Speaker Biographies
Nicole N. Aljoe
Nicole N. Aljoe
Conference Co-Chair | Professor, English & Africana Studies; Faculty Affiliate, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program; Faculty Affiliate, NULab for Texts, Maps, and Networks; Dean’s Leadership Fellow, Public Engagement, Diversity, and Research, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Northeastern University
Co-Chair of the Women of Color in the Academy Conference
Professor Aljoe’s research focuses on 18th and early 19th Century Black Atlantic and Caribbean literature with a specialization on the slave narrative and early novels. In addition to teaching in these areas, she has published articles on these topics in American Literary History, The Journal of Early American Literature, and African American Review. In her monograph Creole Testimonies: Slave Narratives from the British West Indies, 1709-1836 (Palgrave 2012) and in the co-edited collections Journeys of the Slave Narrative in the Early Americas (UVA Press, 11/2014) and, most recently, A Literary History of the Early Anglophone Caribbean: Islands in the Stream (Palgrave/Springer, April 2018), she explores the myriad ways in which subaltern voices appear in the archives. Currently, she is at work on two new projects that extend this research in productive ways: the first examines representations of Caribbean Women of Color produced in Europe and England between 1780 and 1840. And the second explores relationships between narratives of black lives and the rise of the novel in Europe and the Americas in the 18th century.
Patricia Davis
Patricia Davis
Conference Co-Chair | Associate Professor, Communication Studies, College of Arts, Media and Design, Northeastern University
Patricia Davis (Ph.D. University of California, San Diego) is a critical/cultural studies scholar whose research and teaching lies at the nexus of rhetoric and media studies. She studies public memory, identity, race, gender, and representation. Her book, “Laying Claim: African American Cultural Memory and Southern Identity” (University of Alabama Press, 2016) won the Best Book Award from the American Studies Division of the National Communication Association in 2017, and from the Critical/Cultural Studies Division of the National Communication studies Association in 2018. Her essays have appeared in The Southern Communication Journal, Text and Performance Quarterly, Rhetoric Review, and The Journal of Intercultural and International Communication, as well as a number of edited collections. She is currently working on a book foregrounding the corporeality of black women’s bodies with respect to rhetorics of respectability. She has taught courses on public memory, media ethics, race and gender in the media and popular culture, and communication and diversity.
Mary Jo Ondrechen
Mary Jo Ondrechen
Conference Co-Chair | Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, College of Science, Northeastern University
Prof. Ondrechen’s research group specializes in theoretical and computational chemistry and computational biology. Areas of interest include: 1) Understanding the fundamental basis for enzyme catalysis; 2) Functional genomics – prediction of the functional roles of gene products (proteins); 3) Modeling of enzyme-substrate interactions; 4) Drug discovery; and 5) Bioinformatics.
Prof. Ondrechen’s group is developing methods to predict protein function from structure and is helping to design drugs to treat infections by “brain-eating” amoebas. Another current project deals with missense mutations and why they cause disease. She is also active in promoting STEM careers to students from underserved groups.
Janie Ward
Janie Ward
Professor Emerita, Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Simmons University
Janie Victoria Ward is Professor Emerita, Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts where she was Chair of the Departments of Education, and Africana Studies. She holds a Masters degree in Counseling and Consulting Psychology and a Doctorate in Human Development from Harvard Graduate School of Education. For over three decades, her professional work and research interests have focused on issues facing African American adolescent and young adults as they negotiate processes of identity, social and moral development. Her latest book, co-authored with Tracy Robinson-Wood, Sister Resisters: Mentoring Black Women on Campus was published by Harvard Education Press in spring 2022.
2025 Plenary Session Speakers
Our keynote speakers, panelists, and workshop leaders were carefully selected for their varied experience and expertise to reflect these themes. We look forward to hearing their perspectives. The goal is for participants to walk away with strategies and best practices that will set the stage for their individual action plans.
Lynn Perry Wooten
Lynn Perry Wooten
President, Simmons University
Dr. Wooten is the ninth president of Simmons University and the first African American tovlead the university. A seasoned academic and an expert on organizational developmentvand transformation, Lynn specializes in crisis leadership, diversity and inclusion, and positive leadership—organizational behavior that reveals and nurtures the highest level of human potential. Lynn is an innovative leader and prolific author and presenter whose research has informed her work in the classroom and as an administrator. Lynn has also maintained a robust clinical practice, providing leadership development, education, and training for a wide variety of companies and institutions, from the Kellogg Foundation to Harvard University’s Kennedy School to Google.
Moderator | Régine M. Jean-Charles
Moderator | Régine M. Jean-Charles
Dean’s Professor of Culture & Social Justice; Professor, Africana Studies and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies; Director, Africana Studies, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Northeastern University
Régine Michelle Jean-Charles is a Black feminist literary scholar and cultural critic who works at the intersection of race, gender, and justice. Her scholarship and teaching in Africana Studies include expertise on Black France, Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean literature, Black girlhood, Haiti, and the diaspora. She is the author of Conflict Bodies: The Politics of Rape Representation in the Francophone Imaginary (Ohio State University Press, 2014), The Trumpet of Conscience Today (Orbis Press, 2021), and Looking for Other Worlds: Black Feminism and Haitian Fiction (University of Virginia Press, 2022). She is currently working on two book projects–one explores representations of Haitian girlhood, and the other is a co-authored interdisciplinary study of sexual violence entitled The Rape Culture Syllabus. Dr. Jean-Charles is a regular contributor to media outlets like The Boston Globe, Ms. Magazine, WGBH, America Magazine, and Cognoscenti, where she has weighed in on topics including #metoo, higher education, and issues affecting the Haitian diaspora.
Kiana Pierre-Louis
Kiana Pierre-Louis
Associate Dean for Equity, Belonging & Student Affairs, Facilitator and Consultant for DEIB, Northeastern University
Kiana Pierre-Louis, Esq., is the Associate Dean for Belonging & Student Affairs at Northeastern University School of Law. Previously, she was a Senior Law Lecturer at Bentley University, where she taught business law and DEI courses, co-created the DEI major, and received multiple awards for teaching and leadership. A practicing attorney in civil litigation, corporate law, and criminal defense, Kiana is also Chair of the Sharon Select Board and President of the Sharon Racial Equity Alliance. She serves on the MAPC, MMA, and Boston Bar Association DEI committees and has been recognized for her excellence and advocacy.
Alexandra Piñeros-Shields
Alexandra Piñeros-Shields
Associate Professor, Practice of Racial Equity, Brandeis University
Dr. Alexandra Piñeros Shields is an Associate Professor and directs the Master of Public Policy Program at the Heller School, Brandeis University where she teaches courses on immigration policy, racial and economic justice, and participatory action research. Over her 35-year career, Dr. Piñeros Shields has worked with Black and immigrant communities to dismantle mass incarceration in the criminal legal system and the immigrant detention system. Prior to joining the Heller faculty, she directed ECCO, a community organizing interfaith network of 40 congregations working on racial and economic justice issues. Dr. Piñeros Shields serves as President of the Board of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center and on the Boards of the ACLU of Massachusetts and Philanthropy Massachusetts.
Kimberly Truong
Kimberly Truong
Chief Health Equity and Community Excellence Officer, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Kimberly A. Truong, PhD is the IHP Chief Health Equity and Community Excellence Officer. Dr. Truong is also an adjunct lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a faculty affiliate of the MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness. Prior to coming to the MGH Institute, Dr. Truong was the Director of Inclusion Programs at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In this role, Dr. Truong worked closely with Dr. John Silvanus Wilson, Senior Advisor and Strategist to the President at Harvard University, as a member of the senior leadership team on diversity, inclusion, and belonging to implement policies, programs, and practices across the university. Before joining the Harvard Chan School, Dr. Truong was an Administrative Fellow through the Harvard Office of the Assistant to the President.
Adrianna Boulin
Adrianna Boulin
Director of Racial Equity, Social Justice, and Community Engagement, Fenway Health; Part-Time Lecturer, Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University
Adrianna Boulin is a dedicated public health leader and social justice activist committed to equity, unity, and systemic change. She forges strategic partnerships, implements evidence-based programs, and transforms organizational culture to enhance community well-being. As Director of Racial Equity, Social Justice, and Community Engagement at Fenway Health, she drives initiatives to eliminate health inequities. Additionally, as President of Boston Pride for the People, she guides an annual LGBTQ+ pride event that celebrates diversity and empowerment. Adrianna also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern University, preparing future public health leaders to address race, ethnicity, and health challenges in the US.
Christie Chung
Christie Chung
Executive Director, Mills Institute; Professor, Psychology, Northeastern University
Christie Chung, Ph.D. is an award-winning academic leader, executive director, TEDx keynote speaker, and professor in cognitive psychology. Chung currently serves as the Executive Director of The Mills Institute and is dedicated to creating transformative programs, research, and partnerships that advance educational access, equity, and women’s leadership. She has served in many senior leadership roles and is committed to empowering leaders to reach their full potential. Chung has research expertise in cognitive aging, emotional memory, and cross-cultural cognition, and is an advocate of leadership, diversity, and AI advancement. Chung received her Honours B.Sc. in Psychology from University of Toronto, her M.A. and Ph.D. in Applied Cognitive Psychology from Claremont Graduate University, and her Postdoctoral training in Behavioral Neuroscience at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Dzidzor Azaglo
Dzidzor Azaglo
Performing Artist, Community Liaison, Community Partnerships Coordinator of the Reckonings Project, Northeastern University
Dzidzor (pronounced Jee-Joh) is a Ghanaian folklore performing artist led by her curiosity. Her unique approach blends call-and-response with a rich tapestry of sound, fusing poetry, storytelling, and auditory elements to create an immersive experience that grounds the audience in their own bodies.Dzidzor collaborates with Crystal Bi on public imagination, serves as Community Liaison at Reckonings Project, and studies Divinity at BU STH.
Hayley Haywood
Hayley Haywood
Chief Equity Officer & Principal Consultant, Elevating Access
Dr. Hayley Haywood is committed to helping women of color reclaim their power to redesign their work life to get closer to the soft life. She is the founder of Elevating Access, a capacity-building consultancy that helps educators and changemakers build equitable pathways to soul-filling work. Dr. Haywood has over 15 years of experience working with diverse organizations from NASA to Northeastern University. She has provided coaching and professional development to over 900 executives, educators and students drawing from her interdisciplinary background leadership development and equity-centered organizational design. Her work has been featured in Inside Higher Ed, Newsweek, and Worcester Business Journal, where she was named a 2024 top 40 Under 40 regional professional. Dr. Haywood’s services are informed by content expertise obtained through a master’s in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland College Park and a doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership through the University of Southern California where she studied the college-to-career transitions of first-generation professionals of color.
Katherine In-Young Lee
Katherine In-Young Lee
Founder, Higher Ed Coach, and Career Strategist, Rise with Clarity
Dr. Katherine In-Young Lee is a Higher Ed Coach & Career Strategist. She is the founder of Rise with Clarity, a coaching and consulting business for women of color faculty in higher education, and host of the Rise with Clarity Podcast. She received a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Harvard University in 2012 and served as Assistant and Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology at UC Davis (2012-17) and at UCLA (2017-23), respectively. Dr. Lee is ICF-certified as an Associate Certified Coach. Currently, she is also a full-time caregiver for her father, who is a bilateral thalamic stroke survivor.
Patricia Krueger-Henney
Patricia Krueger-Henney
Associate Professor, Urban Education Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Massachusetts - Boston
Patricia Krueger-Henney is an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston in the Urban Education Leadership and Policy Studies doctoral program. Patricia mindfully and principally builds critical spaces of mutual care, facilitates ethical collaborations, and engages in participatory collaborations with students and colleagues. Before entering academia, Patricia taught social sciences in high schools and organized with youth communities around issues of injustice. Her research commitments respond to the power and wisdom of young people and their communities.
Abigail C. Lindo
Abigail C. Lindo
Assistant Professor, Comparative Studies and African American & African Studies, The Ohio State University
Abigail C. Lindo is a Jamaican-born music researcher, creative, and social scientist. She is Assistant Professor of Global Black Popular Musics at The Ohio State University. She has academic interests and publications on Afrodiasporic and Lusophone intersectional sonic expression; Caribbean popular music and gender dynamics; sustainable musicking; and technology/media studies and vocal performance. She has presented nationally and internationally, supported by funding from the American Musicological Society, Society for Ethnomusicology, American Studies Association, and the Fulbright Commission. She is a former K-12 educator and classically trained mezzo-soprano and multi-instrumentalist who is actively incorporating performative approaches into her presentations and instruction.
Michael Ann DeVito
Michael Ann DeVito
Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Communication Studies, Khoury College of Computer Sciences and College of Arts, Media and Design, Northeastern University
Michael Ann DeVito (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Communication Studies at Northeastern University, where she directs the Sociotechnical Equity and Agency Lab. She is a qualitative, interpretivist researcher and designer who applies transfeminist and critical approaches to the study of how users and communities understand and adapt to the challenges of AI and machine learning-driven sociotechnical environments via folk theorization and communal sensemaking. Dr. DeVito is particularly interested in how marginalized communities leverage social technologies to address inequity, and how both our systems and the research process itself can be reformed to prevent epistemic injustice. Dr. DeVito holds a PhD in Media, Technology, and Society from Northwestern University.
Neha P. Gothe
Neha P. Gothe
Associate Professor, School of Clinical Rehab Sciences; Assistant Director of the PhD in Human Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University
Dr. Gothe is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences and Applied Psychology at Northeastern University. She also serves as the Assistant Dean for PhD Education in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Her research focuses on promoting physical activity, including non-traditional modes such as yoga, as a means to improve health, cognition and quality of life. She has published extensively in the field of yoga and cognition and has been invited to presented at national and international conferences. At the Center for Brain and Cognitive Health at NEU, Dr. Gothe mentors graduate and undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in yoga, exercise, neurocognition and health research. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health where she also serves as a grant reviewer on various study sections.
Jacqueline Rodriguez
Jacqueline Rodriguez
School Psychologist, Boston Public Schools
Biography of Jacqueline Rodriguez Jacqueline Rodriguez is a distinguished bilingual school psychologist with over 24 years of dedicated experience in the field of education and mental health. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Jacqueline’s Puerto Rican heritage has profoundly influenced her professional journey and commitment to serving diverse communities. Her dissertation, titled “Understanding the Experiences of Latina/o Professors in New England,” reflects her commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices in academia. Through her research, she has shed light on the unique challenges and triumphs faced by Latina/o educators. Jacqueline holds an M.S from Springfield College, C.A.G.S. from UMass/Boston and earned her Doctorate in Education (Ed.D) from Regis College in Massachusetts.
Christina Smith
Christina Smith
Associate Director for Undergraduate STEM Development, Chemical Engineering, Brown University
Christina Smith (Diné) is the Associate Director for Undergraduate STEM Development at the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning. She facilitates undergraduate student development in an effort to provide them with the tools, skills, and resources necessary to heal and self-actualize through their learning. This includes providing ongoing teaching development for undergraduate students in teaching roles such as undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs); directing the Problem-Solving Fellows (PSFs) Program; and supporting student learning through pre-orientation programming. Recently she focuses on how to decolonize the learning environment by developing workshops; facilitating an intergenerational, decolonize STEM reading group; and bringing speakers to Brown engaged in decolonization theory and practice. Her work aims to describe how identity, culture, and epistemology within STEM contexts impact student learning and teaching. Christina holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Oregon State University and a B.S. also in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah.
Andrea Stith
Andrea Stith
Director of Research Development, Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University
Andrea Stith is the director of research development at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University. In her role at Northeastern, she focuses on securing larger and more diverse grants to help Khoury College and its faculty grow its research portfolio. She received her doctorate in biophysics from the University of Virginia.
Suha Ballout
Suha Ballout
Associate Professor, Nursing, University of Massachusetts - Boston
Suha Ballout, PhD, RN, FAAN, is an Associate Professor at UMass Boston, scholar, educator, and advocate dedicated to advancing health equity, workforce diversity, and the wellbeing of minoritized communities. Dr. Ballout co-directs the Clinical Leadership Collaborative for Diversity in Nursing, a $20-million initiative supporting underrepresented nursing students in overcoming systemic barriers to graduation and early-career success. She also co-leads the UMB Behavioral Health Equity Fellowship, preparing nursing students to address behavioral health disparities. Her research and leadership focus on equity-centered institutional change, with expertise in anti-racist frameworks, mental health equity, and policy integration in nursing education. As an immigrant professor, she brings lived expertise to her work, leveraging her leadership to drive systemic change within academia and healthcare.
Alexandra To
Alexandra To
Assistant Professor, Art+Design, College of Arts, Media, and Design, Northeastern University
Alexandra To is an Assistant Professor at Northeastern University jointly appointed in the Art + Design department in the College of Art, Media and Design and the Khoury College of Computer Sciences. Alexandra is a researcher, racial justice activist, a critical race scholar, transformational game designer, and NSF CAREER awardee. She received her PhD in HCI from Carnegie Mellon University as well as a B.S. and M.S. in Symbolic Systems with a minor in Asian American Studies from Stanford University.
Theresa Wilson Coney
Theresa Wilson Coney
Adjunct Professor, School of Law, Northeastern University
Theresa Coney, Esq., is an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern School of Law teaching Reflection on Lawyering; helping students identify the skills and knowledge needed for effective lawyering. A legal professional, experienced and passionate advocate and thought leader in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and restorative justice. Theresa engages with the judiciary, bar associations and other stakeholders to develop and implement strategies to address the disparities which exist in our legal systems and engage in thoughtful conversations concerning Place Consciousness. Her recent articles include, “A Post Racial America or a Fictitious Ideology” and “Debunking Five Myths about Diversity Equity and Inclusion,” both published with the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section.
Tanya Wilson
Tanya Wilson
Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University
Dr. Tanya Wilson is a visiting assistant clinical professor and off-campus clinical coordinator at Northeastern University Charlotte. With 24 years as an SLP in public schools and private practice and eight years in higher education, she holds a BA (1999) and MA (2003) from South Carolina State University and an EdD (2014) from Nova Southeastern University. She founded MINORITY SPEAKS, a nonprofit promoting diversity in speech pathology through mentorship. Dr. Wilson is affiliated with multiple professional organizations and serves as a site visitor for the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).
Diedra M. Wrighting
Diedra M. Wrighting
Executive Director, ADVANCE Office of Faculty Development, Northeastern University
Dr. Diedra M. Wrighting is a scientist and educator dedicated to fostering community, belonging, and persistence in academic and professional spaces. She earned a B.S. in Biology from Howard University and a Ph.D. in Genetics from Harvard Medical School. Following postdoctoral research in Medical and Population Genetics at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, she joined the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she focused on preparing undergraduate and graduate students to succeed in science careers. Since 2019, Dr. Wrighting has served as the Executive Director of the ADVANCE Office of Faculty Development at Northeastern University, where she designs and leads professional development initiatives that empower faculty to thrive. Her work spans across the university, overseeing key programs such as Women of Color in the Academy (WOCIA), the Research Leadership Development Initiative (ReDI), and STRIDE (Strategies and Tactics to Recruit to Improve Diversity and Excellence). Dr. Wrighting’s research in the fields of faculty development, mentorship, diversity in STEM, science communication, and molecular genetics has been published in leading journals, including CBE—Life Sciences Education, The Journal of Faculty Development, Cell Metabolism and Nature Genetics. Beyond the university, Dr. Wrighting is deeply engaged in community equity efforts. As a founding member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and The Coalition for Equity in her town and school district, she leverages her eight-plus years of facilitation experience to foster cross-cultural community building and strengthen belonging for all members.
