espalding@naspa.org

Dr. Gigi Secuban serves as the vice president for inclusive excellence and belonging at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland. She brings more than 25 years of higher education experience, including inaugural vice president roles for inclusive excellence at Texas State University and Ohio University. Previously, Secuban held leadership positions at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, where she oversaw the renovation of the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, and at the University of Arkansas, where she served as senior associate director for the freshman engineering program, director of the multicultural center, director of student affairs and diversity services in the College of Education and Health Professions, as well as an assistant director of undergraduate admissions. Her work centers on advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB); promoting student success; and fostering campus environments where all individuals are valued, supported, and heard. She has led initiatives focused on cultural and resource centers, inclusive excellence planning, DEIB fundraising and branding, and campus climate assessment. Secuban earned her Doctor of Education in higher education administration, Master of Science in health science, and Bachelor of Arts in psychology—all from the University of Arkansas. A proud 32-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she is a charter member of the Phi Alpha Omega Chapter in Northwest Arkansas.

Dr. C. Spencer Platt is an associate professor of higher education administration at the University of South Carolina. He directs the Community College Leadership Alliance and previously led the university’s Center for Innovation in Higher Education. With more than 20 years of experience in student affairs, community engagement, diversity and equity, and academic affairs, Platt’s research focuses on access and excellence in education, particularly the experiences of underrepresented students, faculty, and staff at predominantly White institutions. He has secured over one million dollars in extramural funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. His publications include articles in numerous peer-reviewed journals and three books: Multiculturalism in Higher Education: Increasing Access and Improving Equity in the 21st Century (Information Age, 2020); Comprehensive Multicultural Education in the 21st Century: Increasing Access in the Age of Retrenchment (Information Age, 2019); and From Boyhood to Manhood: Deconstructing Black Masculinity Through a Lifespan Continuum (Peter Lang, 2015). Platt regularly presents at national and international conferences, including AERA, ASHE, the International Conference on Doctoral Education, and the International Colloquium on Black Males in Education. He earned a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS from the University of Dayton, and a BA from the University of South Carolina.

Darryl B. Holloman, PhD, serves as vice president for student affairs at Spelman College. He previously held leadership roles as associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Georgia State University and as assistant vice president for student life at Columbus State University. With more than 30 years of experience in higher education, Holloman’s career spans a broad portfolio encompassing student affairs administration, institutional governance, and faculty engagement. He has held faculty appointments at Rutgers University–Newark, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Columbus State University, and Georgia State University. Holloman is a published scholar with numerous articles and book chapters to his credit. His research explores how educational environments are shaped by cultural identity and difference. A frequent conference contributor, he has presented more than 80 research papers at national and international meetings, including those of NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Divisions F and J, the Association of College Unions International, NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, ACPA–College Student Educators International, and the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities.

Whitney Platzer O’Regan, Ed.D., serves as the senior director of prevention and safety initiatives, under the Health, Safety & Well-being team at NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Dr. O’Regan received her doctorate in educational leadership and policy from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University where her doctoral research focused on student sense of belonging and engagement through a public health lens. Dr. O’Regan has over twelve years of experience working to reduce high risk substance misuse on college campuses with functional area expertise in student affairs, policy, student conduct, crisis response, peer education, and health promotion.

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 35 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. 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, Title VI 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, as a Consultant for the association of Governing Boards, and as a Higher Education Advisor at Windermere Consulting.

Kristine Goodwin has worked in higher education administration for over thirty years—twenty as a senior executive (dean and vice president).  She has supervised hundreds of employees in more than fourteen departments (e.g. public safety and emergency management; personal counseling; health services; career education and professional development; residence life and housing; community standards; and Title IX). Kristine has significant experience adjudicating complaints and policy violations as well as mediating disputes between and among employees (e.g. administrators, staff, and faculty), students, parents, legal representatives, and community organizations.   Kristine recently earned a Juris Doctorate at the University of Massachusetts School of Law and holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Kristine also studied political science and public administration as an undergraduate and worked as a mayoral aide and campaign assistant for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.  Most recently Kristine co-taught a mediation and alternative dispute resolution workshop at the Stetson Legal Issues in Higher Education Conference. She has conducted independent legal research and has written two 40-page papers on ADR in education, health, and corporate settings.  She has completed 40-hours of mediation training in accordance with M.G.L. ch.233 § 23C with Mediation and Negotiation Services, Consulting and Training (MWI) in Boston, MA; the Intensive Negotiation Workshop at Harvard Law School’s Executive Program on Negotiation (PON); the Massachusetts Center for Legal Education (MCLE) Court Conciliation Training; and CPR Pathways Arbitration Training.  Kristine is currently advancing her practice in collaborative lawyering.

Amal leads a significant sector of the co-curricular experience at AUC. Through facilitating and guiding the activities conducted by more than 60 student organizations, she continuously works to provide an ecosystem that is nurturing to experiential learning. Her role is to advise and mentor student leaders of the AUC student government (Student Union, Student Senate and Student Court, Graduate Student Association), academic major associations and clubs, both directly and through a team of professional advisors with substantial experience in student activities and development.  Moreover, she facilitates and supports the articulation of student organizations' mandates and plans through events and activities via leading a capable events management team and sustaining the contribution of strategic partners.

Her support of the student journey at AUC starts as early as the new student orientation since she spearheads the Orientation Steering Committee, coordinating the execution of four orientation programs planned for new students (First Year, Graduate, International and Arabic Language Institute students). Amal has the prime responsibility of planning the First Year Experience Orientation for new under-graduate degree-seeking students by leading the First Year Experience Program. She and her team collaborate with the Academy of Liberal Arts to furnish new students with the tools that would help them navigate college life successfully via a well-planned year-long program with clear learning outcomes.

She also takes prime responsibility for the management of the health insurance plan for Egyptian students and oversees the process of issuing military letters to support AUC students' participation in international events to represent AUC.

Along her twenty-six years of experience in higher education; 15 at AUC and 11 at the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt, Amal's journey has been marked with strategizing, creating synergies and creative partnerships as well as problem-solving through collaboration with the goal of attaining high quality experience and services. She takes it as an objective to partake in achieving AUC's strategic objectives of civic engagement and student engagement both nationally and internationally.

Ms. Wadad Youssef El Housseini started her career as in higher education as Instructor of Social Sciences at Balamand University in Lebanon where she taught for a decade. In 2001, she joined the American University of Beirut as Director of Student Activities. In 2009, she joined Qatar University as Consultant to VP of student affairs where she resumed the responsibility of Acting Director of Student Activities till May 2012. Her role entitled her to get involved in various strategic initiatives to ensure the success of Qatar University students. She is the chair of the Student Affairs Professional Development committee at Qatar University.

Founding member and former vice president for the IASAS (International Association of Student Affairs and Services). Member of the MENASA-NASPA board for 2020-2023. Recipient of the Wisdom Award of the Commission of Women’s Identities – ACPA in 2021. Interested in Leadership of Higher Education and Student Affairs, assessment and women role in higher education.

Well known for having her finger on the pulse of the region, Wadad continues to be an engaged advocate of professional development, and student affairs leadership in the Middle East.

Dr. Ryan Travia has worked at the intersection of student affairs and college health for over 20 years. He is the inaugural associate vice president (AVP) for student success at Babson College, having previously served as Babson’s first associate dean of students for wellness. As AVP for student success, Travia provides leadership and strategic direction for a comprehensive portfolio that includes accessibility services; the campus assessment, response, and evaluation (CARE) team; counseling and psychological services; first-generation student success; health services; student advising and success; and wellness and prevention services. Prior to joining the Babson community in 2015, Travia spent a decade at Harvard University as the founding director of the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Services and founding director of the Department of Health Promotion and Education. He previously led the alcohol and drug education program at Dartmouth College.

Travia has written and presented extensively on framing and measuring well-being in a higher education context and is a frequent presenter and sought-after consultant. He currently serves on the International Advisory Board for Student Affairs at the Universidad de Monterrey. Travia holds a bachelor’s degree in human development and elementary education/moderate special needs and a master’s degree in educational administration, both from Boston College, as well as a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Thaddeus Mantaro serves as the dean of student health and wellness at Dallas College, where he leads efforts to enhance student well-being through integrated health services, counseling, and wellness programs. With over 25 years of experience in higher education, he has developed collaborative and holistic approaches to advancing student success. He has played a pivotal role in the integration of services at Dallas College, resulting in improvements in retention and mental health outcomes.

A counselor by training, Mantaro holds a PhD in higher education from Texas Tech University, where he studied well-being and leadership in higher education. He has led national and regional initiatives aimed at improving mental health, substance abuse prevention, and overall student wellness. An active member of several professional associations, including NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and the American College Health Association, Mantaro is the founder of the DFW Health Promotion Collaborative, the Community College Health Coalition, and the Basic Needs Task Force. His work is informed by a deep commitment to creating environments in which students, faculty, and staff can thrive.

Géraldine Dufour a leading expert on student mental health and university wellbeing, with over 20 years of transformative work in higher education. As Chair of the European Association for International Education's Student and Alumni Services Committee and former Head of Counselling at the University of Cambridge, she shapes policy and practice across the sector. An Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex, she has chaired multiple national committees and co-founded pioneering research groups in student mental health. Géraldine provides specialist consultancy and training to higher education institutions worldwide, helping them develop evidence-based approaches to student wellbeing. More information can be found on her website: https://www.geraldinedufour.com/

Kristy Robinson, M.S.W., SFHEA, UKCP Reg. is a mental health practitioner and higher education leader with over a decade of experience across the United States and the United Kingdom. Her work focuses on developing inclusive, trauma-informed student support services and advancing institutional approaches to student wellbeing. Currently Co-Head of Student Support and Residential Life/Student Support Development Lead at the University of Westminster, Kristyleads policy development and strategic enhancement of Student Support and Residential Life services. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she is also a Trustee of the University Mental Health Advisers Network (UMHAN). Her practice is grounded in cultural humility, social justice, and ethical leadership.

Paul was a first generation student who became a student affairs professional as a result of participation in events and student government. After working in various educational settings after graduation he started his higher education staff experience working with international students, and has subsequently held a number of management roles. He became Head of Student Advice and Safeguarding support at the University of the Arts, London in 2016. He became an Executive Committee member of AMOSSHE, The Student Services Organisation in July 2023.

Omneya Badr, an educator and student affairs professional, gained a culturally diverse experience studying, teaching, and working in Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, UK and the USA. Omneya is a longtime NASPA volunteer. She was the director of MENASA NASPA area 2022-2024, the 2021 and 2022 MENASA Conference chair, member of NASPA's International Symposium Committee and the International Education Knowledge Community (IEKC). She is a frequent presenter at NASPA conferences and her research interests are culturally based Academic Advising, supporting First-generation students, FYE, and cross-cultural communication. She holds an MBA from the University of Bath – UK, a Certificate of Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operation from the Academy of Arts, California - USA, and a BA in Management from the American University in Cairo - Egypt. She recently acquired a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida - USA. As an educator, Omneya enjoys giving back to the profession and is interested in creating professional development opportunities and encouraging Student Affairs Professionals to research and share knowledge among counterparts around the world.