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Presentation Description and Presenter Bios
Student Legal Services - Supporting Student Parents -Track: Direct Service, Policies and Research, Student Parents Student Legal Services offices across the country provide free legal assistance to students. This presentation will highlight typical legal issues faced by families, the applicable resolution processes, including the judicial system, and the challenges faced by many SLS offices.
- Richard Slottee- Richard graduated from the University of Oregon Law School in 1972 and joined Multnomah County Legal Aid Services as a staff attorney. In 1978 he went to work at Lewis and Clark Law School as a professor and Director of the Lewis and Clark Legal Clinic. The Legal Clinic taught practical lawyering skills to law students through the pro bono representation of low income clients. While he has represented clients with a wide array of legal issues, his focus at the Legal Clinic was on consumer issues and Chapter 7 bankruptcy. When the Legal Clinic closed at the end of 2014, Dick joined Portland State University Student Legal Services. He has two daughters, and has lived in the Portland area his entire life.
- April Kusters- April is the Assistant Director of Portland State University Student Legal Services. April assists students in a variety of legal matter including divorces, custody disputes, child support, restraining orders, stalking protections and legal name and gender changes. Prior to joining SLS in 2014, April was a staff attorney at St. Andrew Legal Clinic where she represented low-income clients with their family law matters. April also previously represented victims of housing discrimination through the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, including parents who were denied housing because they had children. She served two terms on the board of directors of Community Alliance of Tenants where she worked to strengthen renters rights. April graduated from Lewis and Clark law school in 2008 and she received a bachelors from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2005.
The Intersecting Identities and Resiliency of Student Mothers-Track: Policies and Research - This presentation will share the stories of 23 student mothers enrolled in two community colleges. In their own words student mothers described their intersecting identities as both invisible and empowering. Findings from the study point to the resiliency of student mothers who utilized personal assets and institutional resources. Recommendations for community colleges include developing a strategic method to gather data to better serve this student population. Further, institutions are encouraged to re-examine child care services and supports on campus.
- Kamisha Sullivan- Kamisha recently completed an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from CSU Long Beach. Dr. Sullivan has many years of teaching experience: ten years as a second grade teacher and six years in the community college setting. She is passionate about supporting students at all levels of the educational pipeline. Her research is grounded in Intersectionality and Resiliency with a focus on student mothers in the community college setting. She has been a Board member of the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center for the past two years. Dr. Sullivan is a mother of three young children and resides in Long Beach. studentmothers@gmail.com
- Joseph Sullivan- Joseph is a K/1 Special Education teacher in Long Beach Unified School District. He graduated with a B.A. and dual credential from California State Long Beach after transferring from Long Beach City College. He enrolled part-time for the first three years because he was a stay-at-home parent In his free time he enjoys sign painting, calligraphy, and backyard baseball with his three kids.
Building Student Leadership in Campus Childcare Policy- Track: Policies and Research -How can student parents leverage their voices to advocate for the changes they need on campus? This presentation will offer opportunities and best practices on organizing students around CCAMPIS and other crucial student-parent supports. We’ll lead into a roundtable discussion on amplifying student voices in conversations with campus leadership and elected officials in key policy areas.
- Melanie Kruvelis- Melanie is the Northeast Policy Analyst for Young Invincibles, researching issues impacting young adults in New York City and State. Melanie has used her background in policy research to affect change locally and federally. As a policy associate with DC Appleseed, she worked on strengthening the early care and education workforce in the District of Columbia. She was also the 2016 Mariam K. Chamberlain Fellow in Women and Public Policy at the Institute for Women's Policy Research, where she focused on improving college accessibility for parenting students. Her research has been cited by the U.S. Department of Education and published by the United Nations Population Fund.
- Allie Aguilera-Allie is Young Invincibles' Policy and Government Affairs Manager, a role in which she works to advocate for policies and elevate young people's voices in Congress and legislative bodies around the country. Allie previously worked in the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; she also served as a policy analyst for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, focusing on women's and girls' economic and social rights, and educational and economic equity. Allie has worked on several successful campaigns and elections, including Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe's 2013 campaign and overseeing operations for Organizing for America in NY, CA, and TX through the 2012 presidential election.
Breaking Away from Poverty- One Kentucky Communities Partnership - Track: Direct Service & Campus Childcare-Barriers to higher education are plentiful for low income single parents. This workshop will explore how one Kentucky community uses partnerships to reduce barriers to education through housing, child care and employment.
- Robyn Johnson Moreland- Robyn is the Director of Eastern Kentucky University’s Education Pays Program. Education Pays is a grant funded program through the state of Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Families Services that provides TANF recipients with work study placements, career development, academic support and supportive services to help meet personal and professional goals. The program is celebrating the 20th year on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University. Robyn is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky with degrees in social work. She is celebrating her 20th year as a social worker and has worked within a variety of fields including; child protection, juvenile delinquency, domestic violence, substance abuse, single parenting, school social work and higher education. She is the mother of three young sons and a teenage step daughter and married to a wonderfully supportive husband.
- Melissa Gross- Melissa is the Director of Planning and Programming for KY River Foothills Development Council in Richmond, KY. Foothills is a community action agency in Central KY that is committed to the promise of helping people and changing lives. Her roles at Foothills over the last 10 years include supporting Transportation, Weatherization and Fatherhood departments and most recently becoming Director of Eastern Scholar House. Melissa has 2 grown sons. She is involved in many community activities supporting women, young people and her church. Her career past has included financial markets, non profits and industry. She received her degree in Business Administration from Morehead State University. And most important she has been married to a “good man” for 28 years.
Aloha Fridays with SP@M: Cultivating Social Capital and Fostering Peer Support Lifting Generations Together-Track: Direct Services- The University of Hawaii-Mānoa (UHM) is a predominately commuter campus lacking dedicated family friendly spaces for student parents to gather hindering opportunities to connect, foster friendships, and cultivate social capital. Aloha Fridays with the Student Parents At Mānoa (SP@M) program is a successful engagement and retention activity providing student parents a supportive space on campus to engage and foster friendships.
- Angelique Kealani Siga SolomonAngie is the coordinator for the Student Parents At Manoa (SP@M) program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Ms. Solomon is a proud mother of two young toddlers and holds a B.A. from UH-Hilo, in History and a M.Ed. from UH-Manoa, in Counseling and Guidance. Ms. Solomon has worked in student affairs for 10-years and strongly believes that education is the key to eradicating poverty and inequity in the world. Ms. Solomon is passionate about mentoring students and enjoys being a supportive part of their academic journey.
Uplifting present and future generations; recruitment and retention-Track: Direct Service, Policies and Research-
- Zhane Garlinton A third year, undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, Zhane` Garlington has challenged the bureaucracy she faces being a non-traditional student in multiple facets of her life. Navigating through her adversities, her resilience has lead her to be a social justice warrior, vocalizing the traumas of communities she identifies with. .
Pregnancy in the Academy: Exploring Graduate-Student Experiences-Track: Policies and Research- This session will explore the findings of a study, which explored the experiences of pregnant graduate students in masters-level academic programs. In this study, the participants reflected on dimensions of their academic program in relation to their pregnancy, sources of support (or the absence thereof), challenges they faced, as well as strategies and resources that supported their resiliency and motivation to persist. Attendees will learn more about the findings as well as the practices and recommendations that emerged as a result of the study’s findings and discuss how they may inform current practices on their campuses.
- Emma Larkins-Emma serves in the Student Affairs Research, Evaluation, and Planning department at Oregon State University. She serves as the Associate Editor for the Journal of Student Affairs Inquiry. Her research interests are in qualitative methodologies, applied feminist theories, and promoting equity in higher education.
The Life Impact Program: Program Outcomes and Evaluation Design-Track: Direct Service, Policies and Research-The innovative, comprehensive Life Impact Program provides substantial social and financial support to low-income student parents at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Using data from a recent program evaluation, we describe Scholars’ strong academic performance and graduation rates, and, drawing from in-depth interviews, we illustrate the lived experiences of Scholars as they navigate raising children while striving to complete college.
- Natalie Reinbold-Natalie has 20+ years experience serving disadvantaged families in the Milwaukee area. She received her undergraduate degree from UW - Milwaukee in Psychology and her Master's degree in Community Counseling from UW - Whitewater. As the Life Coach & Program Director of the Life Impact Program, Natalie takes a student-centered approach to helping scholars reach their life goals through 1:1 meetings, barrier assessment and career exploration. She is also responsible for creating and maintaining program structure and policies, as well as overseeing the program's Emergency Funds for scholar's facing financial crisis. Her work allows her to be extensively involved in the program evaluation process and works collaborating with many cross-campus and community stakeholders to ensure program stability. She has spearheaded the grant writing process to secure over $2M in program funding, allowing the program to continue for 12 years. She has two children, ages 11 and 14 and lives in Milwaukee.
Diapers to Degrees: Higher Education's contribution to the Imposter Syndrome-Track: Campus Childcare, Student Parents- Panel discussion with audience participation will focus on the barriers student-parents continue to encounter, despite the increasing number of their population, and how the often institutionally imposed imposter syndrome hinders and often discourages access to and success in obtaining a college degree. Participants will be encouraged to share best practices and improvement strategies.
- Shelley Wilson Gentile- Shelly is the Program Manager for the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience at Stetson University in Florida. She has more than 30 years of experience in higher education that includes service to five very different campuses. Her longest tenure was at Eastern Michigan University where she was the founding advisor of the Students with Children organization. Shelley is a native of Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Cass Technical High School and the University of Michigan. Graduate studies followed at the University of Florida, and later at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where - as a single parent - she earned a master of liberal studies degree in interdisciplinary technology. She lives in Deland, Florida with her husband Gary, a retired electrician, and an array of two- and four-legged non-human family members. Her daughter Sydney is an accomplished musician and a rising senior at the University of Central Florida, has a freelance photography business, and works for Apple.
- Caroline Sanders- Caroline is currently Interim Assistant Director of Community Relations and Engagement for Eastern Michigan University and a doctoral student in educational studies concentrating in urban education. She is a non-traditional student in every sense of the term. Working full-time, running a family business and attending community college before transferring to a four year institution and completing her bachelor's and master's degrees. Caroline created the first student-parent organization in the history of her university. She has served as board president for a charter school; an international organization; as well as two locally situated non-profits. Caroline is also the founder and president of an educational service corporation. Her passion is assisting women and children with actualizing their fullest potential. She is known as a “passionate collaborator." Being a proud mother to her daughter is her greatest achievement.
CCAMPIS Grant Achievements and Wishes-Track: Campus Childcare, Policies and Research, Student Parents- Come together and share in your CCAMPIS Grant achievements and wishes. This roundtable event offers us an opportunity to explore with various colleges and universities’ CCAMPIS grant work and reported findings. We can examine together what is working well and what we wish were different. We can dream bigger together as we consider our grants collaboratively.
- Will Parnell, EdD, is a professor in early childhood education, department chair of Curriculum and Instruction, and a pedagogical liaison to the Helen Gordon Child Development Center at Portland State University. Dr. Parnell currently serves as President-elect of the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Education's board. He actively researches reconceptualizing Reggio-inspired practices related to making listening and learning visible and valued, and working with children's creative expression, representational work and Remida creative reuse materials. Dr. Parnell has presented on and written many journal articles and book chapters about his research. He has co-edited and authored three books: Making Meaning in Early Childhood Research, Disrupting Research in Early Childhood Education, and Rethinking Readiness in Early Childhood Education. His other scholarly research articles and book chapters focus on children, teachers and parents' lived experiences. parnellw@pdx.edu
- Ellie Justice holds a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley, in Developmental Psychology and an M.A. in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and Education Leadership. Ellie has many years of experience as both a teacher and Director in schools serving young children and families, including 31 years with Portland State University's Helen Gordon Child Development Center. In addition to her role as Director, Ellie is a PSU adjunct Instructor and has taught courses in the Graduate School of Education and the Child, Youth and Family Studies Program. Her professional passions include early childhood literacy, social justice and anti-bias education, and education for sustainability.
Flexible Childcare for Student Success- Track: Campus Childcare-We will discuss the processes involved in the opening of Little Vikings and baby vikings, how the centers are funded, and what we do on a daily basis to promote student parent success.
- Amy Bouie Amy, the Co-Director of Baby Vikings, has been in childcare for 19 years and recently finished her Associates Degrees in Early Childhood Education and Family Studies. She has already started on her Bachelor's here at Portland State and hopes to finish by Spring 2018. Being part of a global community with high diversity and collaboration is the highlight of working here at PSU for her. Amy loves meeting all the little ones and their families as they visit Little Vikings each day. She also loves encouraging children and their parents as they reach their goals.
- Marisol Barce-Marisol is the Co-Director of Little Vikings Flexible Child Care Center, which is located in Epler Hall (Ste. 101). She graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Science with an option in Human Services. She has 8 years experience working with children, and she enjoys every minute of it. She loves working for PSU and, assisting students with children accomplish their goals by providing quality affordable, accessible, and safe occasional, reserved, and flexible childcare. Marisol, currently a Post-Bac student seeking entry into the Master's of Education Program, also utilizes Portland State's extensive child care resources for her 2 year old daughter.
Building a 2Gen Approach to State Policy Georgia's Story- Track: Direct Services- Over the past two years, senior leaders of Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning, Technical College System, and University System have developed a unique partnership to implement a statewide two-gen approach for state policy to better coordinate service delivery for student parents. This session will explore the tactics, strategies, and approach Georgia’s state agency leadership have used to connect child and parent outcomes.
- Kristin Bernhard- Kristin is the Deputy Commissioner for System Reform at the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), the state's stand-alone education agency for children from birth through age five. At DECAL, she leads the implementation of statewide strategies to improve the quality of early childhood education, deepen community engagement, and increase access to high quality child care. Prior to joining the team at DECAL in 2014, she served as Governor Nathan Deal's Education Policy Advisor and also worked in the policy office of Governor Sonny Perdue. An active community volunteer, Kristin also serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Innovation Fund Foundation.A graduate of the University of Georgia and Georgia State University's College of Law, Kristin is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the inaugural class of the Zell Miller Leadership Institute. She resides in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta.
Strengthening Student Families-Track: Direct Service, Campus Childcare, Policies and Research-Participants will be provided with an overview of student parent issues in higher education. They will hear how Los Angeles Valley College started a Family Resource Center, created satellites across campus, and expanded services to other vulnerable students. They will learn the larger implications for student and family success, why it’s good for colleges, including strategies and tools for replication.
- Amber Angel - Amber is passionate about student parent success and is an advocate for higher education support initiatives for underserved populations. As a program coordinator at Los Angeles Valley College Family Resource Center she oversees on-campus partnerships and streamlines academic, workforce, career technical education, and childcare resources for students. Amber is a proud mom of two young girls who visit the FRC so much they already feel like college students! Amber is a student parent at California State University, Northridge majoring in Family & Consumer Sciences: Family Studies.
The Childcare Experiences and Campus Support Services of College Student Parents- Track: Campus Childcare - College students who are parents are a unique population whose voices are not often represented. This session will look at the research results on the childcare needs of over 750 college students who are parents at a large 4-year Hispanic Serving Institution, on the West-Coast. This presentation will present the voices of student parents and their struggle with support services needed to succeed at an institution of higher education.
- Dr. Nancy Dayne- Nancy is an assistant professor at California State University Long Beach (CSULB), in the area of Child Development and Family Studies. She has a BA in Child Development and Family Studies, an MA in Early Childhood Education, and her doctoral degree is in Education with an emphasis in Teacher Education in Multicultural Societies. She was also a preschool teacher, assistant director, and center director. Her research interests include online and face-to-face instructional settings for higher ed. students, higher ed. student-parent support services, pre-service and in-service teacher development, parent education, and parent involvement.
The Two-Generation Classroom: Learning Together in the Gen Ed Core- Track: Direct Service, Policies and Research, Student Parents- This workshop presents a new approach to post-secondary pedagogy referred to as, The Two Generation Classroom. The Two-Generation Classroom offers curricula for the general education core that facilitate parent/child inter-generational learning. Using hybrid online/in-person strategies, and a learning-buddy approach to integrated arts teaching/learning activities, the Two-Generation Classroom approach aims to address and reduce inequity in college access and success for student parents, while ensuring academic excellence and rigor.
- AUTUMN R. GREEN, PHD- Dr. Autumn R. Green is Founding Director of the National Center for Student Parent Programs, and is currently transitioning from Endicott College to join Wellesley Centers for Women as a Visiting Scholar beginning in January 2018. As Director of NCSPP Dr. Green oversaw the Keys to Degrees National Replication and flagship programs, helped to launch a Boston partnership with the Jeremiah Program, coordinated multiple research and program initiatives, and served as PI on the first Center for Best Practices to Support Single Parent Students in Higher Education grant through the US Department of Education, through which she also hosted the 2017 Student Parent Support Symposium. She is a recent co-recipient, with Dr. Amanda Freeman, of the Presidential Award from the Russell Sage Foundation toward publication of their book, tentatively titled, Surviving & Striving: Low-Income Mothers in Higher Education. She is also currently completing fieldwork on a second project, Student Parents on Campus, aimed at comprehensively documenting student parent programs and exploring historical and contemporary best practices. Dr. Green completed her undergraduate studies at Chemeketa Community College and University of Oregon, becoming a young mother of two during community college. Her daughters are now 16 and 18 and beginning their own college journeys. Autumn holds a Master's Degree in Education from Lesley University, and Master's and Doctoral degrees in Sociology from Boston College.
Building a Village: Developing a Student Parent Support Program- In an effort to provide parents with social support and parenting skills, college students were provided with parenting workshops, a resource library, and online discussions. Initially, these endeavors were grant supported and participation was mandatory. Recently, services have been offered as a voluntary activity. Data from each time period will be compared to demonstrate the importance of funded student participation.
Your Money Your Future: Empowering Students Parents through Financial Education-Track: Direct Service- The Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System operate an innovative partnership for single parent students receiving welfare. Case management, income, financial education, Individual Development Accounts, and emergency assistance help students stay in school and successfully graduate. The project has been independently evaluated and demonstrated success in areas including increasing savings and decreasing debt.
- Andrea Miller- Andrea is the Director of Economic Empowerment Programs with the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She has significant experience in providing training and technical assistance on self-sufficiency issues such as financial capability, housing, Individual Development Accounts, credit counseling/coaching, employment, tax issues, student loan issues, and social security. Ms. Miller has presented at both local and national conferences on financial empowerment and working with survivors. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Kentucky University and has also pursued and earned numerous certifications in financial capability. Previous work experience includes work in the physical and mental health rehabilitative field and in the non-profit sector as an Employment Counselor focusing on addressing barriers to employment for persons with disabilities and those who received public benefits.
- Nicole New-Nicole is a Coordinator for the Ready to Work and Work and Learn programs at Somerset Community College in Kentucky. Ready to Work is a federally funded program that provides career counseling and student support services to students who have children under the age of eighteen and receive TANF. Mrs. New has substantial involvement in providing job readiness, life skills and financial education to students. She has been a Coordinator for the Ready to Work program for the last 11 years. Nicole earned her Bachelor's degree of Social Work at Eastern Kentucky University. She has an extensive background in mental health services and has previous work experience in the non-profit sector.
- Amanda Van Hook- Amanda is a Coordinator for the Ready to Work and Work and Learn programs at Somerset Community College in Kentucky. Ready to Work is a federally funded program that provides career counseling and student support services to students who have children under the age of eighteen and receive TANF. Amanda is a former student of the Ready to Work program and was able to earn her Bachelor's Degree in General Studies at Eastern Kentucky University while in the program. She was placed in the Assessment Center as a Ready to Work student seven years ago and has worked in student services in several roles since.
- Angela Gregory- Angela is a second year nursing student and has participated in the Ready to Work Program since 2014. She is a single mother of three, and grandmother of one. Her second son recently graduated high school. Angela credits the Ready to Work program for aiding her to successfully complete the Medical Assisting program and enter the Nursing program, all while maintaining employment and a 3.2 GPA. Through the Ready to Work program, she was introduced to Andrea Miller and the KCADV IDA program which helps pay for expenses for her education such as tuition and supplies needed for school.
Full access: a barrier removal approach to accommodating student parents-Direct Service, Policies and Research- This presentation suggests a barrier removal perspective for student parent advocacy which recognizes that colleges are designed to accommodate students whose family cultures reflect the expectations, values, and norms of dominant groups and to exclude students whose family cultures do not. Participants will be invited to explore ways that their campuses can move towards providing full access to ALL students.
- Michelle Marie PhD- Michelle is a veteran student parent and student parent advocate who is celebrating her daughter's 18th year by learning to play roller derby. When she's not on skates, she can often be found asking facilitative, design-process-based, problem-solving questions of whoever happens to be around. Michelle hopes that one day colleges and universities will gather into leagues in order to compete over who can provide the most comprehensive family-friendly policies, best on-campus childcare, and most elaborate play structures
Voices of Student Parents and Student Parent Advocates Panel-Track: Student Parents and Direct Service- A panel of people who work with and for student parents at all levels.
- Lisa Dodson, Senior Scientist at Brandeis University- Dr. Lisa Dodson, PhD MPH, is a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy at Brandeis University. She also holds a Research Professorship in the Sociology Department at Boston College concentrating on race, class and gender. Her recent research focuses on low-wage jobs and social mobility, access to college, and family care responsibilities. Her recent articles include, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-meric/moms-say-dont-make-policy_b_11411552.html in Huffington Post 2016, “We don’t fight poverty anymore” online The Conversation (2015) and “The high cost of cheap care” in The American Prospect (2014). Dodson’s most recent book, The Moral Underground: How Ordinary People Subvert an Unfair Economy (The New Press, 2010) was called a "must-read" by Time Magazine. Recent journal articles include “Social Network Development Among Low-income Mothers” 2014, Family Relations and “Stereotyping Low-Wage Mothers Who Have Work/Family Conflicts” 2013, Journal of Social Issues, exploring low-wage employment and the critical care needs of low-income children, disproportionately children of color.
- Lisa Wittorff, LCSW, Director of Services for Students with Children at Portland State University-Lisa has her Master's of Social Work from California State University Sacramento. Her BA is in Psychology and Religion from Eastern New Mexico University. She is also a licensed clinical social worker. She is the proud mother of 3 young adults adopted from the child welfare system as young children. She worked as a children's protective services social worker for 22 years before moving to Portland and beginning work at PSU. When she began her work at Services for Students with Children, she began with a tiny budget and tinier staff. Over the past several years, she has built the program into a nationally recognized model of providing support to students with children. Lisa loves helping students with children find the resources they need to stay in school and complete their degrees. She also loves to see the students' children grow and change.
- Traci Lewis, LSW, Director of ACCESS Collaborative at The Ohio State University -Traci has brokered partnerships to deepen and expand systems of support for ACCESS students, who have a remarkable success rate. In addition to her work with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (within which the Access Collaborative is based), Traci has also been invited to serve on prestigious think tanks that are developing toolkits and guidance for universities across the nation to support parent students and their children, including overseeing The Ohio State University’s participation in the Family Friendly Campus Toolkit pilot.Traci is truly a leader who is working tirelessly to change the higher education culture to be accessible and inclusive for student parents. One recommendation stated that the secrets to Traci’s success are that “she stays well-informed about the holistic needs of students parents amid shifting education, political and social landscapes, and she never allows herself, her staff or her students to become complacent.” Another ACCESS Collaborative student who is 12 hours shy of graduating, simply stated: “This would and could not be possible if it were not for the work of Ms. Traci Lewis and the ACCESS Collaborative program.” Under Traci’s leadership the National Student Parent Success Symposium was founded and hosted at The Ohio State University through 2016, and The Ohio State University looks forward to bringing the symposium back in 2019!
- Kamisha Sullivan, Ed. D. in Educational Leadership- Kamisha Sullivan recently completed an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from CSU Long Beach. Dr. Sullivan has many years of teaching experience: ten years as a second grade teacher and six years in the community college setting. She is passionate about supporting students at all levels of the educational pipeline. Her research is grounded in Intersectionality and Resiliency with a focus on student mothers in the community college setting. She has been a Board member of the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center for the past two years. Dr. Sullivan is a mother of three young children and resides in Long Beach.
- Joseph Sullivan is a K/1 Special Education teacher in Long Beach. He graduated with a B.A. and dual credential from California State Long Beach after transferring from Long Beach City College. He enrolled part-time for the first three years because he was a stay-at-home parent In his free time he enjoys sign painting, calligraphy, and backyard baseball with his three kids.
- Autumn Greene,Visiting Scholar, Wellesley Centers for Women & Executive Director, National Center for Student Parent Programs - I hold a PhD in sociology with 15 years research experience with student parents and a Master's of Education in Arts, Community and Education specifically focused on arts-integretation and intergenerational learning, and have taught sociology, human services and interdisciplinary courses at the postsecondary level from 2008-2017. I was the director of national replication for the keys to degrees program at Endicott College from 2013-2017, and was the project co-lead on the Jeremiah-Endicott partnership program in Boston serving low-income single parents from across the city.
Legislative Panel-Track: Public Policy - State legislators, public officials, and state policy advocates will discuss public policy as it applies to Oregon student parents.
- Representative Alissa Keny-Guyer- Alissa has spent over 30 years working to eliminate poverty, promote cross-cultural understanding, invest in youth, protect the environment, and promote civil rights. After graduating from Stanford, Alissa spent several years doing community development in Indonesian villages. She then earned a Masters in Public Health in Hawaii, worked in Hawaiian nonprofits and the Hawaii legislature, and ran an international exchange organization in California. Alissa and her husband, Neal, moved into their Mt. Tabor home in 1994 when Neal became the head of Mercy Corps. While Alissa has volunteered for Mercy Corps around the world, most of her professional and volunteer time has been devoted to the community where she and Neal have raised their three children. Over the past 20 years, Alissa has worked with hundreds of parents, activists, and policy makers to invest in early childhood, public education, and healthy neighborhoods. She is a vocal advocate for the non-profit sector and under-represented communities.
- Dawn Woods, Director of Child Care for Oregon State Early Learning Division- Dawn has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Special Education. She began her career as a preschool teacher in a nationally accredited program. She has also worked as a program director, curriculum developer and behavior specialist before taking her early childhood knowledge into policy and state work. At the state, she started at the, then Child Care Division, as the Child Care Resource and Referral Liaison to support the professional development needs of child care providers and shortly became the lead on the development of Spark, Oregon’s Quality Rating and Improvement System. Currently, Dawn is the Director of Child Care for the Early Learning Division. Her goal is to ensure child care programs, and providers are well supported with opportunities for continuous improvement, so Oregon’s children thrive.
- James Barta, Strategic Director, Children First for Oregon -James has a Master's in Teaching from University of Montana. He started out as a college math teacher, but his career soon turned to politics. He has worked as a legislative manager, campaign manager, policy manager and now serves as Strategic Director for Children First for Oregon.
- Ben Cannon, Executive Director of Higher Education Coordinating Commission-Cannon was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 2006. He served as chair of the House Environment and Water Committee in 2009-2010 and as its co-chair in 2011. In 2011, he teamed with Rep. Vicki Berger to pass a sweeping expansion of the iconic Oregon Bottle Bill. He was also responsible for successful legislation promoting car-sharing, clean fuels, and online voter registration. In 2009, he gained notoriety for proposing a major increase to the Oregon beer tax, which is among the nation's lowest. Cannon was distinctive as the only member of Oregon's Legislature who refused to accept campaign contributions from political action committees. An online video promoted his effort to fund his 2010 re-election campaign by receiving $20 contributions from more than 1000 individuals.n is an American educator and policymaker from Oregon. He was elected in 2006 to the Oregon House of Representatives, representing the state's 46th District, which covers portions of southeast and northeast Portland. He won re-election in 2008 and 2010. In 2011, he resigned to become the Education Policy Advisor to Governor John Kitzhaber. In 2013, he was appointed to lead Oregon's new Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
- Shilpi Banerjee, Vice Chair of AAUW of OR Public Policy President & Chief Learning Officer at Skafold Consulting- With a background in audiology, research and education, I am passionate about building synergy across these areas to improve clinical practice. In my professional life, I approach this multifaceted challenge through innovative ideas, applied research and clinically relevant education. I am also active in various professional volunteer efforts that leverage and expand my expertise. I envision a future where clinicians are confident in facilitating informed decisions by patients who are actively engaged in their own healthcare. An explorer by nature, I am intrigued by the unfamiliar and energized by situations where there is no beaten path. I am at my best when I grapple with unanswered questions, try novel approaches to old problems, feel an experience few have felt. On the lighter side, you might find me traveling, reading or eating.
Single Mothers in Higher Education study from Institute for Women's Policy Research-Track: Student Parents, Research and Direct Services
- Lindsey Reichlin is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Lindsey manages IWPR’s grant-funded projects under the Student Parent Success Initiative (SPSI), which promotes access to and success in college for women who are parents of dependent children. She also contributes to IWPR’s research on global women’s issues, including conducting case studies for a study funded by the International Finance Corporation on private sector provision of child care supports.Lindsey has presented IWPR research at numerous events and conferences, including serving as a panelist on private sector strategies to promote work-family balance at UNDP’s Third Global Forum on Business for Gender Equality in Panama City. An expert on access to postsecondary education, Lindsey has been quoted in several outlets including The Washington Post, the National Journal, and Market Watch.Prior to joining IWPR, Lindsey held positions at the Aspen Institute’s Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health and at Global Policy Solutions in Washington, D.C. Lindsey has a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where she studied human rights, and a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Policy update with IWPR, ASCEND and CLASP- Institute for Women's Policy Research (iwpr.org), ASCEND at the Aspend Institute, and the Center for Law and Social Policy, three organizations which work to improve public policy for student parents (among other things).
- Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield is a senior policy analyst with CLASP's Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success. Ms. Duke-Benfield's focus is access to and success in postsecondary education and training for low-income students. She analyzes and advocates for policies that better serve low-income adults and other non-traditional students and provides technical assistance to federal, state and local advocates and governments in these areas. She also directed CLASP’s Benefits Access for College Completion initiative, which sought to increase access to public benefits and financial aid for low-income students at colleges across the country. She holds an undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College and a master's degree from Emory University.
- Lindsey Reichlin-Cruse, Lindsey is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Women's Policy Research. Lindsey manages IWPR's grant-funded projects under the Student Parent Success Initiative (SPSI), which promotes access to and success in college for women who are parents of dependent children. She also contributes to IWPR's research on global women's issues, including conducting case studies for a study funded by the International Finance Corporation on private sector provision of child care supports. Lindsey has presented IWPR research at numerous events and conferences, including serving as a panelist on private sector strategies to promote work-family balance at UNDP's Third Global Forum on Business for Gender Equality in Panama City. An expert on access to postsecondary education, Lindsey has been quoted in several outlets including The Washington Post, the National Journal, and Market Watch. Prior to joining IWPR, Lindsey held positions at the Aspen Institute's Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health and at Global Policy Solutions in Washington, D.C. Lindsey has a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where she studied human rights, and a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.