Peter Lake is a professor of law, Charles A. Dana Chair, and the Director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law. He has spent 30 years in the classroom teaching law students and served as Stetson’s interim director of Title IX compliance in 2015. He is an internationally-recognized expert on higher education law and policy. He has been quoted or referred to in hundreds of newspapers and court opinions throughout the United States, including the Supreme Courts of California and Massachusetts in 2018. Professor Lake, an award-winning academic, has authored numerous law review articles, books, and other publications. Professor Lake is a highly sought-after speaker, and he has served as a presenter or keynote speaker at several hundred international, national, regional, and local meetings. He has trained thousands of campus personnel on student safety and other issues, including student mental health, alcohol and drug abuse, Title IX and sex discrimination, and First Amendment issues. Professor Lake is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School and serves as a Senior Higher Education Consulting Attorney at the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC.

Dr. Jennifer R. Hammat joined Florida Gulf Coast University in 2023 as the Associate Vice President for Student Engagement, Student Success & Enrollment Management. Prior to FGCU, she served as the Dean of Students at the University of Southern Indiana and at George Mason University as the University Title IX Coordinator. She served in a variety of roles at The University of Texas at Austin, as the Associate Vice President for University Compliance Services, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Title IX Coordinator, and Clery Act Coordinator. Dr. Hammat has facilitated the implementation of Title IX requirements and best practices for the past 9 years. Before her Title IX work, she worked for sixteen years in Student Affairs with Student Conduct, Student Media, Greek Life, Residence Life, Contract Management, Policy Implementation, Strategic Planning, Enterprise Risk Management, Minors on Campus, and Student Government practices. 

Dr. Hammat earned her B.A. in Organizational Communication from Murray State University, and her M. Ed. and Ed. D. in Higher Education Administration, both from Texas Tech University. 

Jacob Sapp is an attorney who focuses on civil rights compliance within higher education settings. As a former institutional compliance officer and Title IX administrator, he helps his clients navigate complex situations while ensuring all processes and procedures meet legal and regulatory standards.

Specifically, Jacob has experience managing Title IX processes, including report intake, the implementation of supportive measures, and formal complaint gatekeeping, as well as preparing notices of allegations and managing informal resolutions, sanctioning, and recordkeeping. He’s also served in the role of decision-maker for various clients and is able to provide interim Title IX coordination. Jacob has drafted and updated non-discrimination policies for Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and ADA/504 on behalf of colleges and universities and serves as a civil rights investigator, conducting interviews and authoring investigative reports.

Serving as counsel to a variety of clients within higher education, Jacob leads training events for students and employees on topics such as VAWA, hazing, and bystander intervention, as well as advises college leadership personnel on institutional compliance, risk management, and other evolving legal topics.

Jacob is an experienced presenter, creating and delivering civil rights training presentations for various national associations and institutions of higher education.

Dr. Jill Dunlap is the director for research and practice at NASPA, based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining NASPA, Jill worked closely with college student survivors of sexual violence for more than 14 years at three different campuses. In 2014, Jill served as a non-federal negotiator representing four years of public institutions on the VAWA negotiated rulemaking committee. Jill has her Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Northern Illinois University, where her dissertation work focused on the experiences of students impacted by sexual violence on campus.

Peter Lake is a professor of law, Charles A. Dana Chair, and the Director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law. He has spent 30 years in the classroom teaching law students and served as Stetson’s interim director of Title IX compliance in 2015. He is an internationally-recognized expert on higher education law and policy. He has been quoted or referred to in hundreds of newspapers and court opinions throughout the United States, including the Supreme Courts of California and Massachusetts in 2018. Professor Lake, an award-winning academic, has authored numerous law review articles, books, and other publications. Professor Lake is a highly sought-after speaker, and he has served as a presenter or keynote speaker at several hundred international, national, regional, and local meetings. He has trained thousands of campus personnel on student safety and other issues, including student mental health, alcohol and drug abuse, Title IX and sex discrimination, and First Amendment issues. Professor Lake is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School and serves as a Senior Higher Education Consulting Attorney at the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC.

Dr. Jennifer R. Hammat joined Florida Gulf Coast University in 2023 as the Associate Vice President for Student Engagement, Student Success & Enrollment Management. Prior to FGCU, she served as the Dean of Students at the University of Southern Indiana and at George Mason University as the University Title IX Coordinator. She served in a variety of roles at The University of Texas at Austin, as the Associate Vice President for University Compliance Services, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Title IX Coordinator, and Clery Act Coordinator. Dr. Hammat has facilitated the implementation of Title IX requirements and best practices for the past 9 years. Before her Title IX work, she worked for sixteen years in Student Affairs with Student Conduct, Student Media, Greek Life, Residence Life, Contract Management, Policy Implementation, Strategic Planning, Enterprise Risk Management, Minors on Campus, and Student Government practices. 

Dr. Hammat earned her B.A. in Organizational Communication from Murray State University, and her M. Ed. and Ed. D. in Higher Education Administration, both from Texas Tech University. 

Jacob Sapp is an attorney who focuses on civil rights compliance within higher education settings. As a former institutional compliance officer and Title IX administrator, he helps his clients navigate complex situations while ensuring all processes and procedures meet legal and regulatory standards.

Specifically, Jacob has experience managing Title IX processes, including report intake, the implementation of supportive measures, and formal complaint gatekeeping, as well as preparing notices of allegations and managing informal resolutions, sanctioning, and recordkeeping. He’s also served in the role of decision-maker for various clients and is able to provide interim Title IX coordination. Jacob has drafted and updated non-discrimination policies for Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and ADA/504 on behalf of colleges and universities and serves as a civil rights investigator, conducting interviews and authoring investigative reports.

Serving as counsel to a variety of clients within higher education, Jacob leads training events for students and employees on topics such as VAWA, hazing, and bystander intervention, as well as advises college leadership personnel on institutional compliance, risk management, and other evolving legal topics.

Jacob is an experienced presenter, creating and delivering civil rights training presentations for various national associations and institutions of higher education.

Dr. Jill Dunlap is the director for research and practice at NASPA, based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining NASPA, Jill worked closely with college student survivors of sexual violence for more than 14 years at three different campuses. In 2014, Jill served as a non-federal negotiator representing four years of public institutions on the VAWA negotiated rulemaking committee. Jill has her Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Northern Illinois University, where her dissertation work focused on the experiences of students impacted by sexual violence on campus.

Joshua Braaten attended West Virginia University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management – envisioning a career in the business sector of scholastic or collegiate sport. After graduating from WVU, Joshua began a profession in academia – but as an Academic Advisor at American Public University System where he developed a great passion for student services/coaching within higher education. He has now spent a decade working in a student services role at the collegiate level. Most recently, Joshua has been promoted to Senior Success Coach within the Success Coaching Unit at George Mason University.

Rebecca Mattern is a 2x Patriot, earning both her Bachelor’s degree in Integrative Studies and her Master’s degree in Counseling and Development from George Mason University. During her graduate program, she worked as a Graduate Assistant and Academic Coach with Learning Services and as the Graduate Career Counseling Intern with Career Services. Rebecca joined the Student Success Coaching team at George Mason in Summer 2022.

Sam Hediger is a PhD student at the George Mason Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, working to better understand conflict systems and peacebuilding’s power to address them. While attaining his master’s degree in Conflict Resolution at Portland State University, he worked for three years as a Graduate Peer Mentor, supporting both students and faculty in their renowned University Studies undergraduate program. Sam is also a Student Success Coach at George Mason University.

Flannery Wickham has been an ADVANCE student Success Coach working with matriculated students from Northern Virginia community college since the Summer of 2022. Before joining George Mason University, Flannery worked as a College Life Coach at her alma mater, Florida State University. Flannery moved to the NOVA region to attend graduate school at George Mason and just recently graduated with her Masters in Higher Education and Student Development.

Peter Lake is a professor of law, Charles A. Dana Chair, and the Director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law. He has spent 30 years in the classroom teaching law students and served as Stetson’s interim director of Title IX compliance in 2015. He is an internationally-recognized expert on higher education law and policy. He has been quoted or referred to in hundreds of newspapers and court opinions throughout the United States, including the Supreme Courts of California and Massachusetts in 2018. Professor Lake, an award-winning academic, has authored numerous law review articles, books, and other publications. Professor Lake is a highly sought-after speaker, and he has served as a presenter or keynote speaker at several hundred international, national, regional, and local meetings. He has trained thousands of campus personnel on student safety and other issues, including student mental health, alcohol and drug abuse, Title IX and sex discrimination, and First Amendment issues. Professor Lake is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School and serves as a Senior Higher Education Consulting Attorney at the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC.

Dr. Jennifer R. Hammat joined Florida Gulf Coast University in 2023 as the Associate Vice President for Student Engagement, Student Success & Enrollment Management. Prior to FGCU, she served as the Dean of Students at the University of Southern Indiana and at George Mason University as the University Title IX Coordinator. She served in a variety of roles at The University of Texas at Austin, as the Associate Vice President for University Compliance Services, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Title IX Coordinator, and Clery Act Coordinator. Dr. Hammat has facilitated the implementation of Title IX requirements and best practices for the past 9 years. Before her Title IX work, she worked for sixteen years in Student Affairs with Student Conduct, Student Media, Greek Life, Residence Life, Contract Management, Policy Implementation, Strategic Planning, Enterprise Risk Management, Minors on Campus, and Student Government practices. 

Dr. Hammat earned her B.A. in Organizational Communication from Murray State University, and her M. Ed. and Ed. D. in Higher Education Administration, both from Texas Tech University. 

Jacob Sapp is an attorney who focuses on civil rights compliance within higher education settings. As a former institutional compliance officer and Title IX administrator, he helps his clients navigate complex situations while ensuring all processes and procedures meet legal and regulatory standards.

Specifically, Jacob has experience managing Title IX processes, including report intake, the implementation of supportive measures, and formal complaint gatekeeping, as well as preparing notices of allegations and managing informal resolutions, sanctioning, and recordkeeping. He’s also served in the role of decision-maker for various clients and is able to provide interim Title IX coordination. Jacob has drafted and updated non-discrimination policies for Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and ADA/504 on behalf of colleges and universities and serves as a civil rights investigator, conducting interviews and authoring investigative reports.

Serving as counsel to a variety of clients within higher education, Jacob leads training events for students and employees on topics such as VAWA, hazing, and bystander intervention, as well as advises college leadership personnel on institutional compliance, risk management, and other evolving legal topics.

Jacob is an experienced presenter, creating and delivering civil rights training presentations for various national associations and institutions of higher education.

Dr. Jill Dunlap is the director for research and practice at NASPA, based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining NASPA, Jill worked closely with college student survivors of sexual violence for more than 14 years at three different campuses. In 2014, Jill served as a non-federal negotiator representing four years of public institutions on the VAWA negotiated rulemaking committee. Jill has her Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Northern Illinois University, where her dissertation work focused on the experiences of students impacted by sexual violence on campus.

Bryant Jackson, Ed.D., serves as the Chief of Police at the University of South Dakota and as an adjunct graduate faculty member in the University of South Dakota educational leadership program. He graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Command Course cohort #4 and the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command. Before entering law enforcement, Dr. Jackson served in the US Marine Corps. He has completed an undergraduate degree in transportation and logistics management, a graduate degree in emergency and disaster management, and a Doctor of Education degree in adult and higher education leadership.

Cindi Albrightson, M. Ed. serves as the Title IX & Compliance Coordinator and Campus Safety Advisor for Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). She previously served as an Instructor and Interim Chair of the Department of Engineering Technology, teaching Safety and Environmental Regulations courses. Cindi serves on the Custer County Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Custer County Full Scale Emergency Response Team. She has experience with OSHA, PEOSH, EPA, and ADA. Cindi completed her undergraduate degree in Industrial Technology with a specialization in Industrial Supervision and her graduate degree in Education at SWOSU. 

Sonja Ardoin, Ph.D. is a learner, educator, facilitator, and author. Proud of her rural hometown of Vidrine, Louisiana; her working-class, Cajun roots; and her first-generation college student to Ph.D. journey, Sonja holds degrees from Louisiana State University, Florida State University, and North Carolina State University. She considers herself a scholar-practitioner of higher education; she served as an administrator for 10 years before shifting to the faculty in 2015. She currently serves as an associate professor of higher education and student affairs at Clemson University. Sonja studies social class identity, college access and success for rural and first-generation college students, student and women’s leadership, and career preparation and pathways in higher education and student affairs. Sonja has published six books, one monograph, and numerous book chapters and journal articles. She stays engaged in the broader field through ACPA, AFLV, ASHE, the Center for First-generation Student Success, NASPA, SACSA, and several journal editorial boards. She enjoys books, traveling, music, sports, laughing, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and pup. Learn more about Sonja's work here.

Eric R. Felix is the proud son of Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants. Born and raised in Anaheim, he is the product and beneficiary of public education from kindergarten to graduate school. A first-generation college student, he now gets to be a faculty member at San Diego State University teaching in Student Affairs and Community College Leadership programs. Using Critical Policy Analysis, he explores the ways policymakers craft higher education reform and how institutional leaders implement them. Particularly, Dr. Felix focuses on understanding how the implementation of lauded student success reforms may benefit, harm, or render invisible Latinx students and other racially minoritized groups in the community college context.

 Dr. Tammeil Y. Gilkerson is the Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District. Dr. Gilkerson is a leader in a number of statewide efforts to find solutions that address students’ basic needs, support undocumented and mixed-status students, and improve the quality and delivery of distance education in community college. She is passionate about building learner-centered institutions that reflect students' lived experiences, provide hope, and practice love. Core to this vision, she recognizes the need to nurture leadership and community-building at all institutional levels and has tried to create spaces where individuals can be supported and affirmed as they engage in the vulnerable act of learning and leading with authenticity, courage, and humility. Dr. Gilkerson sees herself simultaneously as a teacher and a student, consistently asking, what could be possible if we believe we can achieve liberation and social justice in our communities? And what will I risk to achieve it?

As a first-generation queer, Latinx, joto, they engage their scholarship through post-structuralist and transformative paradigms rooted in Xicana/Latina feminists epistemologies. Dr. González’s research agenda focuses on three strands; 1) examining the conditions, experiences, and outcomes for queer and/or trans communities; 2) Latinx Leadership and organizational change; and 3) racial equity policy implementation all within the community college context. Dr. González's foundational research has been published in many leading community college and higher education journals such as the Community College Journal of Research and Practice (CCJRP), the Journal of Research for Community Colleges (JARCC), the Journal for Student Affairs Research and Practice (JSARP), New Directions for Community Colleges (NDCC), and the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (IJQSE).

Prior to Dr. González's appointment at Fresno State, they were a postdoctoral scholar in the Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California (USC) Rossier School of Education. Dr. González informed the creation and development of the Change Leadership Toolkit (CLT) funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. González has over 10 years of Higher Education and Student Affairs experience having worked across institution types (private, state, R1, community colleges, HSIs, MSIs, PWIs) and functional areas (residence life, student development, student government, student life, student conduct, academic advising, retention based programs).

Dr. Chrissy Davis Jones currently serves as the vice president for Student Success and chief enrollment officer at Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) in Central Pennsylvania with nearly 25 years of experience at various post-secondary institutions, and with 18 of those years focused on developing, restructuring, and implementing student success-related programs. 

Since Chrissy arrived at HACC, she has quickly made an impact by securing a 2.3-million-dollar Title 3 SIP Grant to transform the first-year experience for greater student success. She also oversaw the selection of HACC becoming one of seven colleges selected to become an Achieving the Dream institution in 2022 - focusing on whole college transformation for student success and data literacy. Lastly, Dr. Davis Jones established and co-leads the College's strategic enrollment planning committee. Her focus on the implementation of a collegewide strategic enrollment plan with student access and success at the center led to an increase in HACC's fall-to-fall and fall-to-spring retention for the first time in 10 years. 

Dr. Davis Jones is considered a systems thinker; this coupled with her research and data-informed approach, has led to Chrissy being asked to serve as a consultant to higher education institutions in need of support to facilitate change.

Angela M. Campbell, Ph.D., LPC serves as the Assistant Vice President of Assessment, Planning and Strategy. She is responsible for planning, managing strategic initiatives, process improvements and quality assurance projects that improve Student Success and Enrollment Management (OSSEM) program performance. Angela works closely with OSSEM executives and collaborates across the college to establish objectives, develop and implement short-and-long term strategies, oversees Assessment for the Division, and supports a model for institutional capacity building in data literacy. She serves as the co-chair of strategic enrollment management and collaborates with other college leaders for Institutional Effectiveness.

Angela has worked at HACC Central Pennsylvania’s Community College for 20 years serving in various roles and most recently in her current position for the past three years. As Co-Chair of SEM, she assisted in the development and implementation of a plan that lead to an increase in our F2F and F2S retention at the college for the first time in 10 years. Angela was recently nominated for the Building a Culture of Assessment Award by SAAL - Student Affairs Assessment Leaders organization.

Angela earned her Ph.D. from Western Michigan University in Psychology, Applied Behavior Systems Analysis with an emphasis in Educational Systems.

Shelly Blanchette, M.S., LPC serves as the Director of Student Success Operations and Strategy at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College. She is responsible for monitoring enrollment metrics and honing leading indicators to better predict and track progression toward enrollment targets. Shelly leverages data-informed insights and collaborative partnerships for process improvements, to pilot programs, and identify strategic interventions leading to student success and sustainable enrollment health. 

Shelly earned her B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Connecticut and M.S. in Counseling from Shippensburg University. She has worked in higher education across various institution types for over 20 years both within student services and as an adjunct faculty member. Shelly credits her experience in overseeing the launching of student services at an expansion campus with readying her for the work she currently does.