving as Vice President for the Graduate Professional Council (GPC). gpcvicepresident@missouri.edu

Treasurer

Email: gpctreasurer@missouri.edu

Taylor is a second-year graduate student in the Tom and Anne Smith MD/PhD program in the School of Medicine. She’s passionate about primary care research, health equity, and supporting students from underrepresented or marginalized backgrounds. She grew up in Bourbon, MO, a rural community in the south-central portion of the state. Currently, her research focuses on substance use disorders, health technologies, and end-of-life care. She loves peer mentoring, especially students figuring out their path in medicine and science, and tries to make the academic world a little more welcoming. Previously, she was the GPC Assistant Director of Fundraising. (gpctreasurer@missouri.edu)

Secretary

Email: gpcsecretary@missouri.edu

Lane Cargile is pursuing a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri. He currently works as an Academic Advisor in the Truman School of Governance and Public Affairs and the Department of Economics. Lane serves as the President of the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis’s Graduate Student Council, a Basic Needs Ambassador, and as a member of the University of Missouri’s Healthy Communities Initiative. Lane is currently the Graduate Professional Council’s Secretary (gpcsecretary@missouri.edu)

Director of Professional Development

Email: muoslprofdev@missouri.edu

Živilė Raškauskaitė is a Ph.D. student, specializing in media sociology. Her research focuses on the complex relationships between journalists and audiences. Živilė uses qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore innovative approaches to journalism that emphasize collaboration, community engagement, and meaningful interaction between journalists and their audiences.

Before her doctoral studies, Živilė worked as a foreign news reporter in her home country, Lithuania, and Germany. This hands-on experience in journalism has given her firsthand knowledge of the industry’s challenges, further fueling her passion for understanding the relationships between journalists and their audiences.

Živilė earned her Master’s in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Missouri and her Bachelor’s in Sociology from Vilnius University.

Email: muoslprofdev@missouri.edu 

Director of Programming

Email: gpcprogramming@missouri.edu

Erandika de Silva is a writer and a PhD student whose research focuses on decolonial studies, women’s lifewriting, narrative medicine, and disability studies. She has previously taught at the University of Peradeniya and the University of Jaffna, and she currently teaches composition at the University of Missouri, Columbia. She holds an MA in Human Rights and Democratization, and she contributes to the Kuppi column on The Island in Sri Lanka, where she writes on higher education and human rights. At Mizzou, Erandika is involved in student-led organizations serving as the current Treasurer of Women’s Economic Empowerment, the Campus Kitchen Chair of Universities Fighting World Hunger-Mizzou chapter, and the English Department representative for the Coalition of Graduate Workers. (gpcprogramming@missouri.edu)

Director of National Affairs

Email: gpc.legislative@missouri.edu

Wendy Adjei is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the University of Missouri, specializing in health and crisis communication. Her research targets patient–provider communication with an emphasis on culturally sensitive messaging in neonatal intensive care units,  maternal and child health disparities, including mental health among underserved populations.

She serves as a Board Member of the Student Employees Advisory Board at Mizzou and volunteers regularly at the Mizzou Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. She has received departmental honors for excellent service and also was awarded the Campbell Prize for Excellence in Graduate Paper award .

Wendy is committed to integrating research with practice by advocating for equity-driven, culturally responsive communication strategies in health care settings. (gpc.legislative@missouri.edu)

GPC Immediate Past President/Ex Officio

Email: ojobyv@health.missouri.edu

Jessica Osaze was the immediate past president of GPC