National Advisory Board
Conference Leadership
Menah Pratt, Ph.D.
Conference Founder
Crasha Townsend, Ph.D.
Conference Director
2024 - 2025 National Advisory Board Members
Cristina Alcade, Ph.D.
Miami University
Briscoe Ronicka, Ph.D.
The University of Holy Cross
Janice Branch Hall, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech - Pamplin College of Business
Silvia Caraballo
Rochester Institute of Technology
Lateefah Collingwood, Ph.D.
University of Arizona
Karen Dace, Ph.D.
Indiana University -- Purdue University Indianapolis
Rosite Delgado, PhD
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Regina Dixon-Reeves, PhD
University of San Diego
Carol Henderson, Ph.D.
Emory University Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Shekila Melchoir, Ph.D.
George Mason University
Jamie Parson, J.D.
Appalachian State University
Mercedes Ramirez-Fernandez, Ph.D.
Rochester Institute of Technology
Javiette Samuel, Ph.D.
The University of Tennessee Knoxville
Danette Saylor, Ph.D.
Tulane University
Narketta Sparkman-Key, Ph.D.
James Madison University
Carol F. St. John, Ph.D.
Emory University
Carleen Vincent-Robinson, Ph.D.
Florida International University
Angelica W. Witcher , PhD, MBA
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine / Carilion Clinic
Anisa Zvonkovic , PhD
University of Georgia
2021 - 2022 National Planning Committee Members
Andrea Baldwin, PhD
Assistant Professor of Black Feminisms
College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Virginia Tech
Magdalena Barrera, PhD
Vice Provost for Faculty Success
San José State University
Rosite Delgado, PhD
Director, Office of Equity & Inclusion
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Regina Dixon-Reeves, PhD
Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
University of San Diego
Juliana Pacheco Duarte, PhD
Assistant Professor
Nuclear Engineering
Virginia Tech
Portrait of Camille Hall for Black History Month in the Office of Communications and Marketing Studio on February 02, 2021. Photo by Steven Bridges/University of Tennessee
Camille Hall, PhD
Professor and Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Janice Branch Hall, PhD
Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Pamplin College of Business
Virginia Tech
Tina Harris, PhD
Manship-Maynard Endowed Chair of Race, Media, & Cultural Literacy
Louisiana State University
Liza Hita, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychology
Arizona State University
Terri Jett, PhD
Faculty Director of the Hub for Black Affairs & Community Engagement
Butler University
Estrella Johnson, PhD
Assistant Dean for inclusion and Diversity
College of Science
Virginia Tech
Tonisha Lane, PhD
Assistant Professor of Higher Education
School of Education
Virginia Tech
Shernita Lee, PhD
Assistant Dean and Director of the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion
Graduate School
Virginia Tech
Carol Flowers St. John, EdD
Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
Emory University
Sandra Syndor, PhD
Associate Professor and Director Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Purdue University
Chris Taylor, PhD
Vice President & Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
University of Alabama Birmingham
Rhondda Thomas, PhD
Calhoun Lemon Professor of Literature
Clemson University
Karen Jackson Weaver, PhD
Associate Vice President of Global Inclusive Faculty Engagement & Innovation Advancement
New York University
Elizabeth Weeks, JD
Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs & Charles H. Kirbo Chair of Law
University of Georgia
Andrea Williams, PhD
Director, The Women’s Place
The Ohio State University
Delegate from
University of Chicago
JMU Center for Innovation
Delegate from
Oklahoma State University
Delegate from
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Rosite Delgado
Director, Office of Equity & Inclusion
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Regina Dixon-Reeves
Assistant Provost
University of Chicago
Mercedes Ramírez Fernández, Ed.D
Vice President for Equity & Inclusion
University of Rochester
Dawn X. Henderson
Co-Director of the CHEER Collaborative
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Liza Hita, Ph.D.
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychology
Arizona State University
Tambra O. Jackson
Professor, Urban Teacher Education
Indiana University School of Education
Terri Jett
Faculty Director of the Hub for Black Affairs & Community Engagement
Butler University
Angela Joyner
Special Advisor to the President for Partnerships
Radford University
Kathy Lu
Professor Materials Science & Engineering
Virginia Tech
Jody Thompson Marshall
Director of Graduate Studies
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Eugenia Millender
Associate Professor
Florida State University
Vernease Miller
Dean, Division of Applied Health Sciences
Pfeiffer University
Glenda Scales
Associate Dean for Global Engagement
Virginia Tech
Chris Taylor
Vice President & Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
University of Alabama Birmingham
Rhondda Thomas
Calhoun Lemon Professor of Literature
Clemson University
Karen Jackson Weaver
Associate Vice President of Global Inclusive Faculty Engagement & Innovation Advancement
New York University
Andrea Williams
Director, The Women’s Place
The Ohio State University
Conference Support
Jeneen Preston
Jeneen Preston
Conference Support
Eriana Davis-Ilhenacho
Conference Support
Erica Cooper
Erica Cooper
Conference Support
Jaida A. Smith
Conference Support
Portrait of Michele Deramo
Michele Deramo
Conference Support
Danny Robertson
Conference Support
Image of Stacey Wilkerson, Conference Support
Stacey Wilkerson
Conference Support
Alexandra Pirkle
Conference Support
