Karen J. Solomon presently serves as the Higher Learning Commission’s Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer. In addition to serving as an institutional liaison, she has been leading HLC’s future-focused grant initiatives since 2016. She is co-leading the development of HLC’s new Credential Lab, an innovation hub designed to assist institutions and providers in navigating the complex and growing ecosystem of postsecondary short-term credentials.
Previously, Dr. Solomon was the founding Executive Director of Illinois Campus Compact and held leadership roles at ACT, Inc and higher education institutions. She holds an Ed.D. in Adult and Continuing Education from Northern Illinois University.
President Dr. Laura L. Douglas is Bristol Community College’s fourth president. She is dedicated to driving a college-going culture in the region. Through her leadership, Bristol Community College, with locations in southeastern Massachusetts including Attleboro, Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton and Online, continues to be a leading resource for higher education and workforce development. She is well-known throughout the community for her dedication to college access, Early College, continuing education, economic development and workforce preparedness.
Driven by her dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion, she has led the development of a strategic plan that weaves equity into all aspects of our mission, vision and values. During her tenure, the college has become a regional leader for social justice initiatives, a voice for underrepresented students and advocate of affordable and equitable access to quality higher education.
Under President Douglas’ leadership, Bristol Community College has taken the international stage. Her dedication to creating jobs in the community and being on the forefront of the United States’ emerging Offshore Wind industry demonstrates the community college’s value as an economic driver in New England and beyond.
President Douglas attended the University of Southern Maine and holds an undergraduate degree in Social Welfare. She holds a master’s degree in international administration from the School for International Training in Vermont and a master’s and Ph.D. in education from the University of Michigan’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education.
Dr. Linda C. Martin was appointed interim chancellor in July 2022.
Most recently (2021-22), Linda served as the Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) overseeing the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; Herbert College of Agriculture; AgResearch; and Extension. Prior to this since November of 2017, Martin served as the vice president for academic affairs and student success for the University of Tennessee System. Martin’s prestigious career includes 10 years at The Ohio State University serving as the Sanford G. Price and Isabelle P. Barbee Endowed Chair for Teaching, Advising and Learning, the associate dean and director for academic programs for the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the director of the second-year transformational experience program.
Previously, she was assistant dean for academic programs for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University (2002-2007), following 15 successful years in higher education as a faculty member, teaching and advising at Kansas State University, serving in the department of animal sciences and industry.
Martin earned a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University, a master’s degree from Virginia Tech and a doctorate from Colorado State University—all in animal science.
Martin currently lives in Knoxville with her husband, Ken, and their dog Jake. Linda and Ken have two children, Travis and Hannah.
Dr. Laura M. Gambino is a Vice President for the New England Commission of Higher Education, where her work focuses on helping institutions and the Commission use data and conduct assessment for institutional learning and improvement. She also oversees NECHE’s Information Technology and is project director for the Commission’s Non-Credit Quality Assurance work. Prior to joining NECHE in 2018, Gambino was Associate Dean for Assessment and Technology and Professor of Information Technology at Guttman Community College (CUNY) and a Visiting Scholar at the Community College Research Center (CCRC), Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Gambino, a leading ePortfolio and assessment practitioner and researcher, served as a Coach for the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). She is co-author of High-Impact ePortfolio Practice: A Catalyst for Student, Faculty, and Institutional Learning and co-edited Catalyst in Action: Case Studies of High-Impact ePortfolio Practice.
Dr. Anthony Abraham Jack is the inaugural faculty director of the Newbury Center and associate professor of higher education leadership at Boston University.
Dr. Jack’s research documents the overlooked diversity among lower-income undergraduates: the Doubly Disadvantaged—those who enter college from local, typically distressed public high schools—and the Privileged Poor, or those who do so from boarding, day, and preparatory high schools. His scholarship appears in the Common Reader, Du Bois Review, Social Problems, Sociological Forum, and Sociology of Education and has earned awards from the American Sociological Association, American Educational Studies Association, Association for the Study of Higher Education, Eastern Sociological Society, and the Society for the Study of Social Problems.
Dr. Jack held fellowships from the Ford Foundation and the National Science Foundation and was a 2015 National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellow. In 2016, the National Center for Institutional Diversity at the University of Michigan named him an Emerging Diversity Scholar. In 2020, Muhlenberg College awarded him an honorary doctorate for his work in transforming higher education.
The New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Atlantic, the New Yorker, Chronicle of Higher Education, Huffington Post, the Nation, American Conservative Magazine, National Review, the Washington Post, Vice, Vox, and NPR have featured his research and writing as well as biographical profiles of his experiences as a first-generation college student. The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students is his first book. His second book project, When Campus Closed: How Elite Colleges Are Still Failing Disadvantaged Students, is due out in 2024.
Caroline Laguerre-Brown is the Principal and CEO of Designing Equity, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in higher education. She offers comprehensive support to national associations, post-secondary institutions, and corporations, leveraging her seasoned expertise as a lawyer with deep knowledge in diversity, inclusion, and institutional compliance. Caroline's extensive experience includes leading the design and implementation of policies, educational programs, and risk management strategies for global organizations, focusing on a wide range of anti-discrimination laws. She has specialized expertise in sexual harassment policy, prevention, and compliance management. As an experienced facilitator and trainer, Caroline addresses various workplace discrimination and diversity issues, including unconscious bias and anti-racism training. She plays a key role in assisting senior leaders with strategic communications to manage crises and mitigate reputational damage.
Previously, Caroline was the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement at George Washington University (GW) in Washington, D.C. Her responsibilities encompassed overseeing departments that serve 26,000 students, including the Title IX/Sexual Assault Prevention office, the Multicultural Student Services Center, GW’s Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, and the Office of Disability Support Services. Joining GW in August 2016, she led a significant review and overhaul of the university’s sexual harassment/assault policy and spearheaded the university’s first comprehensive diversity program review.
Before her tenure at GW, Caroline was the Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer at Johns Hopkins University, where she introduced the university’s first sexual harassment prevention training initiative, implemented unconscious bias training for faculty search committees, initiated a Race in America speaker series, and co-developed a faculty diversity program.
Currently, Caroline is active on several boards and committees. She serves as the First Vice Chair for the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) and teaches at NADOHE’s Standards of Professional Practice Institute, preparing and coaching future chief diversity officers. Caroline is also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Union Theological Seminary, as a charter committee member of the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, and as an advisory board member for the George Washington University Online High School.
Amber Ovaska serves as the Associate Director of Admissions and Registration at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque, New Mexico. With nine years of experience in enrollment services within higher education, she has focused on admissions and registration in both private and public institutions. Currently, she holds the position of Vice President of Admissions for Rocky Mountain ACRAO and is a member of New Mexico ACRAO. Additionally, she is a member of the AACRAO State & Regional Relations Committee. Amber earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and will be graduating with her MBA from New Mexico Highlands University in December 2024.
Alex serves as Associate Registrar for Compliance at Marquette University, a position he has held for just over nine years. He is a self-confessed FERPA geek and also oversees enrollment reporting, policy interpretation and implementation, and is honored to work with Marquette’s military-connected population to utilize their federal and state education benefits.
Alex has been actively involved in his state association, WACRAO, since moving to Wisconsin from Florida in 2012. He has served on standing committees, as WACRAO Treasurer for two terms, and most recently completed the presidential cycle and now serves on the nominations and awards committee. In these roles, he has had numerous opportunities to collaborate with WACRAO’s neighboring association, the Upper Midwest ACRAO (UMACRAO) and is excited to share his experiences with AACRAO!
Dr. Cynthia Jackson Hammond, President of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), has been a member of the higher education community for over 30 years. Her professional career has included tenured and administrative positions in universities throughout various regions of the United States. She has held faculty and administrative positions at the University of Louisiana Monroe, California State University Dominguez Hills; Delaware State University; University of North Carolina Charlotte, Winston-Salem State University; and Coppin State University. Most recently, Dr. Jackson Hammond completed her tenure as president (Emerita) of Central State University in Ohio. She has appeared several times on Capitol Hill providing testimony regarding the status of 1890 Land-Grant institutions.
Dr. Jackson Hammond is a sought-after thought leader on accreditation, multicultural diversity, equity and inclusion. Her academic disciplines are Higher Education Administration and Curriculum. Dr. Jackson Hammond spent the majority of her career in administration serving as director of TRIO programs, academic dean, provost and president. Jackson Hammond has served on many national boards including Thurgood Marshall College Fund; NCAA Division II Presidents Council; American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; Fulbright Scholars Advisory and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Dr. Jackson Hammond was appointed in 2022 to President Joseph Biden’s Commission on Presidential Scholars.
Dr. Jackson Hammond is an ardent advocate for quality assurances and transparency in higher education and is committed to the advancement of college student success, equity and integrity in higher education.
Acclaimed for her powerful fusion of jazz, roots, and social commentary, Tucker uses her music as a platform for reflection and healing. With a growing audience of over a million followers, her evocative compositions and insightful social media presence uniquely connect with both jazz aficionados and new listeners. Her latest project blends original songs and innovative arrangements, showcasing her exceptional artistry and commitment to cultural equity.
Doug Lederman is co-founder of Inside Higher Ed. For 20 years he co-led the news organization's editorial operations, overseeing news content, opinion pieces, career advice, blogs and other features. Doug speaks widely about higher education, including on C-Span and National Public Radio and at meetings and on campuses around the country, and his work has appeared in The New York Times and USA Today, among other publications. Doug was managing editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education from 1999 to 2003. Before that, Doug had worked at The Chronicle since 1986 in a variety of roles, first as an athletics reporter and editor. He has won three National Awards for Education Reporting from the Education Writers Association, including one in 2009 for a series of Inside Higher Ed articles he co-wrote on college rankings. He began his career as a news clerk at The New York Times. He grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and graduated in 1984 from Princeton University. Doug lives with his wife, Kate Scharff, in Bethesda, Md.
Yá’át’ééh! (Navajo Greeting)My name is Winifred Bessie Jumbo and I come from a small community called Two Grey Hills, NM, well known for their Navajo rugs and textiles. My mother is Naakaii Dine’é (Wondering People Clan), my father was Ta’neeszahnii (Tangle People Clan), my material grandfather was Hashtł’ishnii (Mud People Clan), and my paternal grandfather was Táchii’nii (Red Running Into Water People Clan). I began my higher education career at Diné College in 2011. I have grown professionally and personally over 11 years within our institution. I value our purpose as Diné College and enjoy working with our communities, more importantly with our Navajo families. I’m passionate about making sure all students succeed in their higher educational journey, specifically our first-generation college students.I serve as the Director of External Campuses of Diné College. I’m excited for the new opportunity and I hope you join me in creating and developing innovative approaches to expanding and stabilizing our campuses, centers, and microsites to serve our students and communities. I appreciate our institution and its investment in growing our own to advance our professions and experiences. My previous roles at Diné College include Dual Credit Program Director, Recruiter, and Executive Assistant to the Office of the President. I am currently a graduate student at Baylor University pursuing a doctorate in Learning and Organizational Change. I’m an alumna of Northern Arizona University (M.Ed. in Educational Leadership) and Brown University (B.A. in Anthropology and Ethnic Studies). Ahéhee’ t’áá ánółtso! (Thank you)
Elijah Hopkins is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate from the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota. He lives with his wife Samantha in Poplar, Montana on the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Reservation where he raises his eight-year-old daughter, six-year-old son, and four-year-old daughter. For the past ten years, Elijah has worked at Fort Peck Community College as the Vice President for Student Services. His passions include the cultural arts of the Nakoda/Dakota people. Elijah is also a part-time Dakota Language instructor at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus.
After receiving an AA in Business Administration from Fort Peck Community College, Elijah transferred to the University of Montana-Northern where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He later received an MBA from the University of Mary, ND. Elijah is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Montana for Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education.
Tyler Guenette, Ed.D., worked at the University of Michigan-Dearborn for more than eight years supporting the 100 percent-commuter population through his work in the areas of student success, student life, and student basic needs support. After finishing his doctoral work at Johns Hopkins University, he started a new role as Chief of Staff with the Michigan College Access Network, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to facilitating systems-level change to increase college attainment rates for Michiganders, particularly for low-income students, first-generation college students, and students of color.
Factors Affecting Transfer Commuter Student Persistence: A Literature Review
Transfer Commuter Student Sense of Connectedness and Perceived Support Networks: A Case Study
Barry Pollack is a former federal prosecutor and has practiced law since 1992, primarily in New York and Boston, and at his firm, Pollack Solomon Duffy LLP since 2013. He received a master’s in public health degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in August 2024, and is enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the University of Kentucky in studies in higher education, with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Inclusive Opportunities in Medical School Admissions Can Benefit Medically Underserved Areas