Presenter Bios

Below is an alphabetical list (last name) of the bios for the presenters at the Anti-Racism Conference:

Noor Qomaria Agustina (she/her/hers), "English Language Learners and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy," "Creating a "Third Space" for KSU Transnational Students"
Noor Agustina is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction KSU. Her research interest is in the technology integration in effective language teaching among English Instructors at Language Centers of Universities in Indonesia.

Katie Anderson Knapp (she/her/hers), ""True to Me": Family History Contradicts School Curricula"
Dr. Knapp is an Associate Professor of Education at Kent State who specializes in teaching and learning regarding Social Studies and Early Childhood.

Dr. Shemariah J. Arki (she/they), "Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls"
Dr. Shemariah J. Arki currently serves as an assistant professor in the department of Africana Studies and as the director of the Center for Pan African Culture, both at Kent State University.

Lisa Bhungalia (she or they), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward"
Lisa Bhungalia is an Assistant Professor of Geography at Kent State specializing in race, violence, and empire with a regional focus on the Southwest Asian and North African region.

Rebecca Catto (she/her/hers), "Practical Tips for Equity-Minded Academic and Co-curricular Assessment of Student Learning"
Dr. Catto is an assistant professor in the Sociology Department at Kent State. Her research is qualitative in approach and focused upon science and religion. She has a fellowship with Kent State’s Center for Teaching and Learning Academic Year 2022 – 2023 in order to investigate ‘Equitable and Effective Assessment’, based upon her teaching experiences.

Charmaine Crawford (she/her/hers), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward"
Charmaine Crawford is an Associate Professor in Africana Studies at Kent State. As an anti-racist feminist scholar and activist, she has fought for the rights of women, People of African Descent and LGBTQ persons in North America and the Caribbean.

Haoting Cui (she/her/hers), "Creating a "Third Space" for KSU Transnational Students"
Haoting Cui is a PhD Candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at KSU. She holds a masters degree in TESOL. Her research interests lie in international student learning experience, international/multicultural communications.

Jef Davis (he/him/his), "Creating inclusive environments for international students"
Jef Davis, Ph.D. is Associate Director, International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) in the Office of Global Education at Kent State University. He oversees advising for international students and scholars regarding immigration issues and maintaining their status, as well as issues concerning acclimating to the USA.

Ambre Emory-Maier (she/her/hers), "The Rainbow Connection Illusions of Freedom"
Ms. Emory-Maier, MFA, MA, is a newly appointed Assistant Professor of Dance. She is BalletMet’s former Director of Education, Equity and Community Engagement and BalletMet2 Associate Director.

Claudia V. Garcia (she/her/hers), "Admission test scores: Implications on access and equity"
CV Garcia is a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education Administration program at Kent State University. CV is interested in improving marginalized students' access, graduation, and sense of belonging in higher education, especially in STEM fields.

Marie Gasper-Hulvat, PhD (she/her/hers), "Aligning Global Learning and DEI"
Dr. Gasper-Hulvat is an Associate Professor of Art History at the Stark Campus, where she has taught since 2013. Her research interests include early Stalinist art, visual culture, and exhibition practices as well as the pedagogy of art history.

Dr. Anna Grudskaya (she/her/hers), "The Saxophone of Today: Repertoire by Living Black Composers"
Dr. Anna Grudskaya, on faculty at The Music Settlement, Hartt Community Division, and Interlochen Arts Camp, holds degrees from The Hartt School (DMA), Mannes College (MM), and Santa Clara University (BM & BS). She has served as adjunct piano instructor at New York University and adjunct professor of piano pedagogy at The Hartt School.

Paul Haridakis (he/him/his), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward"
Paul Haridakis is a Professor and Director of Communication Studies at Kent State. His research interests include Freedom of Speech, Media Use and Effects, Politics, Identity, and Intergroup Communication.

Denise Harrison (she/her/hers), "Exhibit A and B: Reflecting Vision and Justice Aperture 223"
Denise A. Harrison is a professor of English, working in the Department of Africana Studies (AFS). Her quilt artwork acknowledges oppression and celebrates the joy of people of the African Diaspora.

Dr. Todd Hawley (he/him/his), "Anti-Racist Teaching - Are You Brave Enough?"
Dr. Todd Hawley, Ph.D., is a Professor of Social Studies Education and Coordinator of the social studies education program at Kent State University. His research focus is on transformative, rationale-based social studies teacher education

Shannon Helfinstine (she/her/hers), "Practical Tips for Equity-Minded Academic and Co-curricular Assessment of Student Learning"
Since 2020, Dr. Helfinstine is Kent State’s Associate Director of Assessment in the Office of Accreditation, Assessment and Learning with over 10 years of prior assessment and teaching experience. Currently, she supports faculty and staff with program level assessment and accreditation efforts, as well as coordinating several university-wide surveys.

Mary Hricko (she/her/hers), "Design Justice: Strategies to Shape Our Classrooms"
Mary Hricko is a Professor, Library and Media Services. She serves as a facilitator for the Anti-Racism in Academia (ARiA) program and is a member of Scholars for Social Justice.

Dr. Rhonda Hylton (she/her/hers), "Archeology of the Self:Centering Racial Literacy in Practice"
Dr. Rhonda Hylton has served in a variety of roles within education. Constantly self-reflecting and interrogating her positionality in the world, she is learning to navigate, negotiate and thrive in the academy using her experiences to create change for Black women. Dr. Hylton is an Assistant Professor of Literacy Education.

Amanda Johnson, PhD (she/her/hers), "Creating inclusive environments for international students"
Amanda Johnson is director of the Gerald H. Read Center for International and Intercultural Education. She has worked in universities in Ecuador and South Korea and developed international university partnerships at other institutions.

Elizabeth Kenyon (she/her/hers), "Experiences of Black Female Pre-service Teachers," "Archeology of the Self:Centering Racial Literacy in Practice"
Elizabeth Kenyon is a citizen, scholar, and mother. Her research interests include anti-racism education, education for democratic citizenship and global citizenship education. As an educator she explores teaching about citizenship with future teachers of young learners. She enjoys running, gardening, hiking, and her family.

Judson Kline, FAIA (he/him/his), "Designing Equity, Architect's Role in Equitable Communities"
Architect , President CIVITAD Services, Adjunct CAED , Miami U BArch, Architecture Assn, CWRU, Orange Council, Planning Design Review Board, Chair Racial Equity Diversity Inclusion, AIA Cleveland & Ohio President, Diversity Council, Center for Leadership

Felix Kumah-Abiwu (he/him/his), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward"
Felix Kumah-Abiwu is an Associate Professor in African Studies. His research includes the politics of development, African security issues, elections and democratization in Africa, foreign policy analysis, foreign aid, and social movements.

Yuko Kurahashi (she/her/hers), "Moving mountains: AAAPI voices, healing and resilience"
Dr. Kurahashi is a professor in the School of Theatre and Dance. In April 2021, Dr. K and colleagues led an Anti-Hatred rally on the Kent Campus. This evolved into the Employee Resource Group, AAAPIFASA for which she serves as an executive officer.

Yu Li (she/her/hers), "Creating a "Third Space" for KSU Transnational Students"
Yu Li is a Ph.D. Candidate in Cultural Foundations of Education at Kent State University. Her research interests are comparative/international education, multicultural education, globalization and education, China education, girl empowerment.

Miao Liu, "Creating inclusive environments for international students," "Creating a "Third Space" for KSU Transnational Students"
Miao Liu is a business manager for the College of Communication and Information, primarily focused on the School of Media and Journalism. Her experience at Kent State includes serving as International Program Advisor in the School of Communication Studies, auditor with the Office of Internal Audit and in Residence Services.  Miao holds a Masters in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

Davide Lombardo (he/him/his), "Framing race: notes on racisms and discriminations across the ocean"
Davide Lombardo is Lecturer at NYU Florence and faculty at KSU Florence. Holds a Ph.D from EUI. He was Visiting Fellow at the LWS and YCBA, Yale, and Mellon Fellow at the Huntington Library. His latest work is a coedited volume on Racism in Italy.

Babacar M'Baye (he/him/his), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward," "The Roots of Anti-Racism in African American Literature"
Babacar M’Baye teaches at Kent State University. His publications include Black Cosmopolitanism and Anticolonialism: Pivotal Moments; The Trickster Comes West: Pan-African Influence in Early Black Diasporan Narratives; and other works.

Jenny Marcinkiewicz, PhD (she/her/hers), "Practical Tips for Equity-Minded Academic and Co-curricular Assessment of Student Learning"
Dr. Marcinkiewicz is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and serves as the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. In her role, she provides support for faculty to learn about, implement, and engage in scholarship on teaching and learning practices that are student-centered, evidence-based, innovative, and inclusive.

Tabitha Messmore (she/her/hers), "Inclusive Entrepreneurship: LaunchNET's Black Women Bosses"
As the assistant director of LaunchNET Kent State, Tabitha works with a variety of partners to create programming that encourages the entrepreneurial mindset across a wide range of audiences, while supporting clients and managing student employees.

Gumiko Monobe, PhD (she/her/hers), "Creating inclusive environments for international students," "Creating a "Third Space" for KSU Transnational Students"
Gumiko Monobe is an associate Professor in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Studies at KSU. Research interests include: children and their families, and teachers from diverse backgrounds, especially immigrant-ELL populations

Aiyana Ncube (she/her/hers), "The Process of Creating Inclusive Spaces: Anti-Racism and Undergraduate Student Government"
Aiyana Ncube (eye-yahn-uh new-bay) serves as Undergraduate Student Government's Senator-at-Large for Diversity. She's a third year Human Development and Family Studies major, deeply passionate about addressing social inequities and educating others on topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

I. Richmond Nettey, PhD, "Creating inclusive environments for international students"
I. Richmond Nettey, tenured professor at the College of Aeronautics and Engineering. Served as the Associate Dean (March 2007-2016) at KSU. Currently serves as an airport management consultant for the Houston Airport System and FAA.

Peggy Nzomo, PhD (she/her/hers), "Creating inclusive environments for international students"
Peggy Nzomo is the Global Education Librarian at KSU- coordinates library and information services for international students and visiting scholars. Research interests: international librarianship, library services for multicultural populations.

E. Phelps, "Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls"
Assistant Professor of Sociology Pierce College, Tacoma, WA

Linda Piccirillo-Smith (she/her/hers), "Who really wants to talk about race?"
Linda Piccirillo-Smith is a FTNTT faculty member in the Department of Africana Studies. She teaches Black Experience II, courses on the Caribbean, on Latinx communities of African descent and courses in African diaspora and ethnic literatures.

Jasmine Price, M.Ed., (she/her/hers), "Using Anti-Racist Literature in Early Childhood Classrooms"
Jasmine is currently pursuing her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Early Childhood Education. Her research focuses around Anti Bias and Anti Racist practices with young children have guided her educational journey.

Alice Ragland, PhD, "Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls"
Assistant Professor of Race & Ethnic Studies, Columbus College of Art & Design

Robyn Robinson (she/her/hers), "Experiences of Black Female Pre-service Teachers"
Bio Robyn Robinson is a current member of Kent State's University McNair Scholars program. Robyn is currently doing her last semester of student teaching and will be graduating in the Fall of 2022 from KSU's college of EHHS (Education, Health, and Human Services), majoring in Early Childhood Education.

Dr. Perry Roth, (he/him/his), "The Saxophone of Today: Repertoire by Living Black Composers"
Dr. Perry Roth is on faculty at Kent State University's Hugh A. Glauser School of Music, The College of Wooster, The Hartt Community Division, and is the saxophone teaching artist for the Yale School of Music, Music in Schools Initiative.

Valerie Samuel (she/her/hers), "Practical Tips for Equity-Minded Academic and Co-curricular Assessment of Student Learning"
With more than 25 years in higher education, Valerie is the Division of Student Affair’s Associate Director of Assessment and Accreditation. In addition to a strong background of assessment, institutional research, and accreditation, her current duties in Student Affairs involve continuous quality improvement, strategic planning, and sustainability.

Tim Scarnecchia (he/him/his), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward"
Timothy Scarnecchia is professor of African history at Kent State. He has published books, articles and book chapters on the history of Harare, as well as nationalist politics and diplomacy in Zimbabwe.

Dr. Rekha Sharma (she/her/hers), "Using Film to Foster Dialogues about Diversity and Disparity"
Dr. Rekha Sharma has researched media representations of South Asian, Latinx, African, and immigrant groups. Some of her recent work was published in Films as Rhetorical Texts: Cultivating Discussion about Race, Racism, and Race Relations

Sarah Smiley (she/her/hers), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward"
Sarah Smiley is a Professor Geography at Kent State's Salem Campus. Her research interests include household water access, flooding impacts, segregation, and development in Sub-Saharan Africa, with fieldwork in Tanzania, Malawi, and Senegal.

Francisco L. Torres (he/him/his), "Archeology of the Self:Centering Racial Literacy in Practice"
Francisco L. Torres is a Puerto Rican Assistant Professor in the School of TLC at Kent. His research, teaching, and service is theoretically driven by revolutionary love, decoloniality, and the belief in the political wisdom of children and youth.

Bee Viton (she/they), "Creating a "Third Space" for KSU Transnational Students"
Bee Viton is a PhD student in the Curriculum and Instruction program at Kent State University. They also hold a master's degree in TESL where they developed their passion for antiracism work at the university level.

John-Michael Warner (he/they), "Depicting the Borderlands of Arizona (USA) and Sonora (MEX)"
Associate Professor of Art History, John-Michael Warner researches and teaches art and theory since 1940 at Kent State University. John-Michael’s interests include land use and representation as well as geopolitical and biopolitical borders.

Dr. Sonya Wisdom (she/her/hers), "Anti-Racist Teaching - Are You Brave Enough?"
Sonya Wisdom, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of science education in the Middle Childhood Education Program at Kent State University. Sonya's research interests include the curriculum decisions of teachers in science education.

Tewodros Workneh (he/him/his), "Reflecting on Disparities in Global Knowledge Production: Causes, Impacts, and the Way Forward"
Téwodros W. Workneh is Associate Professor the School of Communication Studies, Kent State University. His scholarship deals with the intersections of political economy, expressive rights, and political communication in Sub-Saharan Africa. His recent works examine state-media-society relations in Ethiopia.