November 2021

Lillian E. Agosto Maldonado has a bachelor’s degree in Information and Journalism from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, and a master’s degree in Puerto Rican and Caribbean studies from the Center for Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean in Old San Juan. She has worked as a journalist for the newspapers Primera Hora and Index of the Ferré Rangel Media Group (GFR Media). She has also written for local and international newspapers such as Diálogo, Univision Radio, Hispanic LA, ESPN, Spotlight on Poverty, EdSurge, Feet in 2 Worlds, Borderzine, Hip Latina, and Buena Vibra. Professor Agosto Maldonado has participated in journalism organizations such as the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) and has stood out in professional and academic conferences in Cuba, México, Canadá, Colombia, and Panamá. Website

Dr. Edna Aurelus is an associate professor at Wagner College and is also an alumna. Dr. Aurelus completed her doctorate in advanced nursing practice at Arizona State University and a post-doctorate degree in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Dr. Aurelus is dual-board certified from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Dr. Aurelus’ extensive experience in psychiatry includes the old St. Vincent Hospital now known as Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC), South Beach Psychiatric Center, Banner Behavioral Health Hospital and Perryville Prison, the only state female prison in Arizona. She is currently the lead professor for the psychiatric nursing course at Wagner College. She is the author of multiple peer-reviewed articles and has adopted the concept of psychological safety and empathy in her classroom to encourage students to participate in class discussion without any fear given how stressful and traumatic experiences can affect learning.

Professor Ballester-Panelli teaches at the Escuela de Comunicación Ferré Rangel at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in strategic communication, advertising, research, entrepreneurship, digital marketing, copywriting, creative advertising among others. She is also a consultant on digital marketing, advertising and market research and is a founding partner of Top Brains firm that specializes in these fields. She has a master’s degree in advertising from Michigan State University and doctoral candidate in education at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico. She is the director of Elemento 360, a student-run communication firm at the university and a collaborator and member of the panel of experts of the Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS) where she offers workshops to faculty from other universities members of the consortium. Her research interests include the topics of distance learning, active learning, social media, and the use of technologies for information, communication, and learning (TICAs). LinkedIn

An economist, linguist, and professor, Alba holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Puerto Rico, a Ph.D. from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico on language research, and doctoral studies in business administration from the University of Puerto Rico. She has experience in academia, government, and the private sector. For the past 18 years, she has researched economic policies regarding health, agriculture, the labor market, business, education reforms, gender, and economic development. Recently, she has focused on the study of pedagogical methodologies in economic education. Alba collaborates with the Education in Economics and Personal Finance Alliance, offering workshops to teachers from public and private schools. She is currently the President of the Puerto Rico Economist’s Association for a second term. Since 2012, she has worked as a professor in the department of business administration at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, where she teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in economics, statistics, business, research, market analysis, and forecasting, among others. In addition, she has participated in local and international conferences to present research papers and posters and is also a consultant on economic affairs and market research. Faculty page

Dr. Roland N. Bullard, Jr. is a higher education and student advocate who has served at Dillard University (New Orleans, LA) as vice president for student success since 2016. A native Floridian, he earned his B.A. in communication from Florida Atlantic University, an M.Ed. from the University of South Carolina in student personnel services, and a Ph.D. in higher education from Indiana University. He also completed graduate certifications in non-profit management and fundraising at Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis and Boston University respectively.

Prior to his appointment at Dillard, he held academic and student affairs appointments at Florida Atlantic University, Presbyterian College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Charleston Southern University and Saint Augustine’s University, where he was promoted to vice president for student development. In 2007, he was appointed a Harvard University Administrative Fellow managing special projects in the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

An active member of several professional organizations, Bullard is a past president for the South Carolina Housing Officers Association (SCHOA) and the Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA). He currently serves as chair of the SACSA Foundation- the fundraising arm of this association. He has also served on the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA,) Region III Board. Recently, he was named director of the SACSA/NASPA New Professionals Institute (Summer 2022.) Dr. Bullard is a member of the Council on Independent Colleges (CIC) Chief Academic Office-Chief Student Affairs Officer Taskforce and is currently the resource development chair for the Melton Foundation, an international nonprofit based in Timucua, Chile devoted to DEI and issues of the environment. Bullard also serves on regional accreditation review teams for the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools–Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

A community advocate, Dr. Bullard is an active member of the Children’s Youth and Planning Board (a New Orleans City Council appointment) and was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2018. He also volunteers for STEM-NOLA which exposes minority youth to STEM concepts. In 2019, he completed the Brian Bell Leadership Forum as offered by the Committee for a Better New Orleans. He was honored this past January to be named to their Board of Directors. This past fall he was also appointed to the Parents Council by the Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc and was recently named to the board of directors for the alumni association of his alma mater Florida Atlantic University. Throughout the year and as needed, Dr. Bullard serves as a higher education consultant, speaker, and panelist focusing on his areas of expertise in nonprofit management, student retention, and college student development.

Dr. Desgranges holds a Ph.D. in cultural analysis and theory (cultural studies) from Stony Brook University and a Master’s in Pan-African studies from the University of Louisville. She specializes in Haitian historiography, francophone Caribbean identity politics, postcolonial theory, and African diaspora women’s lives. As an educator, activist, and artist, she has taught in the United States, the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. Her current research examines the intersections of diaspora, gender, genre, history, and temporality, via a comparative analysis of cultural identity within the African Diaspora. LinkedIn

Dr. Donovan has more than 20 years’ experience across academic and corporate sectors which helps drive her research and teaching in industrial and organizational psychology and business. Her work in Fortune 500 organizations focused on leadership development, organization culture and employee development. This work has motivated and supported her research in diversity and inclusion, career development and organizational effectiveness in various industries from hospitality, financial services and education. In the classroom, this experience translates into activities and an applied perspective on how to connect students to the real dilemmas facing organizations. As a foundation in understanding and addressing current problems, she helps students understand human behavior, motivation, cognitive processes including decision making, biases, and attitudes which influence our behavior. LinkedIn

Renee Evans is on the Learning Innovation and Faculty Engagement team partnering with faculty members and other university stakeholders on major education initiatives, designing courses using student-centered, active learning pedagogies and innovative educational technologies. In her role, Renee does one-on-one and small group consultations with faculty, develop professional programs and facilitates workshops related to active learning methodologies. She also participates in strategic planning and evaluation of educational efforts. She holds a Master of Arts degree in instructional technology and media from Teachers College Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of the West Indies. LinkedIn

Dr. Finetti serves as the director of special education programs and oversees the Endorsement Program for Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification. Dr. Finetti teaches both face-to-face and online undergraduate and graduate courses in the Caulfield School of Education. His instruction focuses on instructional strategies, educational approaches, educational placement alternatives, adapting the learning environment, differentiating instruction, co-teaching arrangements, assistive technology and various performance assessment options for students with disabilities. His own research discusses the effectiveness of collaborative instruction and assistive technology for students with disabilities in inclusive settings. Faculty page

Dr. Garrels serves as the Chair for the Department of Health & Physical Education. He teaches courses in education, exercise science, and sports management. His current research interests include online learning & instruction, mindfulness, and cardio-respiratory endurance training. Faculty page

Sheila T. Gregory is full professor in the department of educational leadership/higher education at Clark Atlanta University. Dr. Gregory received her B.A. degree in communications/journalism from Oakland University, an M.P.A. degree in health care administration from Wayne State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2005, Sheila Gregory’s sixth co-authored book, Daring to Educate: The Legacy of the Early Spelman College Presidents, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Also in 2005, she received the prestigious national award of Teacher and Scholar of the Year. Dr. Gregory has received numerous other awards beginning with her dissertation award in 1995 from the Black Caucus of the American Association for Higher Education (AAHE). She is a past editor of the International Journal of Theory and Practice and is currently PI on the grant, “Identifying Strategies from Education-Related Activities to Provide Improved Access for LGBTQIAP Students of Color.” Her major research interests are faculty/student recruitment, achievement/retention, blended teaching/learning, professional and innovative higher education leadership, urban education, and development of women and girls, with special emphasis on race, ethnicity, class, and gender.

Mays Imad received her undergraduate training from the University of Michigan–Dearborn where she studied philosophy. She received her doctoral degree in cellular and clinical neurobiology from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. She then completed a National Institute of Health-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona in the department of neuroscience. She joined the department of life & physical sciences at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona as an adjunct faculty member in 2009 and later as a full-time faculty member in 2013. During her tenure at Pima, she founded Pima’s Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). Dr. Imad’s research focuses on stress, self-awareness, advocacy, and classroom community, and how these impact student learning and success. Through her teaching and research she seeks to provide her students with transformative opportunities that are grounded in the aesthetics of learning, truth-seeking, justice, and self-realization. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Imad works with faculty members across disciplines to promote inclusive, equitable, and contextual education–all rooted in the latest research on the neurobiology of learning. A nationally-recognized expert on trauma-informed teaching and learning, she passionately advocates for institutions to make mental health a top priority and to systematically support the education of the whole student. Faculty page

Dezette C. Johnson, Ph.D., an associate professor and director of field education in the School of Social Work at Johnson C. Smith University. Dr. Johnson received her undergraduate degree in social work from East Carolina University and a Master of Social Work from Norfolk State University. She earned her doctorate degree in social work from Norfolk State University. Her research area of interests include teen dating violence, trauma recovery, field education, program evaluation, and complementary alternative modalities. Dr. Johnson has been awarded various grants in gerontology, technology, field education, and domestic violence.

Dr. Johnson is a tenured associate professor of psychology, co-director of the Center for Teaching Learning and Academic Technology (CTLAT), and the NYU Faculty Resource Network (FRN) liaison officer. She is actively involved in faculty development at Dillard and is driven to actively involve faculty and preceptors in teaching settings to work systematically improving their skills in areas such as personal development, education, leadership and scholarly activities. She oversees the undergraduate research initiative which is strongly embedded across the campus and views it as a vital component of the undergraduate academic experience. Her areas of expertise and research include violence against women, men and youth, acculturation of immigrants, student retention, and faculty development. While at Dillard, she has served as assistant dean, director of academic testing, director of university counseling and director of the freshman program, among other roles. Dr. Johnson is a New Orleans native, educator and civic leader. She is a graduate of Texas Southern University and earned a doctorate in educational counseling and a master’s degree in clinical/community psychology. LinkedIn

Dr. Anthony Joseph is a Professor and co-chair of computer science at Pace University located in New York City. He conducts research in spectral and time frequency analyses, computational intelligence, innovation and entrepreneurship, and applied pedagogy. Some current applications include compression; prediction; computation; modeling and forecasting; statistical analysis and data analytics; assessment and evaluation; and cybersecurity.  

Beverly Kahn is the recipient of The Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome and Fulbright Scholarships for Italy and Japan. She served as a professor of political science at the University of South Carolina and The Ohio State University for 17 years before a career in academic administration. In her 28-year career as an administrator, Beverly has focused on curriculum and pedagogy, internationalization, faculty development, academic advisement, and student retention. Since stepping aside as Provost at Farmingale, Beverly has served as professor, special project coordinator, and grant writer. She has secured more than $13 million in major grants for the College, including Title III and SSS Trio grants from the U.S. Department of Education, a Smart Grid grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, an NSF S-STEM grant, and the US Department of Education’s First in the World FIPSE Grant that has created our RAM Program.

Audrey Wolfson Latourette, J.D., is a cum laude graduate of Temple University School of Law where she was an associate editor of the Temple Law Quarterly. Formerly associated with a large Philadelphia law firm, Latourette is a distinguished professor of law at Stockton University in New Jersey where she was named Faculty of the Year 2012-2013 from the School of Business by the Student Senate. She has given numerous presentations at regional, national and international conferences, garnering several Best Paper Awards, and has been invited to speak at colleges and universities throughout the country. Latourette’s publications include, among others, “Copyright Implications for Online Distance Education,” 32 The Journal of College and University Law 613-654 (2006); “Papish v. Board of Curators of University of Missouri,” in Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States (Macmillan Press, 2008); “Plagiarism: Legal and Ethical Implications for the University,” published by Notre Dame Law School and the National Association of College and University Attorneys as the lead article in 37 The Journal of College and University Law 1-91 (2010), “Legal Implications of Academic Advising,” Advising Administration (National Academic Advising Association, 2011); “Transfer Students: Legal Issues Regarding Policies,” invited submission, in Advising Transfer Students: Strategies for Today’s Realities and Tomorrow’s Challenges (Monograph Series, Number 24, 2012) published by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA); “Universities’ Compliance with Title IX OCR Directives: Do the New Sexual Harassment/Sexual Offense Policies Advance Social Justice?” (Spring 2016) Network: A Journal of Faculty Development published by the Faculty Resource Network of New York University; “Title IX Office of Civil Rights Directives: An Assault Against Due Process and First Amendment Rights,” 23 Journal of Law, Business & Ethics 1-19 (2017) and “Abortion and American Federalism” (coauthor Keith William Diener) in Federalism in America: An Encyclopedia (2018).

Dr. Lawler is the Jefferson Award in Community Service Professor of disability studies and information systems in the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems at Pace University in New York City. Professor Lawler is engaging students in diversity initiatives with self-empowered technologies with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities at non-profit organizations. Dr. Lawler is innovative in projects of social justice on self-directed entrepreneurial teams of undergraduate students that also integrate state-of-the-art technologies. Faculty page

Dr. Nicole Luongo is a professor of education and director of distance learning at Saint Peter’s University (SPU) in Jersey City, NJ. Currently, she is teaching a blend of online, hybrid, and face-to-face graduate and undergraduate education courses in the Caulfield School of Education. Additionally, she has served as an academic advisor for graduate students as well as a supervisor for student teachers. Dr. Luongo has authored several anthologies, including The New ELA Classroom: Teaching in a Digital World and The New World of Assessment: Teaching in a Digital World. Some of her recent peer-reviewed publications include: “Using Whiteboard Applications in the K-12 Mathematics Classroom”, “Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers Using the Teacher Educator Technology Competencies (TETCs)”, “Using Mobile Devices and Online Polling Software to Communicate in the Classroom”, “Empowering Faculty Using Distance Learning Mentoring Programs”, and “An Examination Of Distance Learning Faculty Satisfaction Levels And Self-perceived Barriers”. Dr. Luongo received a B.S. in elementary education from Bucknell University and a M.A.E. in administration and supervision from Seton Hall University. Most recently, she graduated from Nova Southeastern University with an Ed.D. in instructional technology and distance education. Faculty page

Dr. Rosalee Martin holds an M.S.W. and Ph.D. in sociology. She also has a license in social work. She has earned numerous teaching excellence awards during her forty-eight years at Huston-Tillotson University. Her courses include social work, restorative justice, conflict resolution, victimology, internship, minority group relations, and addictions. Dr. Martin has presented at many FRN symposia and participated in summer and winter seminars. Her research includes HIV—local, state and globally, racial relations, families, and mental health, among others. Currently, she is writing a book on Huston-Tillotson University. Dr. Martin is the author of many professional works, children’s books, pamphlets, and a health column in the Villager. She is also a published poet who hosts an online poetry group. Faculty page

Samantha is a first-generation college Magna Cum Laude graduate from Saint Peter’s University. During her undergrad years, she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in gender and sexuality studies and anthropology. Now she is currently attending graduate school at Montclair State University, pursuing a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in healthcare administration and policy. Aside from her academic life, Samantha is a full-time housing department case manager at the non-profit organization, United Way of Hudson County. Samantha is passionate about helping and educating others, especially those of minority groups that are too often neglected. Her long-term goal is to offer both equity and inclusion within her work and the projection of it to other communities.

Dr. Andrea Montgomery has worked at Tougaloo College since 2003 and currently serves as associate professor of music where she teaches courses in music history and music literature; methods courses in music education; research in music, and piano. Previously, she has served as chair for the music department and academic dean for the division of humanities. After receiving the bachelor’s and master’s of music education degrees from Jackson State College and Jackson State University, respectively, Dr. Montgomery earned a Ph.D. in music education with a minor in educational research from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Prior to completing the doctoral degree, Dr. Montgomery did further fellowship study in historical musicology at the University of Kansas (Lawrence) and worked as a research fellow in the department of historical musicology. In post-doctoral pursuit, she earned a M.S. degree in education administration and leadership from Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi. Her research interests and written papers describe learning styles of the millennial student in higher education; creating a 21st century liberal arts environment; methodology and pedagogue; critical and analytical thinking; civic engagement deliberation and action in the liberal arts; teaching and learning outcomes assessment.

Under Dr. Page’s leadership, the profile of Dillard University’s academic programs have increased. Recently, biology (ranked 9th) and film (ranked 13th) were named top programs among Study.com’s 2021 Top-Ranked Schools. Intelligent.com’s 2021 ranking for small business management degree programs placed Dillard at 29th, and Learn.org ranked Dillard 24th in communications bachelor’s degree programs in 2020. Dr. Page has also overseen several new academic initiatives, including a Center for RacialJustice, a nationally recognized pre-law program, a hybrid RN-to-BSN program, and a medicalphysics track within the physics degree. The university launched its first online program in2015, and today approximately 25% of full-time and part-time faculty members are QualityMatters certified. Recently, the College of Business gained Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accreditation under her leadership, and the university successfully completed its reaffirmation process. In just eight years under her leadership, the Division of Academic Affairs has secured $4.9M in external funding, and it has pending grants totaling $1 million. Dr. Page, who received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and business management from Dillard University and her Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in American and African American Literature from Louisiana State University (LSU), has been recognized with the Council of Independent Colleges Chief Academic Officer Award and as one of 25 outstanding women leaders in higher education by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Dr. Page has presented literary papers, published chapters in books, written several articles about African American literature and published two sourcebooks including Encyclopedia of African American Women Writers (named a New York Library Association Best of Reference) and Icons of African American Literature. Faculty page

Tinaz Pavri is the division chair for social science and humanities at Spelman College and founding director of the Asian Studies Program. She is a professor in the department of political science. Her B.A. and Ph.D. in political science is from St. Xavier’s College, Bombay and The Ohio State University, respectively. Dr. Pavri has taught a range of political science courses including comparative political systems, political theory, international politics and film, and the interdisciplinary introduction to Asian studies. Her research and publication interests lie in the area of security studies and conflict resolution, questions of national identity and globalization. Her geographic area of expertise is South Asia. She has successfully obtained grants from the Japan Foundation, U.S. Army War College, Associated Colleges of the South, and co-authored grants from the Southern Educational Foundation (SEF). She currently directs Spelman’s $1.2 million multi-year grant, the Career Pathways Initiative. Faculty page

Dr. Rosalie Richards, nationally recognized leader in undergraduate research, faculty development, inclusive excellence and cultural competence, STEM, and STEM education is the associate provost for faculty development and professor of chemistry and education at Stetson University.

Richards joined Stetson from an appointment as Kaolin Endowed Chair in Science and Georgia Eminent Scholar and professor of chemistry at Georgia College and State University. She is founding director of the Science Education Center which she developed into a robust grant-funded initiative that strengthened undergraduate and graduate education, faculty, staff, and community science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and STEM education programs. Prior to her appointment at Georgia College and State University, Richards served as scholar-teacher at the Model Institutions for Excellence at Spelman College.

In her position at Stetson, Richards leads the development of the Brown Center for Faculty Innovation and Excellence, while supervising the expansion of the Brown Teacher-Scholar Fellows and visiting master teacher-scholar programs. She plays a key role in achieving strategic university goals as Stetson enlarges the ranks of full-time faculty necessitated by the rapid growth of undergraduate enrollment. Her focus in recruitment includes diversity, inclusiveness, academic rigor and excellence with a key priority being the advancement of new faculty transition, development and support programming, as well as other initiatives that support Stetson teacher-scholars in achieving the university’s mission and vision.

Rachel Schwartz is an associate professor of sociology and coordinator of the Human Relations Program at St. Joseph’s College (SJCNY) in Patchogue, New York. After receiving her Ph.D. from Cornell University, she joined the faculty at SJCNY. Dr. Schwartz’s research has examined low-wage customer service work and consumer mis-information in the global food system. Her current research explores the particular challenges faced by women working in the corporate arena – from cubicles to the C-Suite. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family. Faculty page

A tenured associate professor of film and television at Clark Atlanta University, Dr. Alice E. Stephens teaches courses in film production, documentary film, screenwriting, and multimedia writing in the mass media arts department. She is an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker as well as academician whose collaborative academic research has been presented internationally in France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey. Her research interests are broad and currently focus on student centered pedagogy, project-based and active learning, and strategies for sustainability and recycling. She has been awarded fellowships with Dow Jones, UNCF/Mellon, Fulbright, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Her teaching awards include the Vulcan Teacher of Excellence Award and the Aldridge – McMillan Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching. As a global citizen she models to her students an appreciation for global diversity. She received her Ph.D. In psychology from Florida State University (FSU) and holds an M.F.A. from the FSU Film School.

David Surrey’s formal training in Anthropology and Sociology has allowed him to investigate a variety of related topics. These topics include Globalization, desegregation, ethnicity , housing, urban history, education, evolution, the Vietnam Era, indigenous cultures, migration/undocumented – all his research is now Participation Action Research where the “subjects” are part of the research team. While these issues may appear to be diverse, to him the unifying theme is stratification of societies and structural discrimination. Each topic, and he has a hard time separating them, is connected by social forces at a local, national and international level. Faculty page

Sayali Sunil Tandel is an international student from India and currently pursuing a master’s degree in computer science at Pace University in New York. She has experience working as a research assistant in undergrad under the guidance of Dr. Rajesh Kulkarni. Sayali presented a paper titled “Redesign of News Website for Better Navigation” with Dr. Kulkarni’s guidance. Data mining fascinates Sayali and she surveyed the various data mining techniques and presented a paper in 2019 titled “A Survey on Text Mining Techniques” at the 5th International Conference on Advanced Computing & Communication Systems (ICACCS) in Coimbatore, India. Apart from research, Sayali is interested in baking and has made a lot of cakes over time out of which the Choco Mocha Crunch recipe is their favorite.

Dr. Ebony Turner is an assistant professor of mathematics and coordinator of programs, evaluations, and grants at Dillard University. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and a Master of Science in applied mathematics from Xavier University of Louisiana. In 2006, she received her Ph.D. in urban higher education administration after successfully defending her dissertation entitled “An Analysis of Preparedness of College Seniors for the Workforce” for the Executive Ph.D. Program at Jackson State University. Dr. Turner has over 20 years of experience envisioning, planning, and executing strategic initiatives, totaling more than a million dollars annually. She was instrumental in preparing grant proposals worth over 22 million dollars primarily in the area of workforce development. Dr. Turner is certified in effective teaching practices with a concentration in career guidance and readiness issued by ACUE. Her areas of expertise include program management, workforce development, education and training, grants management, and evaluation. She currently serves as a grants reviewer for several agencies including the National Institute of Health, the Department of Labor, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Education. LinkedIn

Katrina Watterson, PhD, is an assistant professor of Spanish at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. She received two BA degrees in broadcast journalism and Spanish from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana., an MA in Spanish and a Ph.D. in education with an area of concentration in foreign language education from Louisiana State University, also in Baton Rouge. Her student-centered research interests include metacognitive teaching strategies which concentrate on kinesthetic teaching and reinforcement methodology and the African Diaspora with a concentration on Spanish-speaking regions in a quest to encourage an equity-based higher education curriculum. Her publications and presentations include “I’m Bad and Boujee: The Metacognition of the Nontraditional College Student” (2018), “Language In Action: It’s Not Just a Game” (2018), and “Global Kinships: A Beginner’s’ Community-Based Research Agenda” (2020). She is one of this year’s 2021-2022 CURE Fellows (Course-based Undergraduate Research) which allows her to redesign the Spanish 131 course to assist students with African Diaspora themed research. In 2018, Watterson began the Alpha Alpha Beta Chapter of the National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society at Johnson C. Smith, and as the Chapter faculty advisor, she directs the Annual Foreign Language Week celebration with an array of Diasporic highlights which are demonstrated by the student body. She currently serves as a member of the QEP Committee and the Faculty Senate. LinkedIn

Jesse Zarley is an assistant professor in the history department at St. Joseph’s College where he teaches classes on Latin American, Caribbean, and global history. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. His book manuscript in progress, tentatively titled “Mapuche Politics in the Age of Revolution: Treaty Making with Chile and Río de la Plata,” examines how Mapuche leaders who successfully resisted Spanish conquest on both sides of the Andes used ritual negotiations, letter writing, and alliance making to defend their sovereignty from Spain, Chile, and Río de la Plata (Argentina) during the transition from colony to nation. His research and writing has appeared in Ethnohistory, the Latin American Research Review, the Handbook of Latin American Studies, and Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Faculty page