espalding@naspa.org

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.

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.

Ms. Diana Bryan brings over two decades of expertise in Housing and Facilities Management, with extensive experience spanning Barbados and the UK. As Head of Student Housing at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, she combines her leadership role with her work as a part-time tutor and lead subject matter expert in Facilities Management at the UWI Global Campus.

Ms. Bryan’s academic background includes a Master’s degree in Facility and Environment Management, and she actively contributes to campus safety and well-being through her service on the UWI Health & Safety Committee, the Institute of Gender Academic Board, and the Barbados Building Standards & Codes board. Passionate about promoting wellness and resilience, she is a certified CrossFit coach and founder of Simply Fitness Studio.

Kevin Snaggs is a hospitality and higher education student services professional with over 30 years of management experience.  A lifelong member of the UWI community, Kevin holds an EMBA from the UWI Arthur Lok Jack School of Business and a BSc in Hotel Management from the UWI, Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management. 

A national of Trinidad and Tobago, Kevin holds two positions at the St. Augustine Campus: Manager of the Office of Student Accommodation and the Residence Manager of the Arthur Lewis Hall of Residence, the largest hall on the campus.  Kevin also sits on the board Company: St. Augustine Campus Enterprise Company; a limited liability company created at the University of the West Indies for the Commercialization of St. Augustine campus assets.  When not at work; Kevin enjoys running and gym life. He also enjoys traveling along with planning international travel for family and friends.

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.

Dr. Melinda Karp, Phase Two’s founder and project lead, has extensive research and thought-partnership experience in the areas of college access, student support, and completion strategies. She is a nationally-known expert on community colleges and strategies to support low-income, first-generation, minoritized, and otherwise under-served students in and out of the classroom. Dr. Karp has authored or co-authored over 70 articles, book chapters, and working papers and 35 practitioner-focused blogs, op-eds, and practical toolkits. She served as panel chair for the Institute for Education Science’s What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide on Effective Advising for Postsecondary Students and a reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Postsecondary Success Recognition Program. She is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success and a coach for the NCII Rural Guided Pathways Project.  

Dr. Suzanne Lyons is a senior consultant with Phase Two Advisory, supporting their national research and practitioner learning networks related to college access, success, and holistic student support. In addition, she is an educator and systems-level social worker, with over 20 years of experience working in K-12, public and private colleges, and national non-profits, including work with The Posse Foundation, TRIO, and Promise programs. As a first-generation, low-income college graduate, Dr. Lyons has dedicated her career to focusing on policies, programs, and multi-sector partnerships across the K-20 pipeline that support college access and success. Among other publications, Dr. Lyons is co-author (with Dr. Karp) on a chapter in the Routledge Handbook on Higher Education, “Advising the whole student: Current approaches to integrating academic, career, and personal support.”  Prior to joining Phase Two, she led private and federal grants geared toward systems-level change to improve student outcomes in high schools and at Hispanic-serving community colleges. Dr. Lyons holds her Bachelor’s in Psychology & Spanish from the University of Notre Dame, her Master’s in Social Workfrom the University of Pennsylvania, and her Ph.D. in Higher & Postsecondary Education from NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

Eman Alsamara serves as a Graduate School and Career Advisor at NYU Abu Dhabi. In her role, she is responsible for supporting students and alumni from diverse backgrounds in career exploration and readiness and preparing for graduate school. Eman advises and supports students specializing in the social sciences and oversees career pathways in Law, Policy, Education & Social Impact. 

Eman is Arab American born and raised in Chicago in the US and is originally from Palestine. Eman has been working in higher education for a few years now in various capacities related to education, student programming, and student engagement. Prior to joining NYU Abu Dhabi, she served as the Assistant Director of Academic Advising in the Dean of Students Office at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago for three years where she oversaw academic advising and support programs, international student experience, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for graduate students.
Eman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health with minors in Political Science and Public Policy (2018) and a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Public Policy (2019) from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Eman has a passion for social justice and fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion in higher education.

Malak Elmoh is a Career Services Officer in the Office of External Relations at Georgetown University in Qatar. In her previous role as a Student Development Officer in the Office of Student Life, she played a key role in designing and implementing student programming, while also mentoring and advising student clubs, the Student Government Association (SGA), and the broader student community. A proud GU-Q alumna, Malak also holds a Master of Public Policy from Hamad bin Khalifa University. Her experience extends beyond academia, having worked on high-profile events like the Doha Forum and with Memac Ogilvy's Public Relations team, where she developed a robust network in Doha. In her current role, Malak focuses on supporting students and recent graduates through career coaching and graduate school advising as well as further departmental initiatives such as professional development workshops, employer events and career fairs.

Lamia Husseini is a part of the CTL team at the American University of Beirut. She has a BA political studies and an MA in educational administration and policy both from the American University of Beirut. The scope if her work is professional development and teaching excellence and innovation. She supports the work of designing and assessing policies and procedures of merit awards.

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.