Dr. Lisa Coleman
Laura McCullough, PhD, has been studying issues of gender and science for over 20 years. She is a full professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she is also a past physics department chair. Her book “Women and Physics” was published in 2016, and she has numerous articles on diverse gender and science topics. Dr. McCullough is currently researching women in STEM leadership and the barriers and assistance these women encounter in their career paths.

Sheri Nicole Shaw
Panel Member and Moderator
Sheri Shaw serves in the role of Assistant Dean for Student Success and Academic Advising for the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). This role is charged with translating the CHHS mission to student success programs and services that enhance the educational experience of students enrolled or interested in one of the three CHHS professional schools: the School of Nursing, the School of Social Work, and the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences. Sheri provides leadership, management, and advocacy for student services, academic advising, and programs offered throughout the CHHS for the colleges’ nearly 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. As Assistant Dean, Sheri oversees the two CHHS Student Success Centers and a team of 20 to drive, support, and build student success for allied health majors.

A native of Illinois, Shaw is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in community health and Master of Education in educational and vocational technology. Currently, she is in the Doctor of Education program through the Watson College of Education at UNCW. Shaw also holds a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in merchandise marketing and product development.

As an academic administrator, Shaw works to craft leadership, trust, service learning, and developmental opportunities to engage and promote academic excellence, personal accountability, friendliness, diversity, inclusion, peer mentorship, community engagement, and institutional responsibility. In her professional tenure, thus far, Shaw, a first-generation student, has fought to provide resources to underserved communities and students, with a focus to build awareness, equitable resources, experiences, and education. Possessing a strong professional background in collaboration, retention, recruitment, program development, and diversity, she enjoys the opportunity to work with students, staff, faculty, administrators, community leaders, and other constituents to promote the project, program, exposure, and student success. As the Assistant Dean for Student Success, Sheri has worked to increase graduate and undergraduate student engagement, expanded retention initiatives, and organized new outreach initiatives for the main campus, online, and extension students within the college, across campus, and within the community.

Sheri is committed to her community and to serving others. She serves as a board member for the Willie Stargell Foundation and the Wilma Leadership Advisory Board. This year, Shaw was appointed to serve as the Program Coordinator for the launch of a first-year BRIDGE program; in this capacity, Sheri crafted a retention and recruitment summer initiative to service and support students at UNCW, named Coastal ROOTS (Restoring our opportunities toward success) within the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. Additionally, Sheri worked with a collective to launch iHeal, a summer camp for rising 9th graders, and the SEEDS Scholar Program designated for minority students interested in pursuing pre-health fields.

Dr. Donna Souder Hodge
Dr. Donna Hodge is the Vice President of Operations and Advancement at Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo). She directs and oversees strategic planning, which includes the fiscal oversight of more than $40M in CSU System funding; Facilities Management, including all capital construction and maintenance; Auxiliary Services, including campus dining and university partnerships; Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations; and the Denver-based Advancement team, which includes mission-driven fundraising, Alumni affairs, as well as the people and programming to support more than $22 million in federal Hispanic Serving Institution program grants from the Department of Ed.

In 2018, she led a cross-functional team of university, system, statewide stakeholders, and became the architect of CSU Pueblo’s #VISION2028 strategic plan, a 5-year, $34 million system investment. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Education News, International Business Times, and has been recognized by AASCU as one of the organization’s 2021 Excellence and Innovation awardees.

Donna's campus-wide leadership is focused on strategic communication, crisis management, and in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is skilled in strategic planning, community outreach, and fundraising. She is a problem-solver with expertise in operations, strategy, high-level communications, and creating enterprise solutions and opportunities in higher ed.

Donna has a Ph.D. in Rhetoric (2008) and Master Degrees in English and Women's Studies. In 2017, she completed the MIT Sloan School of Management's Executive Program in Business Process Design Strategic Management. In 2019, she was accepted into the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Executive Leadership Program as an AALI Fellow. In 2022, she joined a cohort of higher education leaders in Harvard’s Institute of Education Management, a year-long program from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She swerved as a member of the Board of Directors of the Colorado Network of Women Leaders (CONWL) — a regional chapter of the American Council on Education (ACE) -- for 5 years, and was the 2020 Director of CONWL’s signature program, the Academic Management Institute. Donna is a member of the CSU Pueblo President's Cabinet, President’s Budget Advisory Board, and University Leadership Team. Donna is a tenured Associate Professor of Rhetoric in the Department of English & World Languages.

Donna and her husband Dustin Hodge, a filmmaker and writer, live and work in Colorado with their rescue dog, Charlie.

Dr. Fatiah Touray
Fatiah Touray, Esq. serves as the Executive Director for Inclusion and Equity at NYU Abu Dhabi where she is responsible for leading and directing NYUAD’s programs that promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and belonging (IDBE). Fatiah works in partnership with Spiritual Life and Intercultural Education (SLICE), the Office of the Provost, and all students, faculty, and staff dedicated to the work of helping NYUAD become a truly inclusive institution.

Throughout her career, Fatiah has shown that she can master multiple fields including law while maintaining a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She brings extensive leadership experience in higher education, complemented by her non-profit work and training as a lawyer and classroom teacher. Fatiah comes to NYUAD from Sarah Lawrence College where she was the inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Special Assistant to the President. Previously, she was the Assistant Dean of Diversity and International Advising and the Director of the Academic Achievement Program at the College of Arts and Science at NYU. Fatiah received her B.A., with Honors, in Journalism and Africana Studies from NYU. Fatiah received her Masters of Science in Education from The City University of New York - Brooklyn College and her JD from the Howard University School of Law.

Dr. Kristyn White Davis
Dr. Kristyn White Davis began her career in secondary education – and transitioned to higher education in 2011, where she began working in the Hasan School of Business at Colorado State University Pueblo. The Hasan School of Business fostered her passion for innovation and entrepreneurial growth in higher education. Her work in enrollment and programming for business led her to accept a Dean of Extended Studies position in 2018. During her tenure as dean, she led the charge to increase enrollment by developing new academic programs and targeting new student groups. In July 2022, White Davis accepted the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management and Extended Studies, where she oversees a complex portfolio that includes Admissions, Registrar, Student Financial Services, Military and Veterans Success Center, the Visitor Center, and the school of Extended Studies.

Kristyn and her husband, Shawn, have two amazing little boys and love the home and family they have created in beautiful Colorado.

Dr. Helen Easterling Williams
Dr. Helen Easterling Williams serves as Vice Chancellor of Advancement at Pepperdine University in California. There she develops mutually beneficial relationships that support university goals and aspirations. As Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, she managed the efforts of approximately 270 faculty, 100 staff, 18 board members, and numerous volunteers while overseeing the educational experience of approximately 3,640 on-ground and online students. She added new programs and increased the revenue by 352% over an eight year period. She also developed community engagement programs such as Urban Initiatives 2.0.  Dr. Easterling Williams earned a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Delaware, a Master of Science degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Towson State University in Maryland, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Correction with a minor in Biologyfrom Jersey City State College in New Jersey. Before entering the higher education arena, she served as a Speech Therapist in the Baltimore City Public School System (MD) and the Brandywine School District in Delaware. She particularly enjoyed working with students with disabilities, military veterans and their dependents, and with computer science, and business administration students at the Delaware Technical and Community College. This propelled her into higher education administration where she has served for over two decades.

Dr. Easterling Williams is the Founder and CEO of Health, Education, and Welfare International, LLC, a firm that provides consultative services designed to improve the health, education, and welfare of individuals, faith-based organizations, higher education institutions, and elementary and secondary educational organizations. She previously held the deanship at the School of Education at Azusa Pacific University, where she successfully led school reaccreditation efforts and initial accreditation for the Education Psychology Program. She founded the Emerging Technology Center, developed an international visiting scholar program, developed the Strategic Plan 2015, and piloted the African American Male Academy in STEM. While her dissertation focused on the topic of internationalizing the community college, her present scholarship focuses on education leadership, particularly as it relates to both technology and women. She is an Honorary Lecturer of the COGDEL/Beijing #35 School in China, the Los Angeles Business Journal Women’s Council 2019 Executive of the Year, a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and an ordained Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Easterling Williams has two daughters, a son-in-love and three grandchildren that inspire her daily.

Dr. Barbara Ritschel
Dr. Barbara Ritschel received her B.S., Cum Laude, in Biochemistry from the University of Cincinnati, and her M.D. also from the University of Cincinnati. She completed her internship and pathology residency at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda Maryland. She served as Head of Anatomic Pathology at the National Naval Medical Center, then Department Head of Laboratory Medicine at Naval Hospital Charleston. In addition, she served as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff, Medical Director of the Laboratory for Charleston Air Force Base as well as Naval Hospital Beaufort while stationed in Charleston. In 2005 she came to Uniformed Services University.

Dr. Knollmann-Ritschel is a leader in pathology education, having served the Chair of the Undergraduate Medical Education Section (UMEDS) of the Association of Pathology Chairs and Deputy Editor of Academic Pathology. She serves on the National Board of Medical Examiners and College of American Pathology Graduate Medical Education Committee. At the Uniformed Services University she was a leader of curriculum reform having developed the educational architecture of the modules of the pre-clerkship curriculum, integrating basic sciences and clinical sciences. She is the Course Director of the Pathology Curriculum for USU School of Medicine and serves on the Executive Curriculum Committee, Assessment Subcommittee. Her scientific research focuses on the development of miRNA biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and radioprotection.

Toni Mooney Smith, MSC
Toni Mooney Smith serves as the inaugural vice chancellor for marketing and communications and chief communications officer for Rutgers University–Camden. In this senior leadership role, she works to heighten awareness of the Rutgers–Camden brand while elevating the integrity of that brand, increasing exposure in national media outlets, and accelerating momentum in the university’s rise in the national rankings. Mooney Smith most recently served as executive director of marketing and communications for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston, where she edited an award-winning alumni magazine, among numerous other initiatives. Previously, she held director-level communications roles in health care and academia, specializing in strategic communications, brand strategy, marketing, crisis communications, and public affairs.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, she is an alumna of the University of Houston, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications and starred for the Division I Lady Coogs on the basketball court, joining the prestigious 1,000-point club. She also holds a Master of Science in communication from Northwestern University and completed the Harvard University Institute for Management and Leadership Education program.

Dr. Stacey Sowell
Dr. Stacey Sowell is currently the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at West Virginia State University in Institute, WV. She is a native of Selma, NC and joined WVSU in the summer of 2022 with the responsibility of managing Admissions, Financial Aid, Residence Life and Housing, Student Activities and Greek Life, Career Services, Counseling Services, Student Success and Retention and the Office of the Student Advocate. Since assuming her executive role, Dr. Sowell has prioritized service excellence to all university stakeholders and is student centered. Prior to joining the WVSU administration, she spent three years at South Carolina State University where she served as Director of Housing and Residence Life and Director of Admissions and Recruitment. During her tenure, new student enrollment at SCSU increased every semester and new technology was implemented to streamline the admissions processes. Dr. Sowell has also held a number of other positions throughout her career at various colleges and universities throughout the southern united states including North Carolina A&T State University, Bennett College, Saint Augustine’s University, and Shaw University.

Dr. Sowell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Shaw University in Raleigh, NC and a Master of Arts degree in English and African American Literature from North Carolina A&T State University. She is a 2022 graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies. Her dissertation, The Helpmeet and the Head: Gender, Mentoring an HBCU Women Leaders examined gendered experiences within the HBCU community and how diverse mentoring networks help women succeed and climb the ladder of success.

Lisa Stoothoff
Panel Member and Moderator
Lisa Stoothoff is the Chief Operating Officer/Dean of the College at Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas. She is a life-long educator who has focused her professional career on serving first-generation college students who might not otherwise be served. Lisa's other area of passion is restorative justice and she is a certified facilitator and leader in restorative justice practices.

In her spare time, Lisa is a voracious reader and mother to four awesome kids which actually leaves her with no spare time.

Terry Barton
Terry’s superpower is connection. Whether she is forming new relationships, helping people connect to new ideas or connecting people across the university, Terry sees how ideas and people are more similar than different and helps others see that too.
In her role, she works with Center for Workplace Development colleagues to help Harvard team members build the skills they need to navigate today’s evolving workplace and meet their long-term professional goals.
New to Harvard, Terry brings over 20 years of career development, management and organizational development experience with her, having held leadership positions in the retail, container shipping and biotech industries, as well as higher education.
Terry holds a Master of Science degree in Management and Organizational Development from the University of San Francisco and is a contributing author to the book Savvy Leadership Strategies for Women. Terry is a popular speaker, an active member of the Association for Talent Development and an adjunct faculty member at Chabot College in Hayward, California.

Gwendolyn M. Bookman, Esq.
Gwendolyn Bookman is an attorney, who has worked in academia for most of her professional career. She has held a range of responsible positions at eight colleges and universities, including serving as the assistant to four women presidents. Currently, she is an associate professor of political science at Bennett College, which is a small, historically black, liberal arts college for women in North Carolina.

Bookman's legal career focused on employment discrimination and her work in academia has included affirmative action program development and administration at Harvard University and at Wellesley College. She is an advocate for social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Dr. Shannon Brown
Panel Member and Moderator
Dr. Shannon Brown is a Professor of Management and the current Dean of the College of Business & Health Administration at University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL. In this role, she is grateful for a department of 27 faculty, staff, and administrators who support the college’s 1,000+ students in its various undergraduate, graduate, and international programs. She facilitates courses in all facets of people management including Managing Difficult Conversations, Understanding Personal Change, and Managing in a Diverse and Multicultural Environment, to name just a few. She received USF’s Outstanding Service Award in 2020 and 2021, and in 2020 she received the Excellence in Teaching Award from ACBSP, the college’s accrediting body. Shannon’s research interests include organization identity and its relationship to organizational culture and change, the impact of focused gratitude on mental and physical well-being, and the impact of specific coursework on students’ cultural intelligence. She holds a doctorate in Values Driven Leadership, an MBA in Human Resources Management, and a BA in Corporate Communications.

Prior to joining academia full time, Shannon enjoyed a career as a senior leader in the software technology professional services industry including positions such as vice president of client services at Exemplify and practice head of North American Legal Solutions for Tata Consultancy Services.

Dr. Cheryl Neale-McFall
Dr. Cheryl Neale-McFall received her BA in Psychology and Family Issues from James Madison University, followed by her MS from University of Georgia in Child and Family Development, her MSEd from Old Dominion University in Clinical Counseling and her PhD from Old Dominion University in Counselor Education, Consultation and Supervision. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC).

Dr. Neale-McFall came to West Chester University in 2012 where she served as Assessment Coordinator, Graduate Coordinator and Assistant Chairperson in the Department of Counselor Education. Over the past four years, she has completed interim roles as Dean of the College of Education and Social Work, Associate Provost of Academic Affairs, and Chairperson of Public Policy and Administration. She is currently the Associate Provost for Research and Creative Activities in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, where she completed a two-year fellowship.

Dr. Neale-McFall’s research interests focus on supporting the needs of parenting students in higher education, job satisfaction and enrichment for women in academia, and women’s leadership in academia. Dr. Neale-McFall also serves as the Co-PI and Program Evaluator for the Interprofessional, Integrated Care federally funded HRSA grant and serves as chair of the Women’s Leadership Development Series for West Chester University.

Dr. Tracie Costantino
Tracie Costantino, PhD, is a teacher educator and academic leader dedicated to the enduring value of higher education. She earned her undergraduate degree in art history and Italian studies at Boston College and her master’s degree in art history from Brown University. In 2005 she completed her PhD in aesthetic education (curriculum and instruction) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Costantino currently serves as Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Before CalArts, Costantino served as the interim Provost, Dean of Faculty and Associate Provost of Teaching and Learning at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and prior to RISD was on the art education faculty at the University of Georgia for nine years.

Her teaching abilities have been recognized through the Richard B. Russell Award for Undergraduate Teaching, the General Sandy Beaver Teaching Professorship and participation in the Lilly Teaching Fellows program at the University of Georgia. Costantino's research focuses on the nature of cognition in the arts, creativity, and the transformative potential of aesthetic experience as an educative event. Her interest in interdisciplinary curriculum, STEAM, and creative learning has been supported by two grants from the National Science Foundation. In addition to numerous published articles and book chapters, Costantino has co-edited two books on aesthetic education: Essays on Aesthetic Education for the 21st Century (Sense Publishers, 2010) and Aesthetics, Empathy, and Education (Peter Lang Publishers, 2013).

Dr. Marielena De Sanctis
Dr. DeSanctis has more than 23 years of experience in education, including classroom teaching, curriculum development, instructional design, learning assessment, and progressive leadership roles in both K-12 and higher education. Prior to her current leadership role, she has served as the Provost & Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services of Broward College, Broward College’s Central Campus President, High School Assistant Principal, Principal, and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.

Dr. DeSanctis is an active and passionate advocate for her local, state, and nationwide community. She has served as a committee member and leader of several professional organizations, including her election to the position of State President of the Florida Association of School Administrators; Senate confirmation as a member of the Florida Education Practices Commission; and a Board member of the National Community College Hispanic Council. Dr. DeSanctis currently serves as a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Board on Higher Education and the Workforce; a member of Jobs for the Future Policy Trust Council; on the Workforce Development Committee of Downtown Denver Partnership; and as a Board Member of the Colorado Education Initiative. She is a graduate of the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence and Leadership Florida. She received the 2016 Hispanic Woman of Distinction, among other honors.

Her education includes a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in Math Education from Nova Southeastern University, and an Ed.S. and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University. Born in South Florida to a mother that emigrated from Cuba, she is fluent in Spanish.

Rev. Dr. Debora Jackson
The Reverend Dr. Debora Jackson is the Stoddard Endowed Professor Management and Dean of The Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she is leads the school in its mission to develop adaptive leaders who create sustainable solutions, deliver globally responsible impact, and conduct transformative research at the intersection of business, technology, and people.

Dr. Jackson is a recognized non- and for-profit leader whose work experiences include Yale Divinity School and the Ministers Council of the American Baptist Churches, USA. An ordained pastor, Dr. Jackson was formerly the CIO/COO of an e-commerce energy services company.

Dr. Jackson holds a DMin and MDiv from Andover Newton Theological School. She holds a ME in Manufacturing Engineering and a MS in Management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She holds a BS in Business from Indiana University.
Dr. Jackson has written numerous articles, book chapters, and two books, Meant for Good: Fundamentals in Womanist Leadership (Judson Press, 2019) and the award winning Spiritual Practices for Effective Leadership: 7 R’s of Sanctuary for Pastors (Judson Press, 2015).

Dr. Narketta Sparkman-Key
Panel Member and Moderator
Dr. Sparkman-Key, better known as Dr. Key, has been drawn to helping others in innumerable capacities. This passion led her to pursuing herB.A. in Sociology, M.A. in Liberal Studies, and Ph.D. in Human Services. Her undeniable commitment to education is evidenced by over a decade of experience in academia.

Dr. Key has effortlessly advanced in her professional pursuits and is now a full tenured professor in Learning Technology and Leadership Education and the Associate Provost for Inclusive Strategy and Equity Initiatives at James Madison University (JMU). Her compelling aspiration to strategically promote diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; intentionally create inclusive cultures; and advocate for marginalized populations is evident in all she does at James Madison University.

Prior to her arrival at JMU, Dr. Key was a tenured Associate Professor of Counseling and Human Services and Academic Affairs Director of Faculty Diversity and Retention at Old Dominion University. Under her leadership, she leveraged existing resources and created new partnerships focused on recruiting and retaining diverse faculty. She also developed various initiatives for supporting underserved populations and ensuring an inclusive culture across departments. It is apparent that her passion for incessantly promoting an inclusive environment and working to support marginalized populations, as well as prioritizing anti-racist practices, shines in all that she does.

Research is also a significant part of Dr. Key’s identity, focusing on addressing barriers to inclusive cultures; defining the professional identity of human services practitioners; and delineating practice with vulnerable populations. She incessantly believes in empowering and helping vulnerable populations, evidenced through her research, international work with pregnant teens, and efforts to support at-risk families.

Throughout her professional journey, she has been afforded boundless opportunities to travel the world, develop and lead study aboard programs, and speak to diverse populations in Costa Rica, Jamaica, Canada, and Ireland. Dr. Key has had a very successful journey thus far, receiving countless awards and recognitions for her commendable work. Dr. Key will, without a doubt, continue to strive to make a difference in all that she does.

Dr. Latasha Wade
Dr. Latasha Wade is associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). In this role, she provides leadership and has administrative oversight of the institution’s student success initiatives, including those related to first year experience, transfer student experience, student academic support services, retention, persistence, and graduation; undergraduate academic policies; academic MOU development; and curriculum matters. Latasha has held various leadership positions in higher education including program director, department chair, regional assistant dean, associate provost, associate vice president, and vice provost.

Prior to joining ECSU, she was vice provost at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore where she was the provost's chief advisor and representative on all matters related to curricula, academic program development and review, promotion/tenure/post-tenure review, academic policies, and accreditation (institutional and program). As vice provost, Latasha also served as the institution's Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Latasha was a double major at the University of Maryland College Park, earning both a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Microbiology. After earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore, she completed post-graduate residency training at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy and Kerr Drug. She is a licensed pharmacist in both Maryland and North Carolina.

Allena Barbato
Panel Member and Moderator
Allena is the Director of Title IX Compliance and Equity officer in the Division of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Rosalind Franklin University. She is a licensed attorney, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an elected City Councilwoman for the Village of Lake Villa and an elected member of the Board of Trustees for the College of Lake County. She has 28 years of experience in leading, instructing, and collaborating with college, community, county, and state organizations; dedicated to advancing the interests of students and families of diverse backgrounds. She has been the chair of multiple committees focused on increasing accessibility, inclusion, protection from discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, and enhancing the health of the campus community. Allena is a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) instructor; teaching techniques to de-escalate crisis events to members of the Sheriff’s Department, Police Departments and other public health and safety agencies. Certified as a Title IX and ADA Coordinator, in NABITA risk assessment, Crucial Conversations, as a QPR gatekeeper, and more.

A graduate of University of Illinois with double majors in Political Science and French, Allena went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from Southern Illinois School of Law, focusing on human rights and environmental law. Upon graduation from law school, she practiced law in Washington State in the areas of Family Law, Criminal Law and Environmental Law. Determined to get to the root of the issues she saw presented to her as an attorney she went back to school and received her Masters in Psychology from Sophia University in Palo Alto, California where she also studied Ayurvedic Medicine and taught as a Positive Discipline parenting instructor. After receiving her degree in California, she moved back to Illinois to be closer to family. She lives in Lake County, Illinois with her husband, two daughters, dog Biscuit and cat Benjy.

Dr. Lara Bronson
Dr. Lara Bronson serves as the Assistant Dean at University of Northwestern – St. Paul in the School of Education. She teaches undergraduate students in general Education courses and both the Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education programs. She also teaches in Northwestern’s MAED program.

Courses she has taught at the University include Family School Relations, Language Arts Content and Teaching Strategies, Language Arts and Literature, Kindergarten Methods and the Primary Learner, Educational Foundations, and Organizational Models of the Field.

Other professional involvements include supervising student teachers, advising Education majors, leading student trips to Haiti and Northern Ireland, and serving on the Disability Office for Support Services committee.

Bronson received her Doctorate of Education from Bethel University, with her dissertation research focusing on family literacy.

Prior to coming to Northwestern, Bronson taught kindergarten in the public schools in both all-day and half-day settings. She is currently a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and serves as President of the Minnesota Kindergarten Association.

Her interests include reading, children’s literature, game nights, swimming, running & being outdoors, musical theater, and spending time with her husband and two daughters.

Dr. Bia Hamed
Bia is an advocate for Women & Girls in STEM. During her time at Eastern Michigan University, she has helped build and continually develop on-campus programming for middle and high school students in various areas of STEM education. One of her programs, the Digital Divas Conference, has served thousands of middle and high school girls from SE Michigan for 12 years. With the support of her corporate partners and donors, she has developed a multitude of outreach programs such as the Digital Dudes Conference, STEM Kits for Kids program, after-school programs, two all-girl esports teams located in Ypsilanti and Detroit, and a television program on PBS.org and the Michigan Learning Channel named the Future of Me. In 2020, Bia founded the Office of K-12 STEM Outreach to standardize and magnify programming for students from urban and rural communities on the university’s campus. This office’s mission is to provide an environment of belonging for all students at Eastern Michigan University while familiarizing them with their educational opportunities.
Bia earned a doctorate degree in Philosophy of Educational Leadership, finding better ways higher education can recruit and serve all minorities entering STEM majors and create STEM leaders.

Dr. Tami James Moore
Dr. Tami James Moore is in her 30th year as Professor of Family Science at the University of Nebraska in Kearney. Her academic specialty is Family Resource Management having authored the leading textbook in that academic focus, now in its 4th edition. She has held several different administrative appointments at UNK in Ethnic Studies, General Studies, First Year Programming, and Faculty Senate.

After receiving her PhD in Post-Secondary Leadership--Diversity Development from the University of Nebraska a Lincoln, Dr. Moore has published and presented numerous academic papers nationally and internationally.

Carrie Robinson
Carrie is a mother of two adult children and one teenager. She resides outside of the Philadelphia area and enjoys cycling in her free time.

She is a visionary senior executive with extensive experience in creating value through human capital strategies that drive optimal performance and growth for organizations. Proactive change agent, focused on continuous improvement around diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B). Strong expertise in all HR functions, including performance management, talent management, employee engagement, and organizational development. Trusted HR advisor with an ability to build engagement and momentum across all organizational levels. Highly skilled in coordinating with management and employees to improve work relationships, maintain engaged workforce, and retain the best talent.

Carrie holds a masters degree in Human Resources Management from Villanova University and a DEI certification from Cornell University.

Frances Bronet
Frances Bronet is president of Pratt Institute, a top-ranked college in New York City with opportunities in architecture, design, art, liberal arts and sciences, and information studies. As an educator and leader at the forefront of interdisciplinary learning, Bronet previously served as senior vice president and provost at Illinois Institute of Technology, as acting provost of the University of Oregon (UO), and as dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts (UO), as Architecture Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, continuing on to associate and acting dean. She has developed, published and been extensively funded on multidisciplinary design curricula, connecting architecture, engineering, science, disability studies, humanities and social sciences, dance, fine and electronic arts. Her work with internationally acclaimed artists in her own action-based installations has been highly recognized. Bronet holds professional degrees from McGill University in architecture and civil engineering; she received her graduate degree from Columbia University. She was licensed by the Ordre des Architectes du Quebec and has practiced in multiple award-winning offices in New York and Canada, including her own in Montreal.

Dr. Heather Feldhaus
Dr. Heather S. Feldhaus is Associate Provost and Dean of Graduate Education for Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Feldhaus is a sociologist who is fascinated by how individuals and groups come to define a situation or condition as problematic and how these definitions shape the solutions we develop. This interest has led to career focused on the interplay of culture and structure in efforts to create change in a variety of settings. Her work has included investigations into community definitions of social problems, governmental definitions of what constitutes homelessness, the role of media coverage in community identity, nonprofit organizational change and development, and employee satisfaction, campus diversity climates, and bullying in higher education.

Nikki Koontz
Panel Member and Moderator
Nikki Koontz is a creative and business-savvy professional with a career record of delivering multi-channel marketing and brand awareness campaigns across diverse industries. As the Assistant Vice President of Marketing Communication at Southern Utah University, she is responsible for creating effective public relations campaigns, developing compelling marketing strategies, influencing buyer behavior, strategic storytelling, leading high-performance teams and driving change across the workplace.

She is a dynamic communicator who thrives in fast-paced, ever-changing environments where attention to detail, discretion, resilience, and a positive demeanor are critical to producing excellence. Other areas of expertise include content marketing, video creation, integrated media planning, advertising, crisis management, social media, and event coordination. Prior to her employment at SUU, she’s worked at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Hilberry Theatre and the Walt Disney Company. She has an MFA in Arts Management from Wayne State University and a Bachelor’s Degree from California State University, Fullerton.

Dr. Diana Rogers-Adkinson
Diana Rogers-Adkinson currently serves as Commonwealth University’s provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs. Commonwealth University of PA consists of the three recently merged universities of Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield. Previously she served as the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs for Bloomsburg University. In addition, Dr. Rogers-Adkinson led the academic affairs integration for the new university.

As Commonwealth University’s chief academic officer, Dr. Rogers-Adkinson oversees the university’s Division of Academic Affairs, including the College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Technology, the Zeigler College of Business, and the Honors College, as well as library services, undergraduate education, graduate studies/research, and workforce development. Commonwealth serves approximately 11,500 students.

Dr. DeNeia Thomas
Dr. Thomas’ history of collaboration and commitment to student success with demonstrated success as a seasoned strategist and action-oriented leader, and a strong skill set for advancing initiatives that yield positive outcomes.

Working across departments, divisions, schools, and colleges, Dr. Thomas has a stellar track record of providing student-first, centralized services that promote a supportive and robust learning environment that is needed for student success.

Dr. Thomas’ focus on providing award-winning student programs and supporting university-wide initiatives to advance the overall experience, as well as extending learning and development beyond the classroom, has led to meaningful increases in student retention and graduation. She has served in numerous higher education administrative roles, including most recently as the Chief of Staff at West Virginia State University. Previous roles have included Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Director of Testing Services, and Comprehensive Assessment Coordinator. Also, she has excelled in executive-level positions within the K-12 arena, including at the Kentucky Department of Education and as a principal consultant with the E.D.U.C.A.T.E. group.

Dr. Thomas has an extensive track record as a leader and scholar with a deep commitment to excellence. Having advanced within academe to the rank of full-tenured professor, Dr. Thomas maintains an active research agenda with scholarship focused on factors promoting success, specifically among people of color. She has served as principal investigator on grants and continues to serve as a grant reviewer, and peer reviewer for accreditation bodies and journals, editorial boards, and committees, and maintains memberships in professional associations to advance the field. Dr. Thomas is also active in community service and civic organizations.

A native of Kentucky, Dr. Thomas earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Educational Psychology and Ed.S. in School Psychology from the University of Kentucky and completed her B.S. in Psychology from Kentucky State University. She has certifications with concentrations in psycho-social implications for school and community-based learning and socialization processes, motivation, school attachment, psychometry, assessment, accountability, evaluation, and organizational management. Dr. Thomas has completed national programs to advance her leadership skills. Dr. Thomas is married to Derrick Thomas, Sr., an educator, and the couple has two adult sons.

Research has shown that historically, women of color are less likely than white women, white men, and men of color, to rise in leadership roles in various professions, including higher education (Jackson & Rajai, 2021). But beating the odds and landing a role often usher in distinct obstacles ranging from extreme pressures to succeed to having a role in advancing the diversity needs within the organization, many times for organizations that are ill equipped in supporting the needs of women of color.

According to a report by the American Council on Education (2017), while 45% of undergraduate students in the United States are students of color, less than 5% of college and university presidents are women of color. In academic positions such as lecturers, professorships and chairpersons, women of color represent less than 20% of all full-time female faculty in college settings.

The barriers associated with promoting and retaining women of color in leadership (Bonomi, 2020) include the lack of representation in leadership across academia, elevating women of color in leadership roles when the organization is in crisis and risk of failure is high, under-representation in the pool of leadership candidates by virtue of not being promoted through professorial ranks due to impact of cultural taxation, being surrounded by majority culture, ongoing risks of publicly shaming, and unrealistic professional expectations.

This session, providing expert theoretical and practitioner research and analysis of existing and potential barriers for women of color in higher education leadership, will outline strategies that support organizational needs to assess diversity, equity, and inclusion and the role of sustainable planning that support and advocate for women of color currently in leadership roles and the recruitment and retainment of women of color in leadership.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Nkenge Friday is a diversity and inclusion strategist and leader and a global leadership educator with a background supporting and leading organizational-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion operations, she currently serves as the Senior Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

She has worked extensively in higher education at various universities and colleges from roles that range in teaching and administration, and traveled to over 40 countries, developing, and delivering diversity research, education, and training to global communities. Her current research includes the impact of global nationalism on institutions of higher learning and leveraging diversity and inclusion for global leadership and learning.

A certified qualified administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory, Friday received her BA from Tougaloo College, MA from the University of Oklahoma, MEd from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Doctor of Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Making it to the top of the higher education leadership for women of color, and women who inhabit multiple marginalized identities, is labor intensive. Sexism and racism, and a workplace culture hostile to family commitments are just a few of the barriers that aspiring female leaders in higher education face. Higher education has a history of excluding women's contributions due to the lack of diversity in its upper strata of leadership, particularly at elite institutions. Women who aspire to leadership roles in higher education must overcome obstacles such as gender stereotypes, institutional biases, and a lack of administrative support. The data is clear that college leadership continues to lack diversity even though students who attend at the 2-year level tend to be more diverse.

Women face varied challenges as presidents that many of our male counterparts do not. What does it mean to be a president in a multi-college system? How has the landscape changed not only for those of us who lead, but for women in general in the workplace? Women face a myriad of issues based on intersectionality and in a multi-college system how can women ensure they are engaged, seen, and part of the overall decision making structure.

In accordance with the research and data, many women faced hardships due to family obligations and societal norms on a level higher than our male counterparts -especially during the pandemic. How do we continue to remain sensitive to the changing needs of the workforce? As a college president, which policies, programs and structures need to be revised and modernized? What policies were in place during the pandemic that unearthed inequities? How should women confront the ever-expanding and ever-changing needs of our colleges as programs and services with the need to also reflect the flexibility needed for the success of women in the workforce.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Tammy Robinson
Dr. Tammy Robinson is the President, Mesa Community College and has over twenty-five years of experience as a community college administrator and faculty member. Dr. Tammy Robinson served as the Vice President of Instruction at Cañada College in Redwood City, California from 2018-2022. Prior to this position, she served as the Dean of Global Learning Programs and Services and Dean for Social Science and Creative Arts at Skyline College in San Bruno, California. She also served as interim Vice President of Academic Services Services/Athletic Director/CIO at Lassen Community College in Susanville, California from 2013-2015.
Dr. Robinson currently serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission for the American Association of Community Colleges. She also remains active in hosting community, statewide and national events that affects both students and future leaders in education.

Dr. Tammy Robinson holds a Doctorate in Education with an emphasis in Community College Administration from the University of Southern California, a Master of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric and Composition from California State University, Dominguez Hills, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an Associate of Arts degree in Social Science from Cerritos College.

Dr. Jamillah Moore
Dr. Jamillah K. Moore is Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management at San Francisco State University.
Previously, Dr. Moore served as the president of Cañada College in Redwood City from 2016 to 2021. During her tenure, she worked to establish the anti-racist framework, a program to support Latinx students with transfer pathways to San Francisco State and co-chaired the San Mateo County Community College District's Basic Needs Task Force.

A prominent social justice advocate and higher education leader, Dr. Moore is recognized as an advocate for educational access and equity with a focus on student success for minoritized and low-income students.

Dr. Moore also served as vice chancellor of Educational Services and Planning at San Mateo Community College District, chancellor of Ventura Community College District, president of Los Angeles City College, interim superintendent president of Compton Community College, and senior vice chancellor for Governmental and External Relations for the California Community College Chancellor's Office. She spent a decade as a legislative staffer and policy analyst in the California State Senate and is a former director of Governmental Relations for the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

Dr. Moore holds two degrees from California State University, Sacramento, including a bachelor's degree in Communication and a master's degree in Intercultural Communication and Public Policy. She also earned a doctorate from the University of San Francisco in International and Multicultural Education.

We posit that the key to creating inclusive campus cultures where women and other historically excluded identities can thrive in faculty leadership and administration is making intercultural competence, defined here as the ability to effectively engage across difference, a strategic institutional priority. At University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business (DMSB), the only business school in the country bearing the name of a women. We launched an intercultural competence pilot program in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd to advance inclusion and facilitate intentional interaction and engagement across difference.

Leveraging the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessment tool, we administered pre-assessments to participants to establish their baseline level of intercultural competence, developed and facilitated customized training interventions informed by those pre-assessments, and then administered post-assessments to gauge the impact of the training interventions on participant levels of intercultural competence. The IDI pilot program has since expanded beyond DMSB to include other units across the University of South Carolina's campus. We are excited to share insights and data from our IDI pilot program with higher education colleagues attending the 2023 Women in Leadership for Higher Ed Conference.

This interactive and engaging session will provide keen insights regarding the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessment, a valuable developmental tool that has proven useful in advancing intercultural competence. Given that the IDI is descriptive, not prescriptive, it can help frame and inform the experiences and mindsets of people as they engage across difference. It can also help chart a path forward for training and developmental purposes at the individual, team/group and organization levels.

Session participants will gain relevant knowledge about monocultural and multicultural mindsets and behaviors, as well as related institutional impacts on women and other historically excluded populations. Participants will also gain practical insights and knowledge that will enable them to champion and advance inclusive practices in their workplaces using the IDI assessment tool. Dr. Hazzard, the session facilitator, is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessment tool, and a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE).

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Deborah Hazzard, MBA, CDE(r) (she/her/hers) currently serves as Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion, Darla Moore School of Business (DMSB) at the University of South Carolina. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Management at DMSB where she is the first African-American academic in a leadership role in the 100-year history of Darla Moore School of Business. Moreover, she is an 2021 inductee into the Richland (SC) School District One Hall of Fame, and recipient of an Alumni in Action award from the Lower Richland High School Foundation.

Many Black women college presidents at four-year institutions remain the first, and oftentimes, the only Black woman president in the institution’s history or even in that institution-type’s history. While many Black women lead two-year institutions, four-year institutions remain illusive and inaccessible. At the same time, media coverage reflects attitudes and assumptions about the subjects, constructing images of leadership.

Utilizing content analysis and discourse analysis, my study examined how eight Black women college presidents were written about in national, local, and campus publications. My study was based on the analysis of published articles that span multiple decades. Attendees will gain new perspectives on how the media portrays Black women college presidents, which will offer additional insight into the obstacles on the path to the presidency. This research is particularly relevant to current and aspiring presidents, senior leadership team members, and communications professionals

BIOGRAPHY

Hazel Jack is Vice President for University Communications and Events. She leads all internal and external communications efforts to steward Colgate's reputation and identity, build awareness of the University, and support the University's core mission, goals, and priorities.

Beyond Hazel's professional responsibilities, she is an active member in the community and serves on the board of directors for Community Memorial Hospital and A Better Chance Clinton. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Pace University, a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Eduction from Baruch College. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Syracuse University.

Our public institution is situated in a small rural town in Southwest Wisconsin. The scenery is gorgeous, but the opportunities afforded for non-white faculty members to find community and belonging are limited. The University has been struggling with this for years. Overall, the University has made strides in providing support for all faculty and in recruiting diverse faculty. Prior to COVID, the School of Business had also made strides in diversifying our faculty and staff.

We were excited to bring such a variety of experiences, specialties, and opinions to our School. However, in May of 2022, the UW-Platteville School of Business experienced an exodus of critical faculty. Out of our 23 full time faculty members, 4 left with little to no notice at the end of the spring semester. All four of those faculty members were faculty members of color. The school Director looked at me, and asked, “Is it the salary, or is it something else?” I responded that it was something else. We all know the salary when we accept our positions. It was our culture-- and it was palpable.

As folks completed their exit interviews, it became obvious. We were not only struggling with the return from COVID, but the School had diversified without giving much thought to how this might change the culture, the “way we’ve always done things,” and the ways in which people interacted. Similar to the findings of other researchers (Cejda, 2010; Elfman, 2020; June, 2015) , it was not enough to simply hire diverse faculty; we had to have to support structures in place as well. We had to consider the implications, which was made more difficult by the turnover, and the voices that were not missing from the room.

As a result of this experience, we rebooted our Strategic Plan. We intentionally sought out diverse voices to help us learn and plan support for diverse faculty recruits. We created mechanisms to learn and develop relationships differently—before ever starting to recruit our replacements. We tried to create a critical mass of minority faculty within the School (Kaplan et al., 2018). We began using culture measurement tools to truly understand how people were experiencing their workplace and we have seen a dramatic positive impact on employee engagement, across demographics. I would love to share lessons learned along the way from the faculty and leadership perspectives.

Cejda, B.D. (2010). Faculty issues in rural community colleges. New Directions for Community Colleges. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.425
Elfman, L. (2020). DOIT: Making the grade. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, 37(19), 23–27.
June, A.W. (2015). When recruiting minority faculty members isn’t enough. https://www.chronicle.com/article/when-recruiting-minority-faculty-members-isnt-enough/
Kaplan, S.E., Gunn, C.M., Kulukulualani, A.K., Raj, A., Freund, K.M., & Carr, P.L. (2018, February). Challenges in recruiting, retaining and promoting racially and ethnically diverse faculty. Journal of the National Medical Association, 110(1), 58-64. doi: 10.1016/j.jnma.2017.02.001

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Caryn M. Stanley is a certified Professional in Human Resources and has been an instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for 14 years. She is the Assistant Director for the School of Business and an Assistant Professor in Management. She teaches in several modalities and enjoys mentoring and engaging with students from around the world.

Stanley regularly presents on generational differences, organizational change, stakeholder engagement, the use of video to enhance online student engagement, and provides a variety of other consulting and training services. Her current research focuses on the interactions among the variables of generational membership, planned organizational change, and employee loyalty. Stanley is the faculty advisor for the student SHRM group, the Ballroom Dance Club, Ultimate Frisbee Club and Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.

"Women's Leadership Styles: Breaking Stereotypes and Building Success" challenges the traditional stereotypes and biases associated with women in leadership positions. Women have historically been perceived as less competent, less assertive, and less suited to leadership roles than men. As a result, women who aspire to leadership positions often feel pressure to conform to traditional male leadership styles, which may not align with their natural leadership strengths and abilities.

This topic explores the importance of breaking these stereotypes and empowering women to embrace their own unique leadership styles. It can examine the qualities that are traditionally associated with women, such as empathy, collaboration, and emotional intelligence, and how these qualities can be leveraged for success in leadership positions. It can also look at successful women leaders who have broken stereotypes and achieved success in their own way, inspiring other women to do the same.

Additionally, this topic examines the importance of diversity in leadership, which includes gender diversity. Research shows that diverse teams and organizations are more innovative, creative, and productive, and have better decision-making skills. By promoting gender equality in leadership, organizations can benefit from a wider range of perspectives and approaches, leading to better outcomes for everyone.

BIOGRAPHY

Tiffany D. Tucker is one of Sports Illustrated’s 100 Influential Black Women in Sports. As the Deputy Director of Athletics at UNCW, she serves as the chief operations officer and is responsible for the department’s day–to–day operations. Tiffany is the 2022 recipient of the Women Leaders in College Sports NIKE Nell Jackson Executive of the Year Award for her leadership, the UNCW Kathleen Berkeley Inconvenient Woman Award for her activism on behalf of others and taking risks on issues of social justice and gender equality, and the WILMA Magazine Women to Watch Award.

Tiffany recently partnered with Yahoo Sports and Degree to launch the Bracket Gap Challenge and Gender Equity Initiative, the largest women’s bracket promotion in the history of March Madness, to help advance equity in sports. She is an international speaker, philanthropist, and change agent for the underrepresented.

Dr. Marisa Bisiani
Dr. Marisa Bisiani is the Associate Vice President for Health, Wellness & Prevention Services at Stony Brook University. In this role, Bisiani is focused on provider improvement, with the ultimate goal improving the service experience for students that are receiving health and wellness services; and to promote a safe environment that is culturally sensitive to individuals.

Bisiani led this division during the COVID-19 Pandemic, noting that leadership style and skill set helped drive the procedures and policies that were implemented to keep the campus as healthy and active as possible.

Prior to this post, Bisiani held roles in hospital administration, and has also been a clinical provider in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Her passion is bringing timely and much-needed care to Stony Brook University students.

Dr. Katrina M. Carter-Tellison
Panel Member and Moderator
Dr. Katrina Carter-Tellison is LEADING THE CHARGE as Lynn University’s Vice President of Academic Affairs and INSPIRING CHANGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION with a demonstrated history of transforming the landscape.

Dr. Carter-Tellison at Lynn University in Boca Raton is no stranger to reimagining and implementing innovative approaches to stay ahead of the curve. The native of the Cayman Islands is responsible for all the academic units at the institution and oversees the university curriculum, accreditation, faculty assessment and development, career services, alumni relations, international student services, study abroad and Lynn’s Social Impact Lab. Since Carter-Tellison's tenure at the university in 2004, she has transformed academics on several fronts, including a highly celebrated and nationally recognized Dialogues core curriculum to a reimagined block scheduling model of modifying the traditional 16-week semester into four-week sessions with classes four days per week.

Last year, Lynn celebrated ten years of its core curriculum and recently incorporated a Resiliency Toolkit through its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), as required by its accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This curricular initiative focuses on resiliency and supports first-year students to adapt positively to new experiences or challenges in a college setting. Carter-Tellison is working with faculty and the campus community to evaluate the program and identify new opportunities in the future. In addition to the national attention enlisted from the Dialogues, block scheduling, and various other accolades, Carter Tellison’s main passion lies in student success, focusing on curriculum, immigration, inequality and social stratification.

As a woman of color, Carter-Tellison believes that service and advocacy to the community through education and involvement are essential for lifelong learners. With this spirit, Carter-Tellison’s commitment to leading the charge of forward-thinking was showcased when the College of Communication and Design launched an NFT Museum this academic year. The NFT museum allows the Lynn community to create a marketplace and collection of digital artworks and is one of the first, if not the first, in the country. This decentralized museum allows Lynn to inspire and engage diverse audiences and demonstrates an unwavering spirit to engage with local and global partners; offering some of the most underrepresented artists and curators a chance to showcase their artwork and creativity. Sharing the philosophy of social responsibility with others has become a mission of Carter-Tellison and leading by example is critical.

She was recently named to the YMCA of South Palm Beach County Board of Trustees and the International Advisory Board for Women Forward International, which focuses on using art, culture, and education to empower more women. It is no secret that the charitable efforts align well with Carter-Tellison’s desire to have students understand the importance of being part of humanity and effecting positive change along the way. Carter-Tellison received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Miami, a Master of Social Work from Barry University and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Miami.

Dr. Gretchen Galbraith
Dr. Gretchen Galbraith, professor of history and dean of the faculty at Saint Michael’s College, earned her doctorate in European and women’s history at Rutgers University. Before joining Saint Michael’s College, she served as dean of arts and sciences at SUNY Potsdam. During her years as a faculty member at Grand Valley State University, she served as director of its Honors College and as department chair and associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. She currently serves as chair of the Reacting to the Past Consortium Board.

Dr. Chenelle Jones
Dr. Chenelle Jones is the Chair of the Public Safety Programs and the Executive Director of the Center for Public Safety and Cybersecurity Education (CPSCE) at Franklin University. She earned her B.A. in psychology from Wittenberg University, M.S.E. in Human Services from the University of Dayton, and her Ph.D. in the Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University, where she was the first to graduate from the program. In her current role, Dr. Jones champions academic and inclusive innovation by developing and implementing co-curricular opportunities through her academic programs and CPSCE that support student success. Specifically, she has helped develop alternative pathways into Franklin’s academic programs through partnerships, certificate programs, and micro-credentials. All of which have contributed to significant enrollment increases in the university’s public safety, cybersecurity and information technology programs. She has also experienced record retention rates in the public safety programs through data-driven strategic planning and the intentional removal of barriers often experienced by non-traditional and underrepresented students.

While a highly sought-after speaker, presenter, and media commentator, Dr. Jones is a scholar activist whose research highlights critical issues in policing, intersectionality, and the invisible labor of Black women in academia. Her critical work led her to establish Jones Advantage, LLC, which is a consulting firm that provides research and training on diversity, equity, and inclusion to both public and private entities. She is a member of several boards and commissions including the Columbus Civilian Review Board and the Columbus Safety Advisory Commission. In fact, her work to facilitate inclusion and equity is so well recognized, that she has been named the recipient of numerous awards including Wittenberg University’s Professional Achievement Award, Central Ohio’s Social Justice Award for Education Advocacy, Columbus CEO’s Future 50 Award, and Columbus Business First’s 40 Under 40 Award, to name a few. Her book chapter titled, The New Jane Crow: Mass Incarceration and the Denied Maternity of Black Women, even earned her an Emerald Literati Award for Most Outstanding Author Contribution in 2018. Lastly, Dr. Jones is a member of several organizations including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and the American Society of Criminology.

Glendalí Rodríguez
Glendalí (she/her/hers and pronounced Glenda-lee) Rodríguez is Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the University of Wisconsin-Stout (UW-Stout), Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University. Glendalí has led the Academic Affairs division through rapid changes, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing transitions, organizational restructures, and budget reductions. She remains a strong advocate of both student and employee success. As a licensed architect, Glendalí taught UW-Stout courses in the area of Construction, Interior Design, and Technology Education, prior to becoming a full-time administrator.

As an administrator she uses her skills as design-thinker, problem-solver, convener, and collaborator. She is actively working with senior leadership and shared governance on UW-Stout’s first Comprehensive Academic Plan. From 2014 through August of 2019, she served as UW-Stout’s associate provost, and worked closely to foster curriculum quality in coordination with shared governance groups, led space-related planning and fundraising efforts for learning environments, and coordinated professional development and training opportunities for program directors and department chairs. Glendalí is a Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Peer Corps member and is trained as a Wisconsin Forward Examiner. She is Spanish bilingual and received a Master of Architecture degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Arts from Yale University

Sequoyah Adebayo
Sequoyah Adebayo serves as Director of Veterans Affairs at the University of the District of Columbia. Her desire for veteran and other military connected students to achieve their educational goals drives her to provide white glove service and world class treatment with every interaction. Her office motto, “Service member’s to Scholars” serves as a reminder that these students have put their lives on the line for our country and we should do everything within our power to support them during their time in school. Under her leadership, the office is becoming a powerhouse of veteran support within the D.C. Metro area. Her connections with local and federal government agencies as well as non-profits, provides many of our student veterans with the additional external support needed to complete semesters.

Her seat on the Mayor’s Veteran’s Advisory Board as Secretary ensures that the University of the District of Columbia student veterans are the first to know about supplemental education opportunities, career fairs, internships, fellowships and support services offered through the district and community organizations.
Sequoyah’s dedication to education can be seen through her own pursuit of higher education, spanning over a decade. In 2009 she earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree from The George Washington University in Biological Anthropology. In 2012 she earned a Master’s degree from Trinity Washington University in Public and Community Healthcare Management and Non Profit Management. In 2017, she completed a certification in Procurement and Public Contracting from the University of the District of Columbia. Currently, she is perusing her doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership Studies at Northeastern University with an expected graduation date of May 2023.

Monica Hanna
Monica (she/her) is driven by creating spaces of community and belonging for BIPOC individuals. She helps others own their experiences and identities and feel confident in sharing their story. She goes to work every day with the goal of empowering women and BIPOC individuals to achieve their greatest potential. As a Jesuit educated Fordham alum, Monica graduated with a B.A. in Theology with a research focus on ethics and social justice work. Monica went on to earn a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Rutgers University. Monica has over 10 years of experience in leadership development, dialogue facilitation, and building programs based on needs assessment. Monica is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education at UCLA.

After earning her Masters, Monica began working at UCLA Residential Life in 2015 where she currently serves as an Interim Associate Director in Residential Life. Monica is a seasoned dialogue facilitator and trainer. She has over eight years of experience in immersive learning programs, conflict management and resolution. She co-developed and instructs a UCLA class focused on exploring marginalized identities and how they impact impostor syndrome, which is commonly experienced by women and people of color.

As an Egyptian American immigrant, Monica spent years struggling with her identities and how they fit in the spaces she navigates every day. Monica understands the work that it takes to free ourselves of societal pressures in order to live authentically and honestly. Monica utilizes personal experience and research-driven methods in her work as a mentor and coach to students and young professionals. Often found daydreaming about delicious eats and travel, Monica will go (very) long distances just for a great meal. Monica will never turn down an adventure, especially if it involves open water swimming with sharks!

Dr. Tracy Harmon Kizer
Panel Member and Moderator
Tracy H. Kizer is the Special Assistant to the President for DEIB Strategy Implementation and an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. Prior to joining the Crummer Graduate School of Business, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Dayton and a Post-doctoral Research Fellow in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. She received her Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of South Florida, an M.B.A. from Crummer Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Florida A&M University. Her scholarship has appeared in numerous top marketing journals. She has led numerous executive education and corporate trainings on DEIB, and was instrumental in the development of the College’s DEIB strategic plan.

Her research focuses on developing theoretical and practical contributions in the field of branding, consumer psychology, and marketing communications. She also writes on various topics of DEI strategy and development, student success to remove the educational equity gap and is currently working on a case student of executive women mentorship. As chairwoman of the board of directors for the Orlando Day Nursery and the Florida VP for Evergreen Life Services, she uses her talents and gifts to serve vulnerable populations. Her corporate experience includes process engineering, operations and marketing, and management consulting.

Dr. Linda M. Thomas
Dr. Linda M. Thomas has found her 16 years of serving in academic leadership positions rewarding and humbling. Before becoming Graduate School Dean, Dr. Thomas served as Head of the School of Integrated Sciences at James Madison University; chair of the Civil, Environment, and Ocean Engineering Department at the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey; chair of the Construction Management Department at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego; and Associate Chair and Graduate Director at the School of Building Construction at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Dr. Thomas holds a Bachelor's and Master of Civil Engineering from the University of Florida; a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Miami, and a Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Dr. Marjorie Trueblood
Dr. Marjorie Trueblood currently serves Rollins College as the Dean of the Student Center for Inclusion and Belonging. As the Dean, she works with students, faculty, and staff to ensure the Rollins experience is not only diverse, but inclusive. She has worked with different entities to provide more equitable pathways to high impact practices and critical supports. Her passions for racial equity, student success, and inclusive community building were cultivated during her time as an undergraduate student at Earlham College and further refined through her professional, educational, and personal experiences. Recently, she completed her doctorate in Leadership for Change focusing on how student afffairs professionals made sense of and provided supports during the dual crises of COVID-19 and the racial reckoning.

Marjorie has held a number of positions throughout her career, including those in Residence Life, Multicultural Affairs, Admissions, Student Support and Intervention, Diversity and Inclusion, and Title IX.

Outside of work, Marjorie likes to read, complete half marathons, participate in community projects, and spend time with her teenage son, J.J. and her furry son, Rex.

Dr. Sura Al-Qudah
Dr. Sura Khaled Al-Qudah (class of 2004) received her B.S. degree in Electronics Engineering from Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology at Yarmouk University, Jordan, in 2004, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Binghamton University (B.U.), Binghamton, NY, USA, in 2010 and 2014, respectively. Dr. Al-Qudah is currently an Associate Professor in the Engineering & Design Department at Western Washington University (WWU) in Bellingham, WA, USA, and the Director of the Manufacturing Engineering Program in that Department.

Dr. Al-Qudah has diverse knowledge and experience in engineering, started with her role as an Engineering Assistant at the Biomedical Center of Excellence in the Hijjawi Faculty after graduation. In that role, she prepared the biomedical lab equipment and reviewed specs. sheets and purchase orders for equipment and tools (hardware/software). During her graduate education at B.U., Dr. Al-Qudah was part of the Watson Institute for Systems Excellence (WISE; a $50M+ funded research group), where she worked on diverse research topics such as social network analysis for undergraduate engineering students, sensor array design & testing, Lean Six Sigma for healthcare, and applied process improvement initiatives. During this experience, Dr. Al-Qudah gained tremendous experience with teaching, research, and collaboration, which helped her become an outstanding academician and progress from 'breadth to depth to perspective' throughout her education.

Dr. Al-Qudah joined the faculty at WWU in the Fall 2014 as an Assistant Professor. Since then, she has become widely recognized by her peers as a leader in the department for developing and maintaining learning environments, both in the classrooms and labs, that are equitable and inclusive of students with diverse social identities and backgrounds. In addition to her strong course evaluation scores, her students highly value her research and scholarship activities. Some of Dr. Al-Qudah's recent research involves a $1M NSF grant to support low-income, highly capable students pursuing engineering, a filed U.S. patent proposing an innovated design to improve a medical instrument, multiple educational hands-on lean activities to enhance student learning, and several publications on engineering education matters.

Dr. Alqudah is a recipient of several awards, such as the Excellence in Teaching Award by the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) Sigma Alpha Pi, the academic award for Achievements in Teaching and Learning at WWU and Beyond, and Alpha Pi Mu Honor Society. Dr. Al-Qudah is a member of the Institute of Industrial and System Engineers (IISE), the American Society for Quality (ASQ), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). Dr. Al-Qudah's research areas are in applied ergonomics & human factors, engineering education pedagogies, and process improvements. Dr. Al-Qudah holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certificate, among others.

Dr. Jean King
Dr. Jean King is the Peterson family Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. She also serves as a Professor of Biology and Biotechnology, affiliate Professor in Biomedical Engineering Department, Professor in the Neuroscience Program and Director, NeuroTech Suite at WPI. Prior to joining WPI, she was vice provost for biomedical research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School; a tenured professor of psychiatry, radiology, and neurology; and director of the university’s Center for Comparative Neuroimaging.

As a researcher, Dr. King’s work has been dedicated to elucidating the neurobiological bases of the stress response, including both vulnerability to stressors and resilience in the face of stress. The overarching goal of her work is to better understand the neural links between stress and mental health.

Dr. King is the recipient of several mentoring and community service awards, including the Erskine Award in Science and Medicine (2004), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate Official Citation (2008) for her Advocacy for Adolescent Girls and Mentor to Women of All Ages, and the University of Massachusetts President’s Public Service Award for Exemplary Public service to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2008), as well as Outstanding Mentor Award from the UMMS Women’s Faculty Committee (2012) and the Doug Ziedonis Outstanding Career Mentor Award in Psychiatry at UMMS (2016).

In 2017, Dr. King was recognized by GK50 as one of Boston’s 50 Most Influential People of Color in Healthcare and Life Sciences. She currently serves on several executive advisory boards both for external academic institutions (UMass Memorial Health Care/ UMass Chan Medical School, Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, MA, and ZHAW School of Engineering in Zurich, Switzerland), as well as national scientific councils.

Dr. Caroline Louise Rochon
I am the Chief of Transplantation at SUNY Downstate University Hospital at Brooklyn since June 2021, prior to this I was the Surgical Director of Kidney Transplantation at Hartford Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Surgery at University of Connecticut. I took over the kidney transplant program’s leadership in the summer of 2016. At that time the Hartford Hospital Kidney Transplant Program was a conservative transplant program with a lower than national average transplant rate but good outcomes. I helped established a new approach to candidates wait listing and organ acceptance criteria which consequently more than doubled our transplant volume within 3 years. Breaking barriers to transplantation for candidates and increasing deceased donor organs utilization has been a mission of mine for many years. I was the Clinical lead for our center during our participation in the UNOS COIIN project focused on increasing utilization of mid to high KDPI kidneys in 2018. The multi center collaboration and the support provided by the UNOS coordinators helped propel our program’s growth and excellence.

Providing our team with the knowledge of how things are done elsewhere in the country and how certain hurdles have been overcome by others helped us get buy-in from all and gave the team a true sense of pride in its accomplishments. With the results obtained at Hartford over the last few years, I was recruited to become the Chief of Transplantation at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, New York and will be starting there late June 2021. We have since then transplanted more than 100 patients including pediatric and living donor transplants. I believe that have the expertise, leadership, training, team building skills and motivation necessary to successfully help lead and be part of the team that drives lasting, national change to increase kidney donation and transplantation rates. As Henry Adams said: A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops and that.

Terri Mitchell
Panel Member and Moderator
Terri Mitchell is a Le Moyne College graduate and 2019 Frank Fernandez Business Leader of the Year recipient. While at Le Moyne she majored in Computer Science and Mathematics. In 1985 women were receiving 37% of Computer Science undergraduate degrees. Today it is 19%. This fact, along with her 30+ years in the high-tech world, has inspired Terri to create Accelerate Success, a program to support and enable women during their education in STEM majors while preparing them for industry careers.

Terri retired from IBM in 2018 and was previously Vice President, IBM Integration Executive, responsible for leading integrations of multiple acquired companies into IBM. These companies added to IBM’s portfolio in hardware, systems, and Watson. Terri has also held executive positions in servers, storage hardware, and software, and served as the IBM Tucson Senior Location Executive. Terri is a founding board member of Triangle Women in STEM. She also serves on the Elon University Engineering Advisory Committee, the Le Moyne College Board of Regents, the ERIE21 Advisory Board, and is an Executive Consultant to FalconStor Software.

Dr. Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik
Dr. Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik joined SUNY System Administration in December of 2020 as Provost-in-Charge and in May of 2022 was appointed as Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development. Previously she served as Vice President for Research and Founding Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, where she is Professor of Nanoscale Engineering. While at SUNYPoly, she worked collaboratively to advance world-class academic research and development opportunities for faculty and researchers, and making available hands-on research experiences for students and provided leadership for graduate degree programs and the awarding of degrees, among others. Dr. Sandvik is co-/author of well over a hundred peer reviewed scientific publications, has co-edited multiple books and has one issued US patent, and co-founded a SUNYPoly start-up company. Her diverse portfolio of continuously funded research program has supported over two dozen PhD students and has resulted in 17 PhD graduates so far.

Her research is centered on physics and technology of photonics and electronic devices for lighting, power conversion, and sensing. Among her honors is the NY Governor's 2005 Women of Excellence award for her professional accomplishment and contribution to the community. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electronic Materials. Dr. Sandvik completed her postdoctoral appointment at Northwestern University in 2002 after finishing a PhD in Physics from University of Missouri and a BS in physics from Tehran University.

Dr. Leah P. Hollis
Panel Member and Moderator
Leah P. Hollis, EdD, is the Associate Dean of Access, Equity, and Inclusion at the Pennsylvania State University's College of Education. Dr. Hollis is a noted national and international expert on workplace bullying. Her most recent book, Black women, Intersectionality and Workplace Bullying, Intersecting Distress, which was released by Routledge publications in 2022, is an extension of her work on bullying in higher education. Other notable work includes Human Resource Perspectives on Workplace Bullying in Higher Education addresses structural problems that enable workplace bullying. She has spoken nationally and internationally to help over 350 schools address incivility on campus. Dr. Hollis has an extensive career in higher education administration and has held senior leadership and faculty posts. Dr. Hollis has taught at Northeastern University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Rutgers University. Dr. Hollis received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Africana Studies from Rutgers University and her Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her Doctorate of Education from Boston University as a Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellow. Also, Dr. Hollis continued her professional training at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Higher Education Management Development Program. She earned certification in Project Management and Executive Leadership at Stanford University and Cornell University, respectively. She is president of Patricia Berkly LLC, a healthy workplace advocate and can be reached at www.diversitytrainingconsultants.com.

Anne Nelson
I am Anne Nelson, the senior assistant dean for student affairs and academic programs at the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University. I am a passionate advocate for student success. In addition, I am a creative, innovative, and experienced higher education enrollment and student services administrator. My experiences reflect my visionary management and leadership abilities, innovative leadership skills, collaborative experiences, and positive outcomes that support higher education institutions’ enrollment and student retention goals.

I am a senior student affairs administrator with over 20 years of experience, and my experiences include student academic advisor theory and student services, enrollment development and engagement services, student career development, and employer relations, along with scholarship student services, advancement scholarship development, stewardship of scholarships and internship programs, student recruitment and retention, and development of academic and co-curricular programs.

Dr. Michelle Nichols
Dr. Michelle Nichols is the Senior Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Designated Institutional Official (DIO) at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to coming to Meharry in June 2022, she was Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Morehouse School of Medicine and the Medical Director for Morehouse Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her MD degree and residency training in family medicine from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and her faculty development fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. In December 2021, Dr. Nichols received her physician executive MBA from University of Tennessee, Haslam College of Business. She is board certified in Family Medicine and a diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Nichols is a member of numerous medical societies including American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), National Medical Association (NMA), and Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). She is a past recipient of the prestigious “Educator of the Year Award” for the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and is a past Chair of the Family Medicine Section of the National Medical Association. In December 2022, she was also selected as a member of the Class of 2023 Council Fellows for the Nashville Health Care Council.

Dr. Nichols is a strong advocate for increasing diversity and inclusion, decreasing health disparities, and advancing health equity. She has been working on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19, especially for communities of color. She was also the medical director for the MSM/MHC Community COVID-19 Vaccination Program in Atlanta, GA. In 2021, her story was featured on CNN and Becker’s Hospital Review as “Six Black women who have been on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.” In June 2021, she was invited as a witness and testified before the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on “Vaccines: America’s Shot at Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

Dr. Brittany C. Slatton
Dr. Brittany C. Slatton is a Professor of Sociology at Texas Southern University. She earned her doctorate from Texas A&M University, College Station, specializing in race and gender-based inequality. Dr. Slatton’ s research has addressed three main areas of inquiry: 1. African American Health and Inequality, 2. Women and Inequality, 3. African American Sexual Identity. These areas of inquiry have resulted in several peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and edited books, including “Repertoire of Resilience: Black Women’s Social Resistance to Suicide” (Social Problems 2021), “Black Women’s Experiences of Sexual Assault and Disclosure: Insights from the Margins” (Sociology Compass 2019), Women and Inequality in the 21st Century (Routledge 2019), Mythologizing Black Women (Routledge 2014), and Hyper Sexual Hyper Masculine? Gender, Race, and Class in the Identities of Contemporary Black Men (Routledge 2014).

Sabrina R. Wilhelm
Sabrina Wilhelm has dual Master's degrees in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and in Educational Counseling and is halfway through her doctoral program studying Organizational Leadership at the University of La Verne. She has over 16 years of combined professional higher education administrative service and faculty teaching from community college up to medical school educational experience. Now, she works as the Executive Director of Preclinical Student Services in the Student Affairs department at a new medical school called the California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM). Sabrina focuses on promoting educating future physicians with equity, equitable support to foster self-actualized success in the domains of academic, career, and personal goals to a diversified student body especially from promising disadvantaged students from California and the Inland Empire. She co-spearheads the restructuring of the Students Affairs department along with the Associate Dean. Sabrina has established and built CUSM's academic accommodations program and manages the caseload. She also recruits, interviews, trains and supervisors the new peer tutoring team. Presents all the Careers in Medicine presentations, career workshops including residency panels, networking events, and more.

She contributes to the well-being and wellness of the CUSM community as the Physical Wellness Subcommittee Chair on the Wellness Committee leading wilderness medicine hikes, yoga classes, guided imagery exercises, and most recently is a team member of the American Heart Association CUSM Walking Team. Sabrina also has been awarded the 'Founding Member' award for being elected and exceling as the Events Committee Chair for three consecutive years and now voted as the Vice Chair for CUSM chapter of the national organization, Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS). Sabrina also has contributed to breast cancer research and to the Cancer Action Research Group on campus as a Staff Advisor. Sabrina has presented at the Association of the American Medical Colleges, the National Academic Advising Association, and at Oxford University. Sabrina research interests includes Organizational Leadership, Women's Empowerment, Leadership Resiliency/Wellness, Warrior Ethics for Higher Education Administrators, Women's Breast Cancer Research, and Student Affairs best practices, policies, and procedures.

Jenn Bennett
Wellness trailblazer, Jenn Bennett, serves as the Executive Director of Wellbeing and the Administrative Senate Chairperson at Ohio University. She fearlessly uses her leadership roles to bring together key players across all campuses and throughout the state of Ohio to uplift employees’ voices, advocate for their wellbeing, and ensure a psychological safe work environment. While simultaneously managing a community wellness center and an employee wellbeing program serving 5,000 individuals, Jenn has become a campus icon thanks to her solutions-based problems solving and employee empowerment.

Jenn’s dedication to the rights of all employees, regardless of status, has fueled her innovative avenues for utilizing data to shed light on inequities within the higher education system. Her end goal is to create unshakeable institutional cultures of wellbeing in all areas of higher education.

Dr. Jill Bassett Cameron
Dr. Jill Bassett- Cameron serves as the Senior Equity & Inclusion Officer/Title IX Coordinator for the Office for Equity & Inclusion at Central Connecticut State University, CT. She is responsible for managing complaints, investigations, and reporting on sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual assault, and discrimination cases. Prior to her joining the CCSU community, she served as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Quinnipiac University, CT and was responsible for supervising the university’s Community, Assessment, Response and Evaluation (CARE) Team. She has been in higher education for 20 years and has also worked as the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Retention at Franklin Pierce University, NH, has worked at the University of Bridgeport, CT the Department of Higher Education, CT and Southern CT State University. Jill’s certifications include LGBTQ+ SafeZones Trainor, Sexual Assault Crisis Counselor, and Title IX Hearing Officer. Jill has been published with ATIXA, regarding her research on Vicarious Trauma, has presented at numerous conferences.

Dr. Karina Gil
Karina Gil, Ph.D., MSW, is the Worden School of Social Service Director and an Associate Professor at Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU). As the Director, she oversees the BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. programs in the San Antonio, Rio Grande Valley, and online campuses.

Prior to her academic work, Dr. Gil had over ten years of experience working as a political social worker with diverse populations in coalition building, managing multi-city campaigns, grassroots and community organizing, and policy efforts.

Dr. Gil is passionate about issues related to women and Latinos' access to positions of power and leadership and issues related to race and ethnicity and decolonizing practices. She routinely researches, publishes articles and presents at national and international conferences.

In 2015, Dr. Gil was awarded a Willey Faculty Fellowship. Fellows are selected from a national pool of Willey partner schools who share a distinguished record of accomplishment in their profession and enthusiasm for new pedagogical and technological approaches to their instruction. In 2017, she was selected by the Council in Social Work Education to the Program Director Academy, and in 2018 she was awarded OLLU's Agnes M. (Lehman) Gloyna Award for Technology and Innovation in Teaching and Learning. In 2019 she was selected by the National Association of Deans and Directors to the Leadership Academy for Deans and Directors. Most recently, Dr. Gil served as the OLLU's Faculty Assembly President. Nationally, Dr. Gil has been serving as President-Elect of the Association of Latino and Latina Social Work Educators (ALLSWE), and will become acting president in November 2022.

During the outbreak of Covid in 2020, Dr. Gil co-chaired the Emergency Immigration Task Force for the City of San Antonio and the Bexar County Social Service Committee. The task force aimed to create a rapid response to meet the needs of the immigrant population during the surge Covid -19. Additionally, during that time, in response to the national climate and to combat racism, Dr. Gil co-chaired the Faculty Development sub-Task Force for the Council in Social Work Education Anti-Racism Committee and is the current co-chair of the Faculty Training sub-task Force of the Council in Social Work Education Anti-Racism Committee.

Dr. Gil holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies from Our Lady of the Lake University, a Master's Degree in Social Work with political concentration from the University of Houston, and a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary's University.

Dr. Gil is originally from Chile, and during her free time, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and friends, going for walks, reading, cooking, dancing, being creative, and watching movies.

Dr. Amy L. Hite
Panel Member and Moderator
Dr. Amy L. Hite has extensive education and clinical practice in rural healthcare. This is evident through her history of service, leadership, mentoring, and organizational skills; from serving on regional, national and international organization boards, committees, and task forces. Dr. Hite has taught in undergraduate and graduate nursing courses at Pittsburg State University, since 2004. She serves as the Coordinator for the MSN Education Program. University involvement has included Vice Director for the School of Nursing, Faculty Senate President, Co-Chair of University Budget Prioritization, and Chief Faculty Negotiation Team Leader.

She has successfully secured three federal HRSA Grants: one for a rural Nurse Practitioner Residency and two for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Projects. She serves as the Project Director for the grants. Dr. Hite has been actively involved in Professional Identity in Nursing, since the first Think Tank in 2018. She serves on the Advisory Council for the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing and Chairs the Advanced Nursing Education Work Group. She has published and presented on Professional Identity in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner Residency Programs, Simulation for Nurse Practitioner Students, Gift of Life for Kidney Donors, and Professional Quality of Life for Forensic Nurses. Dr. Hite maintains her clinical practice, as an Emergency Department Nurse Practitioner at a Rural Level III Trauma Center.

Dr. Linda Noel-Batiste
Linda Noel-Batiste, Ph.D., has over forty years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, instructional specialist, school administrator, and associate professor. She has served as the Interim Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Lead Investigator of the Wallace University Principal Preparation Initiative Grant at Virginia State University. She is currently the Director of Faculty Development at VSU. Her professional interests include the importance of training culturally responsive leaders, professors, Pk-12 teachers, and staff who care about the communities they serve and who want to understand the complex nature of educating students of all ethnicities, backgrounds, and levels. In her current role, she is also examining the impact the work environment has on employees' productivity and engagement. She has published articles and presented at conferences related to the significance of training culturally responsive educators.