Jennifer Ball
Dr. Ball is a professor in the Arts, Culture, and Technology Department at Clarkson University. She has 30 years of teaching experience and developing more inclusive classroom environments based in student-ready and asset models. She has 15 years of research in the scholarship of teach and learning[SOTL] in both the higher education and grades 7-12. She worked for the United Church of Christ Coalition for LGBTQ Concerns. She serves as the advisor to the Gender and Sexuality Alliance at Clarkson University. She is the former Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access of Clarkson University.
Hettie Barnhill
Hettie Barnhill is an award-winning educator, filmmaker, director, choreographer, and arts activist whose work lives at the intersection of performance, community engagement, and social justice. She is the founder and Executive Director of Create A Space NOW, an interactive multimedia and performing arts platform that uses art as a tool to challenge bias, racism, and systemic oppression. Create A Space NOW produces the Activated Artist Fest, a free multidisciplinary arts and social justice festival now heading into its fourth season. Hettie is also the Artistic Director of the Barnhill Movement Collective (BMC), a professional contemporary dance and physical theater company creating socially conscious work grounded in movement, activism, storytelling, and human connection. BMC will present its debut concert, What We Carry, on September 27, 2026, at Proctors in Schenectady, New York.
Hettie was the recipient of the 2025 New York State Choreographers Initiative Grant and has been nominated for a New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Choreography. Her community-centered work has earned numerous additional honors, including the In Our Own Voices 2026 Jasán M. Ward LGBTQ+ Community Advocacy Award, recognizing her leadership and work advancing health equity, community safety, and social justice. The NAACP “Top 21 Leaders 40 & Under” Award in Arts and Culture, the Shirley Chisholm Women of Excellence Award, recognition as a Rising Star by the Young & Powerful for Obama Group, and a California Senate honor recognizing her use of film as a vehicle for community engagement and education. Her award-winning film, A Love Letter to Brian, Lesley, and Michelle, has screened nationally and internationally.
As a performer, Hettie brings more than 20 years of professional experience across theater, dance, film, and television. Her Broadway credits include Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, FELA! (original cast), and Leap of Faith (original cast). Her directing and choreography credits span theater, dance, film, and interdisciplinary performance, with work presented locally, nationally, and internationally, including collaborations with La MaMa Umbria International in Spoleto, Italy.
An active educator, presenter, and speaker, Hettie has shared her artistic practice with arts, educational, and social justice organizations across the country. In New York’s Capital Region, she has served as a Visiting Professor at Skidmore College and Union College and is a Resident Director with the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York. Her teaching and creative practice center movement, theater, identity, social justice, performance creation, and the transformative possibilities of art. Hettie holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts with a concentration in Performance Creation and Art Activism from Goddard College. For more information, visit HettieBarnhill.com.
Jessica Burnett
As a proud alumnus, my journey on this campus has come full circle. I am now the Director of Accommodative Services, where I'm dedicated to helping students discover their full potential, connect with essential resources, and learn to navigate their environment with confidence.
I've had the privilege of supporting diverse student populations and fostering a campus environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. My commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming community has been recognized with the President's Award for Excellence, the Potsdam Pride Award, and the New York State Disability Service Council New Professional Award. I'm excited to share more about our work and our new programs which continue to help foster community with you today.
Meghan Delsite Coleman
Meghan is the Director of First Year Experience Programs at SUNY Potsdam. In her role, she helps new students adjust to college through orientation, first-year courses, and programs for families and supporters. Meghan has more than eight years of experience in higher education, including work in student activities, teaching, first-year student programs, and residence life. Meghan cares deeply about helping students and their supporters feel welcome, connected, and supported, and is excited to be at an institution dedicated to creating an environment focused on lifelong learning, inclusivity, and belonging.
John Draeger
John Draeger is a professor of philosophy at SUNY Buffalo State. He has served as the Director of the Teaching & Learning Center. He has published in a variety of areas, including political philosophy, metacognition, and faculty development.
Dr. Christa Grant
Dr. Grant is the Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY, System Administration. She has a combined of over 18+ years of experience working in higher education and non-profit organizations. She has served in DEI leadership roles for over a decade and her work has been regionally and nationally recognized. Prior to joining SUNY, Dr. Grant served as the Director of Staff Learning at Year Up, a national non-profit organization with a mission to close the opportunity divide for young adults in the U.S., where she oversaw org-wide onboarding program for new employees and managers.
Dr. Grant is the recipient of the 2017 Mission Integration Award in Diversity and Inclusion from the Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASACCU), she also received an Academic Excellence Award in 2022 for her doctoral work at Northeastern University as well as the 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Business Award issued by the Albany Business Review. Dr. Grant has presented her work at both regional and national conferences including the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE), Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges & Universities (ASACCU) and the College Student Personnel Association of New York State (CSPA-NY). Additionally, Dr. Grant is a trained facilitator for the Intergroup Relations (IGR) program and the co-founding faculty for the IGR course at Siena College, NY. She has committed majority of her professional career in higher education and is committed to create sustainable change by being a scholar-practitioner. Her doctoral research focused on creating a sense of belonging for BIPOC students at predominantly white institutions.
Dr. Grant received a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, a master's degree in Education from The College of Saint Rose, and a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Sociology from SUNY Buffalo '05.
Allen Groves
Allen Groves currently serves as Chief Student Experience Officer at Syracuse University, a role he has held for six years. He oversees a division spanning student engagement, residential living, health and wellness, recreation, and public safety. Prior to this, he served for 14 years as Dean of Students for the University of Virginia. Groves received his juris doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and practiced law for 16 years as an equity partner in a national firm, litigating cases in federal and state courts.
Jacob Hammond
Jacob works in the Office of Accommodative Services, where he focuses on training and supporting students and faculty in the use of assistive technologies. Before joining SUNY Potsdam in 2024, he led the Secondary special education program at the Vienna International School in Vienna, Austria. Jacob grew up in Central New York and has degrees from SUNY Geneseo and Binghamton.
Jay Harwood
Jay Harwood (he/him) is the Electronic Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility Officer for the State University of New York at Brockport, where he coordinates efforts for enhancing accessibility in the University's digital spaces in partnership with campus stakeholders. He is also an Assistive Technology Specialist for Student Accessibility Services at Brockport and provides direct support to students with disabilities. Jay holds a master's degree from Nazareth University in Higher Education Student Affairs Administration with special concentration in Strategic Talent Development and Coaching. He has been working in accessibility in higher education for over ten years.
Katrina Herne
Katrina Herne, Turtle Clan, is the Seven Dancers Coalition Outreach Worker and Cultural Advocate. She is also the Cultural Consultant for the CEPEO school board of Ontario and has a background in Social Work, Addictions and Cultural Counseling. She has experience presenting to the most diverse groups of people from community members, local schools, Colleges and Universities to ICWA and Court judges and staff. Specializing in relationship building, trauma in formed care, traditional teachings and Haudenosaunee ways of knowing. Katrina also brings to the table a lifetime of practicing, teaching and learning Kanienkeha ways and traditions.
Tamara Jolly
Tamara serves as the Community Initiatives Manager for the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, where she brings together her expertise in biology, ecology, teaching, and DEI to foster more inclusive and resilient communities in the Adirondacks. She is a passionate advocate for making nature accessible and inclusive for everyone. Tamara has confronted the challenges of exclusion in outdoor spaces, fueling her mission to broaden access and foster a sense of belonging in nature for marginalized communities.
Tamara fell in love with the Adirondacks after taking a sabbatical from teaching high school science in Baltimore City to attend the SUNY ESF Ranger School, where she was honored to graduate as valedictorian. When she is not working, you will find her outdoors birding, soaking up the arts, or adventuring with her husband and daughter on hiking trails, at campsites, and in everyday moments of joy. Recently relocated to Troy, NY, the family also treasures time on their property outside of Star Lake, NY, a place that continues to deepen her connection to the North Country she loves.
Matt LeBire
Matt is the Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness at SUNY Potsdam.
Susan Perkins
Dr. Perkins is the Provost at SUNY Potsdam.
Megan Riedl
Megan Riedl has been a practitioner in higher education disability services since 2008 and currently serves at SUNY Canton, where she has been based since 2016. A doctoral candidate in Higher Education Leadership and Change, Megan’s research examines neurodiversity and inclusion in higher education, combining nearly two decades of frontline experience in student accessibility with a focus on organizational leadership and institutional policy.
Usama Shaikh
Usama M. Shaikh is the Assistant Chief Diversity Officer for Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives. His career spans 26+ years in Student Affairs and offices of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He has significant experience in developing cross-divisional collaboration and initiatives through an inclusive employee and student-centered approach, trust building, and being mission driven. He has presented extensively on a myriad of topics including Muslim students' needs in higher education, combating Islamophobia, racial justice design thinking, health equity, bias and racist incidents on college campuses, and free speech and activism.
Judy Singh
Judy Singh is the Director of Institutional Research and Assessment at SUNY Potsdam, where she has led the office since 2014. She oversees campus reporting on enrollment, retention, and student success, and provides data analysis to support planning, accreditation, and assessment initiatives. With over 20 years of experience in higher education research at SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton, and St. Lawrence University, Judy has extensive expertise in enrollment trends, survey research, and data-informed decision-making. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from the University of Rochester.
Jess Sniatecki
Dr. Jessica L. Sniatecki (she/her) is the Assistant Dean for the College of Education and Health at SUNY Brockport and teaches courses in the Addictions and Behavioral Health program. She has a PhD in Counselor Education from the University at Buffalo and has held national certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) since 2004. Her research focuses primarily on the college experience of students with disabilities and faculty knowledge and attitudes related to students with disabilities. Jess has published articles and delivered numerous workshops and presentations on topics related to disability experience, ableism, accessibility, and universal design. She is a founding member of SUNY Brockport’s Committee on Accessibility and has also served on the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Advisory Board and the SUNY Empowering Students with Disabilities Task Force. Her contributions have been formally recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2017 and the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service in 2024.
Dr. Charles Welch
Dr. Charles L. Welch became the seventh president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) on January 15, 2024. Dr. Welch joined AASCU after serving nearly 13 years as president of the Arkansas State University System, where he led the state’s second largest higher education system. He is also past president of Henderson State University (AR).
Dr. Welch is past president of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges and served as chairman of the board of the Arkansas Association of Public Universities. He is vice chair of the American Academic Leadership Institute Board of Directors and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. He also served on the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, is a former board member for the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches and was inducted into the Arkansas Boys State Hall of Fame.
He was co-chair of the Executive Council of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. He previously served as chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana, vice chancellor for academic affairs at Arkansas State University-Beebe, and dean of university studies at the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College. Welch also worked at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and has served as an instructor of education and political science at three different colleges in Arkansas.
Dr. Welch has deep ties to AASCU, having led two AASCU member institutions, and served as chair of the AASCU Board of Directors twice from 2019-2021. He co-chaired AASCU’s Presidential Postsecondary Value Commission Task Force. He was also actively engaged with AASCU’s New Presidents Academy and Emerging Leaders Program, serving as executive sponsor for both initiatives.
Dr. Welch is a first-generation college student and the first member of his extended family to receive an advanced degree. He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Arkansas, a Master of Arts in political management from The George Washington University (DC), and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Dr. Welch was awarded President Emeritus status by the Arkansas State University System in December 2023. The system also honored Dr. Welch with the creation of the Charles L. Welch Presidential Scholars Program.