Message from the President
Greetings Sisters!
It is with much excitement, joy, and pride that I extend greetings on behalf of the Virtual Chapter of the Association of Black Women In Higher Education (ABWHE). Officially installed as a chapter in October 2020, the Virtual Chapter is committed to furthering the goals of the organization through service to Black youth as well as support and professional development opportunities for Black women in the academy. Through programming and projects like Sister Check-Ins, Mentoring Youth, Professional Development Opportunities, and Partnership with other service organizations, we have curated an inclusive and safe space for Black women to share and authentically “BE” through a virtual community. Since its inception, ABWHE has served as a forum for developing strategies to improve the quality of education of Black people, with particular emphasis on encouraging Black youth to take full advantage of available educational opportunities. ABWHE is committed to aiding Black women in the academy in fulfilling their own aspirations as well as encouraging black youth to pursue their education. We invite you to join us in these points of pride as we connect and fellowship with sisters around the country through a virtual platform. We are excited about the expansion of these initiatives as we continue to lift as we climb. Black Sisters, we honor you, we support you, and we believe in you! You Belong Here! Welcome to ABWHE Virtual Chapter! In Sisterly Service, Chastity Gaither-DeVoe, PhD Virtual Chapter President |
|
|
|
President
Chastity Gaither-DeVoe, Ph.D.
University Innovation Alliance (UIA) Fellow
Office of the Provost, Undergraduate Education
Michigan State University
Dr. Chastity Gaither-DeVoe is the University Innovation Alliance Fellow for Michigan State University. A scholar-practitioner, she has over 17 years of experience in higher education inclusive of administrative and adjunct faculty roles. She has developed and implemented many student success programs and initiatives as well as conducted research on the ways in which marginalized student populations experience and define student success. Recently, Dr. Gaither worked at Michigan State, where she served as a qualitative researcher in the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. In this role, she led the design and implementation of large-scale qualitative research projects related to student success. Previously, Chastity worked at Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD), where she held multiple roles including Campus Dean and Associate Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance.
Chastity holds a PhD in Higher Adult & Lifelong Education from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in Higher Education from Drexel University, as well as an MBA in Management Information Systems with an Accounting Specialty and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Davenport University.
Chastity Gaither-DeVoe, Ph.D.
University Innovation Alliance (UIA) Fellow
Office of the Provost, Undergraduate Education
Michigan State University
Dr. Chastity Gaither-DeVoe is the University Innovation Alliance Fellow for Michigan State University. A scholar-practitioner, she has over 17 years of experience in higher education inclusive of administrative and adjunct faculty roles. She has developed and implemented many student success programs and initiatives as well as conducted research on the ways in which marginalized student populations experience and define student success. Recently, Dr. Gaither worked at Michigan State, where she served as a qualitative researcher in the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. In this role, she led the design and implementation of large-scale qualitative research projects related to student success. Previously, Chastity worked at Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD), where she held multiple roles including Campus Dean and Associate Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance.
Chastity holds a PhD in Higher Adult & Lifelong Education from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in Higher Education from Drexel University, as well as an MBA in Management Information Systems with an Accounting Specialty and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Davenport University.
Vice President.
Kimberly D. Johnson, Ed.D.
Senior Program Manager-Multicultural Student Affairs
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Dr. Kimberly D. Johnson currently serves as Senior Program Manager in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). In this role she leads Undergraduate Research and Graduate Preparation Initiatives helping to provide undergraduate students with the skills necessary to prepare them for Graduate School. Her research focuses on efforts to enhance the experiences of staff with an emphasis on leadership, mentoring, professional development, and understanding the lived experiences of Black women. Johnson seeks to ensure that women have a place at the table, their voices are heard, and their input is valued.
Credentials: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Master of Arts in Education, Educational Specialist Degree, and a Doctorate in Education with an emphasis on Higher Education Administration all from UMKC.
Kimberly D. Johnson, Ed.D.
Senior Program Manager-Multicultural Student Affairs
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Dr. Kimberly D. Johnson currently serves as Senior Program Manager in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). In this role she leads Undergraduate Research and Graduate Preparation Initiatives helping to provide undergraduate students with the skills necessary to prepare them for Graduate School. Her research focuses on efforts to enhance the experiences of staff with an emphasis on leadership, mentoring, professional development, and understanding the lived experiences of Black women. Johnson seeks to ensure that women have a place at the table, their voices are heard, and their input is valued.
Credentials: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Master of Arts in Education, Educational Specialist Degree, and a Doctorate in Education with an emphasis on Higher Education Administration all from UMKC.
Secretary
Lisa Brockenbrough Sanon-Jules, Ed.D.
Senior Director & Assistant Dean of Advising and Academic Services
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Dr. Lisa Brockenbrough Sanon-Jules is the Secretary for the ABWHE Virtual Chapter. She serves as Senior Director of Academic Services at the Rutgers University Honors College. Dr. Sanon-Jules has over 25 years of experience in higher education and her research interests lie in the areas of high achieving first generation college students from underrepresented backgrounds. Lisa serves as an instructor for courses in community engagement, leadership and women studies. She is the author of The Effects of Parental Level of Education: Social Capital among African American College Students and has published articles for the National Association of Academic Advising. She recently published an article with two ABWHE sisters for The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching.
Lisa Brockenbrough Sanon-Jules, Ed.D.
Senior Director & Assistant Dean of Advising and Academic Services
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Dr. Lisa Brockenbrough Sanon-Jules is the Secretary for the ABWHE Virtual Chapter. She serves as Senior Director of Academic Services at the Rutgers University Honors College. Dr. Sanon-Jules has over 25 years of experience in higher education and her research interests lie in the areas of high achieving first generation college students from underrepresented backgrounds. Lisa serves as an instructor for courses in community engagement, leadership and women studies. She is the author of The Effects of Parental Level of Education: Social Capital among African American College Students and has published articles for the National Association of Academic Advising. She recently published an article with two ABWHE sisters for The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching.
Financial Secretary
Crystal J. Bryant, Ph.D.
Coordinator of Academic Planning & Accountability Division of Academic Affairs
Florida A & M University
Dr. Crystal J. Bryant is responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, and evaluating the effectiveness and quality of academic programs at the university through the use of program reviews and assisting academic programs with specialized accreditation. Before joining the Division of Academic Affairs, Dr. Bryant served as the graduate coordinator for the Division of Economic, Social and Administrative Pharmacy within the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health at FAMU.
Dr. Bryant is a graduate of the educational leadership doctoral program at FAMU. She earned a masters of education from the University of Florida in Student Personnel in Higher Education, and a master and bachelor of science in mathematics from Southern University and A&M College. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Association of Black Women in Higher Education, and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Sisters of Service Woman’s Club where she serves as Corresponding Secretary and Communications/Social Media Chair.
Crystal J. Bryant, Ph.D.
Coordinator of Academic Planning & Accountability Division of Academic Affairs
Florida A & M University
Dr. Crystal J. Bryant is responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, and evaluating the effectiveness and quality of academic programs at the university through the use of program reviews and assisting academic programs with specialized accreditation. Before joining the Division of Academic Affairs, Dr. Bryant served as the graduate coordinator for the Division of Economic, Social and Administrative Pharmacy within the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health at FAMU.
Dr. Bryant is a graduate of the educational leadership doctoral program at FAMU. She earned a masters of education from the University of Florida in Student Personnel in Higher Education, and a master and bachelor of science in mathematics from Southern University and A&M College. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Association of Black Women in Higher Education, and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Sisters of Service Woman’s Club where she serves as Corresponding Secretary and Communications/Social Media Chair.
Treasurer
Shannon K. Alford, Ed.D.
Advocacy Coordinator
Virginia Tech Women’s Center
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Dr. Shannon K. Alford (she, her, hers) currently serves as an Advocacy Coordinator at the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech University. In this role she provides advocacy services to students, faculty, and staff who have been impacted by gender-based violence including sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination, stalking, sexual violence, and domestic violence. In addition, she provides education about and accompaniment to law enforcement, court proceedings, and/or on-campus GBV conduct hearings with primary and secondary survivors.
Credentials: Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Methodist University and a Master of Science in Higher Education with a concentration in College Administration and Leadership from Kaplan University. She also completed her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in higher education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a research focus in Black women administrators and mentoring.
Social Media Manager
Morganna Payne, Ed.D.
Student Success Coach
Office of Academic Affairs
Albertus Magnus College
Dr. Morganna Payne currently serves as the Student Success Coach at Albertus Magnus College in the Office of Academic Affairs. In this role, she assists with registration and assessments and teaches a comprehensive Introduction to College Life course to motivate and engage new students. She serves as one of the two Close Advisement Advisors for over 40 students, oversees all students on academic review, and the primary source for students with personal, educational, and financial issues. Morganna also serves as the advisor for the newly formed Black Student Union. Previous to this position, Morganna served as Associate Registrar at Albertus Magnus College. She helped ensure the integrity, accuracy, and security of all academic records for current and former students, certification of veteran students. Morganna also assisted in articulating transfer credits, graduation, and certification of all degrees and enrollment.
Credentials: Morganna completed her doctorate in Education in Individual and Institutional Development at American International College. Her research was the perceived challenges of African American women in higher education and the strategies used to persist. She received her Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Fairfield University and a Bachelor of Arts degree and Psychology from Albertus Magnus College.
Morganna Payne, Ed.D.
Student Success Coach
Office of Academic Affairs
Albertus Magnus College
Dr. Morganna Payne currently serves as the Student Success Coach at Albertus Magnus College in the Office of Academic Affairs. In this role, she assists with registration and assessments and teaches a comprehensive Introduction to College Life course to motivate and engage new students. She serves as one of the two Close Advisement Advisors for over 40 students, oversees all students on academic review, and the primary source for students with personal, educational, and financial issues. Morganna also serves as the advisor for the newly formed Black Student Union. Previous to this position, Morganna served as Associate Registrar at Albertus Magnus College. She helped ensure the integrity, accuracy, and security of all academic records for current and former students, certification of veteran students. Morganna also assisted in articulating transfer credits, graduation, and certification of all degrees and enrollment.
Credentials: Morganna completed her doctorate in Education in Individual and Institutional Development at American International College. Her research was the perceived challenges of African American women in higher education and the strategies used to persist. She received her Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Fairfield University and a Bachelor of Arts degree and Psychology from Albertus Magnus College.
