2015-16 NLA FELLOWS

Sarah Anthony

Director of Finance & Strategic Partnership and Ingham County Commissioner

Michigan College Access Network

Sarah Anthony is the Director of Finance and Strategic Partnerships for the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN). In this role, Sarah is responsible for the financial and administrative functions of the organization. Additionally, Sarah maintains existing and cultivates new college access partnerships across the state, specifically partnerships with targeted populations. She also serves as the lead contact for Local College Access Networks in Southeast Michigan. Before joining MCAN, she worked as a Legislative Assistant in the Michigan House of Representatives, where she assisted the Higher Education Appropriations Committee. Sarah received a B.S. in Political Science/Legal Studies from Central Michigan University and an M.P.A from Western Michigan University. In 2012, Sarah was elected to public office as an Ingham County Commissioner. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board’s Finance Committee. In addition to her formal duties as an elected official, she is an active community volunteer, lending her time and talents to several nonprofit organizations in Mid-Michigan.

Ketra Armstrong

Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Faculty Affairs and Professor

University of Michigan

Ketra L. Armstrong is currently the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Faculty Affairs, Professor of Sport Management in the School of Kinesiology, and an Affiliate Faculty in the Department of African American Studies at the University of Michigan (U-M). Prior to her employment at U-M, Ketra served as the Director and Professor of the Graduate Program in Sport Management at California State University, Long Beach, and as an Assistant and Associate Professor of Sport Management at The Ohio State University. Ketra’s scholarship converges on the topics of race, gender, and the social psychology of sport/leisure consumption and the management thereof. In addition to Ketra’s scholarly pursuits, she has amassed a wealth of practical experience in the sport industry. She is a former NCAA Division I scholarship student athlete (basketball player), coach (women’s basketball), and athletic administrator. Over the years, she has performed integral roles in the advising/consulting, research, management, marketing, and media relations for numerous youth, community, collegiate, professional, and international sport events. Ketra is also a freelance sport broadcaster, and received the 2001 Newsmaker of the Year Award from the Columbus, Ohio Association of Black Journalists. In 2009, she was the narrator and co-Executive Producer of Title IX: Implications for Women in Sport and Education (a 3- Disc, 14 chapter DVD), and in 2010 she received the Honorary Guiding Woman in Sport Award. She is presently the Faculty Advisor for the UM Student Chapter of the Association for Women in Sport Media.

Sofía Bahena

Senior Education Associate

Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA)

Sofía Bahena is a Senior Education Associate at the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) in San Antonio, Texas, a non-profit organization committed to strengthening public schools to ensure equity of educational opportunity for every child. Prior to her work at IDRA, Sofía completed her doctoral studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research interests include understanding the contexts that support the academic achievement and educational attainment of Latino students in the United States. During her tenure at Harvard, she served as an editor for the Harvard Educational Review, where she also co-edited a book, Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline. In addition, she collaborated with the Hispanic College Fund to do a preliminary assessment of their summer college-preparation program. Previously, Sofía has been a policy and research assistant at the Alliance for Excellent Education (Washington, DC) and an AmeriCorps VISTA school partnership coordinator for the Greater Homewood Community Cooperation (Baltimore, Maryland). Sofía holds a B.A. in business administration and sociology from Trinity University, an Ed.M. in human development and psychology, and an Ed.D. in cultures, communities, and education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Candice L. Bledsoe

Director and Founder

Cutting Edge Research Action Center

Candice Bledsoe is the Director of the Cutting Edge Youth Action Research Center and Poetic Diamonds in Dallas, Texas. She has over 15 years of experience in education. Her interests are underrepresented students, diversity, and higher education. Candice is the recipient for the 2013 SMU Women’s Symposium Profiles of Community Leadership Award. She is a previous National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Fellow and Embrey Human Rights Fellow. Candice received a Doctorate in Education from The University of Southern California. She graduated with her master’s of liberal studies from Southern Methodist University, where she now is a faculty member. She completed her undergraduate studies at Baylor University.

Dilip Das

Assistant Vice Provost

University of Michigan

Dilip Das began his career as a high school life sciences teacher at an international school in India. For 12 years he directed environmental education programs at three nature centers in two states, Illinois and Connecticut. Since 2003, he has been focused on administering higher education access and success initiatives at the University of Michigan. Specific areas of attention have included access and success for current and prospective students in one or more of the following categories: lower-income, middle-income, first generation college, underrepresented minority, community college transfer, or undocumented status.

Cynthia Dávalos

Office of the Vice Chancellor – Student Affairs

University of California - San Diego

Cynthia Dávalos holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of San Diego. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Leadership Studies with a focus on higher education leadership from the University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Sciences. Cynthia began her career in higher education in 1998 working closely with outreach, admissions, scholarships and financial aid, and academic advising and programming. In 2005 she began her career at UC San Diego serving as the Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor Student Affairs. In this capacity, Cynthia oversees special initiatives, community relations, and strategies that promote collaborations between Student Affairs and the larger campus. Cynthia’s accomplishments at UC San Diego include assisting in the establishment of the office for undocumented student services, parent and family programs, and the infrastructure of a retention program for select scholarship recipients from diverse backgrounds. In 2014 she co-created a summer STEM program with faculty and staff to attract underrepresented students to UC San Diego. In addition, she has created and co-taught a 13-week course to visiting Chinese student affairs practitioners studying English and American Higher Education at UC San Diego Extension. This partnership has fostered new relationships and exchanges between both groups.

Edith Fernández

Associate Vice President

Nevada State College

Edith Fernández is a proven administrative professional skilled in building relationships with community leaders and elected government officials. She has substantial experience in the field of higher education with expertise in institutional research, student success initiatives, and strategic collaborations as well as significant marketing and organizational leadership skills. As District Director for Congressman Steven Horsford, she monitored federal legislation and integrated the Congressman’s legislative plan with district activities. Edith recently joined Nevada State College as an Associate Vice President. Her career in higher education spans twenty years working with community college and university students with experience in financial aid, admissions, academic advising, service learning, study abroad, residence life and student life. Edith is a quantitative and qualitative researcher. She has been a principal investigator for research projects focused on intercultural competence, intercultural learning skills, and civic engagement on a global scale. Her current research focuses on student achievement and Hispanic-Servicing Institutions. As a result of these experiences, Edith has been sought out for numerous keynote engagements and is known for leading inspiring leadership and development trainings. Edith has received recognition for excellence in diversity and recipient of Ally of the Year for her dedication to social justice. As an Emerge Nevada alumna, Edith is known as a leader who brings a new perspective and just solutions to social and economic problems.

Jorge Figueroa

Associate Professor

Universidad del Este

For the last 15 years, Jorge F. Figueroa has been involved with higher education occupying different teaching, administrative, and leadership positions. He is currently an Associate Professor for English and TESOL in the School of Social and Human Sciences at Universidad del Este where he prepares learners to achieve proficiency in acquiring English as a second language and works directly with future or current educators, at the undergraduate/graduate level, in the training and development of competencies directed to the use of educational technology and new trends like gamification and game based learning. Some of his teaching experiences include providing teaching training at the graduate and doctoral level for institutions. In addition he is certified as a b-learning and e-learning instructor. Jorge’s tenure in higher education includes several administrative appointments. He was the person in charge to develop and direct the Student Leadership Institute at Universidad del Este, a project devoted to provide co-curricular training in leadership to students from Universidad del Este. He ran that project for 4 years. Other administrative experiences include Marketing Coordinator and Integrated Services Coordinator for Universidad del Turabo. He has served and chaired many institutional committees at Universidad del Este. Some of these include the MSCHE re-accreditation committee, the distributed learning committee, among others.

Thomas Hernández

Professor & Chair, Department of Counselor Education

The College at Brockport

Thomas Hernández has served as a counselor, administrator, advisor, career counselor, and professor at colleges in the Western New York area for almost thirty years. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Rochester in Philosophy and Psychology and subsequently completed his M.S. and Doctor of Education degrees at the same institution. Thomas’ doctoral dissertation, entitled, The Concept of Career of Latinas in the Higher Education Machine, had him focusing his efforts on an understanding of the conceptualization of “career” Puerto-Rican American women in colleges and the ultimate effect of this notion on the career development process. In addition to his role as a faculty member, Thomas has served as Associate Dean and Interim Dean for the School of Education and Human Services at the College at Brockport. Professionally, he is also a member of the American Counseling Association, The National Career Development Association, and the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development. Thomas’ current research continues in areas of difference in the counseling process. Particularly of interest are issues of gender, culture, and disability in the social context in which we live. This includes a serious interest in the use of these conceptual notions in our society, and thus in our practice as counselors, and counselor educators. Thomas has taught courses in Career Counseling, Career Development Concepts, Individual Counseling Concepts, The Organization and Administration of Higher Education, and Psychopathology.

Christopher Jenkins

Assistant Dean for Academic Support

Oberlin Conservatory

Christopher Jenkins has served as Assistant Dean for Academic Support in Oberlin Conservatory since August of 2014. Previously, he served as Deputy Director and viola instructor at the Barenboim-Said Foundation in the city of Ramallah, located in the West Bank. He was Dean of the Sphinx Performance Academy for seven years and founding violist of the Catalyst Quartet, Sphinx’s chamber ensemble. Chris holds a master’s degree in viola performance from New England Conservatory and a master’s degree in international relations and public policy from Columbia University.

Omar S. López

Assistant Professor

Texas State University

Omar S. López is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational, Workforce, and Leadership Studies (OWLS) in the College of Applied Arts at Texas State University. OWLS programs prepare nontraditional students for careers through high-quality academic, professional, and technical programs that include credits from prior learning such as work/life experience; credit for non-collegiate instruction; and credit by exam. Omar grew up in south Texas along the border in the Rio Grande Valley, in one of the poorest counties in the U.S. His daily observations of the effects from poverty on children and families left a definitive mark on his career decisions. Omar’s academic training includes the physical sciences, management, and education. This prepared him to work in different sectors as engineer, business consultant, and education policy researcher. While these occupations provided a way to make a living, his south Texas experiences gave him the passion to seek a meaningful life where his work could focus on using transdisciplinary methodologies to solve some of the thorniest problems confronting society’s most vulnerable populations. The result is that his publications are diverse, having published in the fields of educational technology, economics of education, teacher education accountability, higher education sustainability, and family studies. Omar earned his BSA from Trinity University, an MBA from the University of California at Irvine, and an MSBA in strategic planning from the University of Southern California. He received his Ph.D. in strategy and educational policy from the Public School Executive Leadership Program in the College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin. He resides in Round Rock, Texas with his wife, Marta Helena and they have two children, Gabriela and Diego.

Magdalena Martinez

Director, Education Programs

University of Nevada Las Vegas, Lincy Institute

Omar S. López is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational, Workforce, and Leadership Studies (OWLS) in the College of Applied Arts at Texas State University. OWLS programs prepare nontraditional students for careers through high-quality academic, professional, and technical programs that include credits from prior learning such as work/life experience; credit for non-collegiate instruction; and credit by exam. Omar grew up in south Texas along the border in the Rio Grande Valley, in one of the poorest counties in the U.S. His daily observations of the effects from poverty on children and families left a definitive mark on his career decisions. Omar’s academic training includes the physical sciences, management, and education. This prepared him to work in different sectors as engineer, business consultant, and education policy researcher. While these occupations provided a way to make a living, his south Texas experiences gave him the passion to seek a meaningful life where his work could focus on using transdisciplinary methodologies to solve some of the thorniest problems confronting society’s most vulnerable populations. The result is that his publications are diverse, having published in the fields of educational technology, economics of education, teacher education accountability, higher education sustainability, and family studies. Omar earned his BSA from Trinity University, an MBA from the University of California at Irvine, and an MSBA in strategic planning from the University of Southern California. He received his Ph.D. in strategy and educational policy from the Public School Executive Leadership Program in the College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin. He resides in Round Rock, Texas with his wife, Marta Helena and they have two children, Gabriela and Diego.

Mahirami Meléndez-Burgos

Professor

Universidad del Este, Puerto Rico

Mahirami Meléndez-Burgos is the Director of the Student Leadership Institute at Universidad del Este in Puerto Rico. Currently, she is about to finish her doctoral studies in educational leadership. She is very passionate about communications and public relations studies. In addition, she enjoys studying about social media as an efficient way to do marketing and as a way to communicate with college students. Right now her line of investigation is about the use of Facebook as an academic tool in higher education in Puerto Rico.

Catalina Ormsby

Managing Director

National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good

Catalina Ormsby is Associate Director of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) at the University of Michigan. Among her core responsibilities, she develops academic programming and strategies for recruiting and engaging diverse students in programs such as community college transfer student initiatives. She is passionate about serving underrepresented students and providing them with tools and resources to maximize their potential while learning skills necessary for navigating their academic and social environments during their time on campus and beyond. She teaches an undergraduate course that explores current research in Latino studies at the University of Michigan. She serves as an adjunct lecturer at the School of Social Work where she teaches a graduate course designed to give graduate students a foundation in the awareness and knowledge for understanding diversity and social justice issues through dialogue. In addition, Catalina is involved with campus climate initiatives and is committed to fostering inclusive and welcoming environments for students. Prior to her current role, she was a Senior Financial Analyst for the College of Literature Science and the Arts Dean’s Office and served as the business manager for the National Center for Institutional Diversity. She attended the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia and finished her bachelor’s degree with honors at Eastern Michigan University. She received a master’s degree from the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy. She is particularly interested in access to higher education, adaption, and retention of students of color.

Eva Serrano

Assistant Professor and Director, Latino Initiative

Aurora University

Eva Serrano is an Assistant Professor at Aurora University (AU) and Director of AU’s Latino Initiative. She holds a Doctor of Education degree from Northern Illinois University (2009), an MBA from the University of Dallas (1987), a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mundelein College of Loyola University (1983), and an Associate of Arts degree from Morton College (1981). Eva is also a graduate of Harvard University’s JFK School of Government Executive Education Program (2005). Eva is a faculty fellow of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, and a fellow of the National Hispana Leadership Institute, ENLACE Leadership Institute, and Leadership Greater Chicago. She also completed executive training programs at the Center for Creative Leadership and Gallup Leadership Institute. Eva has experience in community-based organizations and higher education. Prior to joining Aurora University in 2004, she directed a U.S. Department of Education Title V Grant targeting Hispanic student success, and was a fellow in the USDA’s Hispanic Serving Institutions National Fellows Program. From 1987-2000, Eva held leadership positions with the following non-profit organizations: El Valor, Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, and Girl Scouts of the USA (Whispering Oaks Council). Eva teaches first-year undergraduate courses at AU in Latino Studies, and has also taught graduate courses. In addition to teaching responsibilities, Eva serves as the AU faculty advisor to the Latin American Student Organization (LASO). In 2004, Eva co-authored with Ms. Sylvia Puente and Dr. Martha Zurita, Strategies for Success: Cicero Education Forum Summary (University of Notre Dame, Institute for Latino Studies). Research interests include Latino/a student retention and graduation in higher education, the advancement of Latinos in higher education, and leadership development.

Nelson E. Soto

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Union Institute & University

Nelson Soto serves as the vice president for academic affairs at Union Institute & University. He provides leadership to assure the quality of the university’s academic programs, advancing the university’s mission of engaging, enlightening, and empowering students and continuing development of enrollment. “My vision for Union Institute & University is to have the theme of social responsibility permeate our curriculum and interdisciplinary scholarship, to provide an innovative space for faculty to explore new ideas to enhance curriculum and course offerings that parallel to current technological trends, and to foster an environment for thoughtful educators— individuals who inspire and teach learners to pursue their career aspirations and contribute to our global society.” Nelson came to Union Institute & University from Harrison College, Indianapolis, where he served as associate provost and vice president for curriculum and instruction from 2010 to 2013. Prior to Harrison College, he served as an assistant dean in the graduate office at Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) from 2008 to 2010 and as an instructional development specialist at IUPUI’s Center for Teaching and Learning from 2005 to 2008. Nelson served on the faculty at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in the School of Education; at Indiana University, College of Arts and Sciences; University of Missouri-Columbia, College of Education; and the University of Cincinnati, University College. He holds a Ph.D. in educational policy studies from Indiana University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Cincinnati. His dissertation research focused on teachers’ perceptions and beliefs of Latino middle school (im)migrants, particularly rural communities that witnessed an increase in Latino/a immigrants.

Alexander Villalobos

Sergeant of Criminal Investigation

Texas State University

Alex Villalobos is a Police Sergeant, supervising the Criminal Investigations Division at the Texas State University Police Department. Alex Villalobos received his undergraduate degree in criminal justice and his graduate degree in public administration. He is an 8-year veteran of law enforcement and has taught basic self-defense for 6 years. Alex is a certified law enforcement instructor and seasoned criminal investigator. He has served the Texas State Hispanic Policy Network (HPN) as Secretary, President Elect, and Currently as President. Alex’s areas of teaching and research interests are race and ethnicity studies, immigration, policy evaluation, public administration, intelligence analysis, threat assessment, emergency management, self-defense tactics, and criminal investigation.

Mary Ann Villarreal

Director, Strategic Initiatives & University Project

California State University Fullerton

As Director, Strategic Initiatives and University Projects at California State University, Fullerton, Mary Ann Villarreal manages the implementation, execution, and coordination of the university’s strategic plan. She joined the university staff in June 2014, having previously served as Associate Dean at the University of Denver – Colorado Women’s College. There she oversaw the college’s enrollment management team and four degree programs: Business Administration, Law and Society, Communication, and Information Technology Studies. Mary Ann previously held tenure track positions at the University of Utah and University of Colorado at Boulder. Her research focuses on South Texas and the formation of a Texas Mexican identity through the lens of business. Her teaching areas include oral history, the American West, and Chicano/a history. Villarreal has published in The Oral Historian and the Journal of Women’s History and book chapters in An American Story: Mexican American Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation and Border Rhetorics: Citizenship and Identity on the US-Mexico Frontier. Her manuscript, “Listening to Rosita: The Business of Tejana Music and Culture, 1930-1955” is under contract with the University of Oklahoma Press. A 2013 HERS Wellesley fellow, Villarreal earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College and Ph.D. from Arizona State University.

Brian S. Yandell

Professor of Statistics & Horticulture Chair of Statistics

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Brian Yandell works on a variety of problems related to statistical genomics, with the goal of unraveling the complex relationships between observable traits (such as flowering time or clinical signs of diabetes) and molecular signals (mRNA expression, protein and metabolite levels, etc.). His primary interest in statistical methodology has evolved into development of informatics platforms that allow biologists and data analysts to share data and algorithms. This work includes model selection for gene mapping (QTL), expression hotspot analysis and causal phenotype models.

Yolanda Zepeda

Assistant Provost, Office of Diversity and Inclusion

The Ohio State University

Yolanda Zepeda is assistant provost for Diversity and Inclusion. In her work, she advocates for a more diverse and inclusive campus, overseeing a broad set of programs in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and coordinating diversity efforts in partnership with academic units on campus. Yolanda also actively nurtures community partnerships to promote best practices for recruiting and supporting the success of underrepresented students, faculty, and staff. The targeted programs that she oversees support single parent students, leadership development for women of color, LGBTQ students, Latina and Latino student success, and students in STEM disciplines. She also manages publications for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, including the Drum and ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? magazines. Prior to joining the staff of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Yolanda worked at the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the academic consortium of the Big Ten Universities. There she led academic collaborations, particularly those in the area of international education, Asian American and American Indian Studies, and graduate education and diversity.

2016-17 NLA FELLOWS

Darcie Bishop

Associate Dean, Graduate Studies

Jackson State University

darcie.bishop@jsums.edu

Darcie Bishop currently serves as Associate Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies at Jackson State University. Before assuming the role of Associate Dean, she served as Interim Chair of the Department of Music and is a tenured Associate Professor. A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, Bishop holds both the BA and MA of Music degrees in Trumpet Performance from The Juilliard School in New York, along with the PhD in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education from The University of Mississippi. At the core of her research agenda is the work she does as a professional musician and the significance this has on the arts and humanities on campus and within the community at large. Her work in the graduate school, while young, lends itself well to implementing creative solutions to the inner workings of the higher education enterprise. Additionally, she enjoys relaxing with good books or running.

Rosa Isela Cervantes

Director

University of New Mexico - El Centro de la Raza

isela@unm.edu

Rosa Isela Cervantes received her Master’s Degree in Family Studies and her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Spanish from the University of New Mexico. She is a strong advocate for students and has worked in education for 18+ years. Currently, she serves as Director for El Centro de la Raza, the premier institution devoted to the empowerment, transformation and development of underrepresented, migrant and Latino students at the University of New Mexico. Over the years Rosa has served in various leadership positions in state and national associations and served as the Program Operations Director of the Outreach Initiatives for UNM’s College Enrichment and Outreach Programs (CEOP) where she was very involved in TRiO and OME programs. The focus of CEOP is to serve first generation, low income and underrepresented students. She is the Special Advisor to the President on Latino Affairs and serves as Principle Investigator for the High School Equivalency Program and the College Assistance Migrant Program programs serving students from migrant and seasonal farm-working backgrounds.

Kendall Deas

Adjunct Professor of Education and Faculty Advising Fellow

College of Charleston

deaskd@cofc.edu

Kendall Deas is a native of Sumter, S.C. He holds a BSFS degree in International Relations from Georgetown University, a MA in Globalization Studies from Dartmouth College, a MA in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis, a MSPP degree in Public Policy from The Georgia Institute of Technology and he earned his PhD in Educational Administration and Policy from The University of Georgia’s College of Education. He holds certificates in policy studies from Harvard University and The University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, Deas was a Fulbright Scholar to Finland where he earned a Diploma in International Trade Law from Turku International University’s School of Law. Deas’s research interests are grounded in areas of law, policy, finance, and politics as they relate to PK-12 education reform and the role of federal, state, and local government in this process. Deas serves on the Faculty Senate and President Glenn McConnell’s Faculty Advisory Committee at the College of Charleston.

Walter Diaz

Dean of Students

Eastern Connecticut State University

diazw@easternct.edu

Walter Diaz is the dean of students at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, CT, Connecticut’s Public Liberal Arts University. Prior to this appointment, he served as director of housing and residential life and director of career services at Eastern. Diaz is currently serving on the board of NASPA Region I as Member-at-Large and on the Region I Latino/a Knowledge Community (LKC) Leadership team. He recently joined the Development and Fundraising Committee for NASPA’s National LKC and is serving as a faculty and committee member for NASPA’s inaugural leadership institute designed for Latin@ student affairs professionals who aspire to attain senior student affairs officers or vice president for student affairs roles. Diaz is also a social entrepreneur. In 2006, he launched Hispanic Recruitment Services which operates a very successful internet site www.LatinosinHigherEd.com. Diaz received a BA in Business Administration from Central Connecticut State University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Connecticut, and a PhD from Johnson & Wales University in Higher Education Administration.

Harvey Dorrah

Associate Provost, MES University Center

Wayne County Community College District

hdorrah1@wcccd.edu

Harvey Dorrah, Jr. was a member of the graduate faculty at Central Michigan University (CMU) in the Department of Educational Leadership from January 1994 - December 2012. Before serving on the faculty at CMU, he served as Assistant to the Vice Provost of Academic Affairs. In this capacity he directed four academic support programs supported with external grants. Between 1994 and 2000, Dorrah served as Principal Investigator for the Michigan Schools in the Middle: Urban Middle School Restructuring Project, funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. He served on the evaluation team for the W. K. Kellogg Minority Serving Institutions (MIS) Fellows’ Leadership Program between 2000 and 2004. His research and scholarship has focused on leadership, cultural diversity and urban education. Currently, he serves as Associate Provost at Wayne County Community College District Detroit, MI.

Danielle García

Assistant to University Counsel

California State University, Fullerton

daniellegarcia@fullerton.edu

Danielle García earned her BA in Liberal Studies and her Masters in Education, with a concentration in Higher Education, from California State University, Fullerton. In her current role, García assists the University Counsel and Director for Strategic Initiatives and University Projects. Her responsibilities include assisting with issues of alleged discrimination, requests for records access, litigation, student and employee complaints, and in her second role with issues related to student success, assessment, and the coordination of the university’s Strategic Plan and special projects in the Office of the President at California State University, Fullerton.

Mary Jo Garcia Biggs

Interim Chair of Occupational, Workforce and Leadership Studies

Texas State University

mb56@txstate.edu

Mary Jo Garcia Biggs, LCSW is Associate Professor of Social Work and Interim Chair of Occupational, Workforce, and Leadership Studies (OWLS) at Texas State University. She holds the MSW from Our Lady of the Lake University and the PhD from Texas A&M University. Biggs, who has been at Texas State for over a decade, is an expert in online education. She was recognized by AAHHE as advancing distance learning in higher education when she was awarded the Distance Learning in Higher Education Award. Her research interests have a broad focus of advocacy for vulnerable and marginalized populations. Her most recent research areas stem from two Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grants. Her principal teaching area is policy- social justice and advocacy. She serves as the President of the Texas Association of College Teachers, an elected position, where she advocates for and serves, faculty, staff, and students, of all Texas universities and community colleges, both public and private

Mark Kamimura-Jimenez

Director of Graduate Student Success

University of Michigan

mkamimur@umich.edu

Mark Kamimura-Jimenez is the Director of GSS for the Rackham Graduate School. In this role he is responsible for the development of programs to support academic and professional success, and enhance the quality of student life, of a highly diverse population of Master’s and PhD students. He received his BA in Social Science from the University of California, Irvine; MA from Columbia University in Organization and Leadership; and PhD from the University of Michigan in Higher Education and Public Policy.

Loida I. Martell-Otero

Professor, Constructive Theology

Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University

lmartelldvm@gmail.com

Loida I. Martell-Otero is Professor of Constructive Theology at Palmer Theological Seminary/ Eastern University, in Pennsylvania. She is a licensed doctor in veterinary medicine as well as an ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches/ USA. She is a bi-coastal Puerto Rican who has taught at the University of Puerto Rico’s College of Allied Health Professionals, Boston’s Center for Urban Ministerial Education, and New York Theological Seminary. She pastored in New York City for 15 years. She co-edited Teología en Conjunto: A Collaborative Hispanic Protestant Theology. She has published articles on evangélica soteriology, Christology, doctrine of God, use of Scripture for theology, vocation, and pedagogy. The American Baptist Home Missions Societies recently awarded her the 2015 Richard Hoiland Christian Education Award, its highest recognition for “faithful and effective leadership in Christian education,” for her long-standing work in nurturing culturally and racially diverse classrooms and for exceptional leadership. Additionally, Martell is an avid amateur photographer.

Linh M. Nguyen

Associate Director, Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs

University of Michigan

mlinh@umich.edu

Linh strongly believes in the transformative work that happens on college campuses within the various departments, colleges, and student organizations, etc., particularly around issues of diversity, inclusion, identity development and social justice. She trusts in the interconnectedness of the human experience that is realized through relationship building and compassion for one another, as the means to social change and breaking down of injustices. Serving in the Associate Director role, she continues to use her passion and commitment to intercultural leadership and identity development to support the learning and growth of others, while continuously challenging herself to be a better person each and every day.

Isela Ocegueda

Assistant Dean, Graduate School

The University of Texas at El Paso

iocegueda2@utep.edu

Isela Ocegueda serves as Assistant Dean of the Graduate School. Her primary responsibility is to develop and manage the various professional development programs and resources to enhance the academic and professional skills of its graduates. Previously, Ocegueda served as Program Director of the PUENTES Program, an innovative graduate-level academic support, mentoring, and professional development model for doctoral students at UTEP that assisted underrepresented students. Ocegueda also teaches in the English department at UTEP. An El Paso native, Ocegueda earned her BA in English from Princeton University. As a Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellow, she then attended Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where she earned a master of education, specializing in Language and Literacy. In 2010, Ocegueda received her PhD in Literature, specializing in Latin American and Latino Studies, from the University of California-Santa Cruz. She currently serves on the City of El Paso’s Museums and Cultural Affairs Advisory Board as well as the Public Arts Committee and is a member of the Latin American Studies Association.

Tonantzin Oseguera

Dean of Students

California State University, Fullerton

toseguera@fullerton.edu

Tonantzin Oseguera currently serves as the Dean of Students at Cal State Fullerton, with oversight for, Student Conduct, Behavioral Intervention team, Title IX implementation team, and university president representative in advising Associated Students Incorporated of CSUF. Before coming to Cal State Fullerton, Oseguera worked at UC Riverside and was responsible for managing student organizations, guiding the Associated Student Program Board, the Fraternity Sorority Involvement Center, campus orientation and first-year programs. Prior to her post at UC Riverside, Oseguera was director of student activities and leadership programs at Portland State University and associate director of leadership education and activities at Chapman University. Oseguera earned her PhD in higher education at USC. She has a MA in higher education and student affairs from the University of Vermont and a BA in human development and family studies with an emphasis in gerontology from Colorado State University. Oseguera is a first-generation college student born and raised in Mexico and her research focuses on underrepresented students and undeserved populations in higher education.

Minita Ramirez

Vice President for Student Success

Texas A&M International University

minita@tamiu.edu

Minita Ramírez is Vice President of Student Success at Laredo’s Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), and responsible for TAMIU’s recruitment, enrollment and graduation programs. Ramírez holds a BS in Secondary Education from TAMIU, an MS in School Administration from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and a PhD in Higher Education Administration from Capella University. She became part of the TAMIU family in 2001. Prior to joining TAMIU, she was an academic consultant and sales representative for Silver Burdett Ginn, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishing. She enjoyed teaching History and Government at Laredo middle and high schools and directed United Independent School District’s Technology Innovation Challenge Grant -- better known as Project Millennium.

Jayne S. Reuben

Clinical Associate Professor

University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville

reubenj@greenvillemed.sc.edu

Jayne Stewart Reuben is a Clinical Associate Professor and founding faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine (USCSOMG) in Greenville, SC. Prior to joining the USCSOMG faculty in September 2011, Reuben was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Dentistry—a component of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. She earned her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a specialization in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan in the Department of Pathology, Reuben was a founding member of the University of Michigan Postdoctoral Association. She has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for her undergraduate institution, Converse College, since 2012. Reuben is the current Chair-Elect for the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Division for Pharmacology Education.

Deborah Rivas-Drake

Associate Professor

University of Michigan

drivas@umich.edu

Deborah Rivas-Drake is associate professor of psychology and education at the University of Michigan, where she directs the Contexts of Academic and Social Adjustment (CASA) Lab. Together with the CASA Lab, Dr. Rivas-Drake is exploring how schools, families, peers, and communities influence the development of ethnic and racial identity, and how such identities shape youths’ academic and psychological outcomes. Her most recent research examines the role of friendships in school and parent-adolescent relationships in shaping ethnic-racial identity and academic outcomes over time. Prior to joining the University of Michigan, Rivas-Drake was an assistant professor at Brown University and a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Research on Culture, Development, and Education at New York University.

Emarely Rosa-Davila

Assistant Professor of Social Work and Social-Community Psychology

Universidad del Este

rosae2@suagm.edu

Emarely Rosa-Dávila is a higher education instructor and administrator in the field of clinical social work for undergraduate and graduate programs. As a subject matter expert and practitioner in the field of social work and social-community psychology, she’s committed to research in the field of mental health public policy and sports psychology. Currently, she is the Community Engagement Office Coordinator in Universidad del Este (UNE). She is the chair of UNE’s service-learning program and is developing a community service and a voluntarism program. Additionally, she coordinated the Psychology and Public Policy Committee for the Puerto Rico Psychology Association (APPR). As a social worker, she has experience working on clinical–community setting with children, adolescents with severe mental health disorders and their families through the Wraparound best practice in a System of Care project in Puerto Rico, sponsored by Children Mental Health Services (CMHS). Currently, she is the Chair of the Ethics Commission of the Colegio de Profesionales de Trabajo Social de Puerto Rico.

Michael Soto

Associate Professor of English

Trinity University

msoto@trinity.edu

Michael Soto is associate professor of English at Trinity University, where he teaches courses on American literature and cultural history. He is the author of five books on American literature (including _Measuring the Harlem Renaissance: The U.S. Census, African American Identity, and Literary Form_, forthcoming from the University of Massachusetts Press). Soto also serves as chair of the San Antonio Education Partnership board of directors and as president of the Gemini Ink board of directors. He represented fourteen South Texas counties as a member of the State Board of Education.

Beth Talbert

Special Instructor

Oakland University

talbert@oakland.edu

Beth Talbert (M.A., Bowling Green State University) is a special instructor at Oakland University. She teaches Group Dynamics, Gender Communication, Leadership, Women in Leadership, Persuasion, Professional Communication and Interpersonal Conflict. She is especially interested in the ways women both inhabit and experience leadership. Beth also serves as the Chief Academic Adviser for the Communication Program. As a Trustee of the Rochester Community School’s Board of Education, she has twice served as board president. She also serves as a director on the Women Officials Network, an organization that serves elected women within the Oakland County area, and was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Greater Rochester Community Foundation. In 2013 Beth was invited to join a delegation of county leaders who traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. Beth is an adjunct faculty member for the Michigan Association of School Boards and is also a frequent presenter and trainer on campus and in the community.