I help design strategies, coordinate professional learning opportunities for staff and faculty, and provide coaching supports to our college and university partners to help them achieve equitable outcomes. I also serve as the point person for ILEA on Summit, Equity Institute, Equity Circles for Change, PDP and Newsletter.

I believe we have an obligation to create student-ready institutions to support today’s students. We need to shift our thinking and focus policies and practices with an equity lens for all students, especially Black, Latinx and low-income so that their path to completion is clearly defined and supported.

I spent 30 years working in HE across all sectors and areas such as advising, enrollment management, transfer student services and one stop services before coming to the PCC. I have been with the ILEA Initiative since the start, am a former CC student and a proud Bradley University alum.

I have been personally impacted by the disparities that existed for me as a Black, low-income, first-generation student who almost gave up during my undergraduate experience. Through the support of a few, I was able to persevere and complete but many of my peers did not which makes my work so critical.

After reflecting upon my own experience early on, I have been determined to help students be successful in their higher education pursuits. I completed my doctorate at Governors State University and began to put my research into practice to create change and move the needle on support for students and their college completion.