Student Conduct Series Faculty

Dr. Matt Khoury (He/Him)

Dr. Matt Khoury is Director of Student Conduct and Deputy Title IX Coordinator at New England College in beautiful Henniker, New Hampshire.  No stranger to New England, Matt grew up in Massachusetts and obtained his Bachelor’s degree (English) at Plymouth State in New Hampshire.  He obtained his Master’s Degree (Administrative Science) at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Doctor of Education Degree (Educational Leadership/Higher Education) at Valdosta State University in Georgia.  Various positions in Residence Life and student conduct, ranging from Residence Hall Director to Director/Assistant Dean, brought him to several schools in the Midwest and New England.  In addition, he spent several years overseeing assessment for a division of Student Affairs just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

While a portion of his job is responding to situations that run counter to the code of student conduct and institutional policies, Matt spends a good amount of time working with students to educate them proactively about how to remain in good standing with the college.  As a formally trained mediator, Matt always is happy to help students work through conflicts and stressors they may be having with others.

When not at work, Matt loves getting out into nature, reading, catching up on a favorite TV show or two, listening to music and playing piano, and hanging out with his wife, Di, two adult kids, Danny (24) and David (23), and adopted fur baby, Joey. 

James Reed (He/Him)

 James Reed is the Associate Dean for Student Conduct and Community Standards at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). James has worked in student affairs professionally for nearly 15 years and has over a decade of student conduct experience, including 8 years of full-time conduct work at MIT. He earned a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Master of Social Work in Clinical Social Work from Boston College School of Social Work, and is currently a doctoral candidate in the Northeastern University Graduate School of Education. James has been a member of ASCA since 2017 and has served as a conference presenter, volunteer, and committee/COP member before joining the faculty of Student Conduct 101. 

Dr. Tessa McLain (She/Her)

Tessa McLain is a higher education consultant with extensive experience in student affairs, student conduct, academic misconduct, and residential life. Tessa has held senior roles such as Senior Associate Dean, Associate Dean, and Assistant Dean/Director for Student Conduct and Community Standards. Her expertise includes managing student conduct administration, crisis management, policy development, program assessment, and compliance. Tessa received her doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Learning from Vanderbilt University, her master's in higher education administration from the University of South Carolina, and her bachelor's from Vanderbilt University. When not thinking about higher education, Tessa spends time with her family at her home in Northern Westchester, NY. 

Dr. Bonnie Taylor (She/Her)

Dr. Bonnie J. Taylor, Ed.D., is a seasoned higher-education leader, corporate consultant, and entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience advancing organizational effectiveness, leadership development, and equity-centered practices. Her career began in senior student affairs and student conduct roles—including Assistant Vice President & Dean of Students at Spelman College and Director of Student Integrity at Georgia Tech—where she specialized in policy development, crisis management, compliance, and creating sustainable systems that support student success.

As Founder and CEO of Taylor Strategic Consulting, Dr. Taylor partners with colleges, nonprofits, and corporations to strengthen leadership pipelines, redesign organizational culture, and develop high-performing teams. Her portfolio includes executive coaching, strategic planning, risk management consulting, and the design of leadership development programs that align people, processes, and culture.

An experienced facilitator and thought leader, Dr. Taylor regularly presents at national conferences, leads Title VI and conduct-related trainings, and supports leaders navigating complex transitions. Her entrepreneurial work centers on expanding access to transformative leadership development and cultivating the next generation of courageous, equity-minded leaders.

Kristin Pendergast 

Kristin Pendergast is the Assistant Director of Community Standards & Conduct at Johnson & Wales University, where she advances integrity-focused practices and promotes equitable student experiences in the conduct review process. She also serves on the ASCA Region 11 Leadership Team and co-chairs the Academic Integrity Community of Practice.

Kristin holds graduate degrees in Higher Education Administration and Counseling, and her work centers on a holistic, developmental conduct approach grounded in her C.A.R.E. (Connection, Asking Questions, Reflection, Assessing learning and understanding) framework. She is passionate about supporting neurodiverse students and also teaches ESL and first-year English as an adjunct faculty member at JWU.

Dr. Mike Fernbacher (He/Him)

Resolution and Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Delaware. In this role, he is the primary contact person for all academic honesty issues and concerns, as well as overseeing operations of the Student Appellate Board and serving as the lead Maxient Level 5 administrator. In addition to working with Community Standards, Michael has served roles in Residence Life and Housing, Admissions and Conference Services in his 25-year career at UD.

Michael received a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Delaware. Michael has served a variety of roles within ASCA, including service on the core conference committee, Goldstone Foundation (member, secretary and chair), Gehring Academy faculty and Delaware representative for Region 10.

Katie Boin (She/Her)

Katie Boin currently serves as the Associate Dean of Students at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and provides strategic and operational leadership to a portfolio that includes the Office of Community Standards and Education (OCSE) and Student Case Management and Intervention Services (SCMIS). 

Boin is responsible for providing and executing a vision for crisis management structures and care systems across the university and plays an active role in a variety of multidisciplinary teams, including bias response, the University CARE Team, Threat Assessment Team, and the Medical Leave Review Team. 

Boin served most recently with Brown University as senior associate dean and director of student support services. Her broad portfolio included overseeing, implementing, and continually assessing a comprehensive student support model for the university’s undergraduate and graduate students. She led a team of student support deans, providing oversight for recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, and ongoing coaching for professional staff to achieve departmental, divisional and university priorities. Boin chaired the university’s Medical Leave Clearance Committee and stewarded implementation of the Medical Leave of Absence Policy for all undergraduate students. 

At Georgetown University, Boin served as director of student outreach and support in student affairs. She led the university’s Case Management Program, which she built from the ground up, participating in the national conversation on relevant issues and establishing relationships with colleagues across the country. 

In 2019, Boin was selected by the Higher Education Case Managers Association (HECMA) leadership to be one of five national experts to co-author the first-ever Standards for Case Management Programs and Services, published by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). 

At both Georgetown and Brown, Boin chaired university Care Teams and managed a multidisciplinary team of director-level colleagues and senior leaders to discuss students of concern and provide a consultation space to process difficult, challenging or high-risk student incidents and behaviors.

Dr. Rachael Stark (She/Her)

As the Associate Vice President/Deputy Dean of Students, Dr. Stark provides strategic leadership and direction for George Washington University’s residential learning communities, student support services, including Military, Veteran Services, and First Generations students as well as student conduct. Her responsibilities include advancing student success and retention, enhancing co-curricular engagement, and fostering a culture of care and inclusion across the student community.

Dr. Stark brings to GW a wealth of experience in student affairs and a deep commitment to student wellbeing, inclusivity, and resiliency. She joined the Division for Student Affairs in July 2025 from Temple University, where she served as the inaugural Assistant Vice President for Student Support & Advocacy. Since joining Temple’s Division of Student Affairs in 2011, Dr. Stark has held a variety of leadership roles focused on student resiliency and support. She also served as Interim Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, providing strategic leadership across a broad portfolio of student-facing departments.

Dr. Stark earned her doctorate from Colorado State University with a focus in College and University Leadership.  Her research area focused on the moral behavior of Resident Assistants. She also attended The Ohio State University where she earned a Master of Art in Higher Education and Student Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. 

Dr. Stark has extensive experience in case management serving as a founding faculty member for the Higher Education Case Management Association (HECMA) as well as the track coordinator for ASCA’s Gehring Academy track focused on the intersection of Student Conduct & Case Management since 2023.

Michaela Arthur (She/Her)

Michaela Arthur (she/her) currently serves as an Associate Director of Health & Safety for Delta Sigma Phi, where she oversees investigation processes, manages conduct inquiries, and advances national Health & Safety efforts. She previously worked as Assistant Director for the Office of Student Conduct at Marshall University, bringing a strong foundation in accountability and student development to her current role.

Michaela earned her B.A. in Mass Communication from Winthrop University in 2016 and her M.Ed. in Higher Education Student Affairs from Western Carolina University in 2018. Since 2013, she has held positions in Housing and Residence Life across the Southeast and Appalachia before transitioning fully into Student Conduct in 2022.

An active member of ASCA, Michaela has contributed to the profession in multiple ways: serving as Connection Chair for the 2024 Annual Conference, Programming Chair for the 2025 Annual Conference, and co-hosting the 2025 webinar “Navigating the Conduct Process for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” She is also a contributing author to the ASCA Case Study Resource Guide, 2024 Edition. Michaela is passionate about fostering equitable processes, supporting student growth through accountability, and advancing the professional community of conduct officers.

Based near Huntington, West Virginia, Michaela also volunteers as an advisor in her sorority, Chi Omega, and enjoys cooking, spending time with her wife, Ashley, their dog, and celebrating the recent arrival of their first child!

Darius A. Thomas M.Ed. (He/Him)

Darius A. Thomas, M.Ed. (He/His), is a seasoned scholar-practitioner with over 14 years of experience in higher education, specializing in student success, first-year programs, student conduct, CARE/BIT, student advocacy, and Title IX compliance. Grounded in a philosophy of educational access and equity, Darius is committed to creating inclusive environments that support the success of all students. 

He currently serves as the Associate Director in the Office of Title IX Ethics and Compliance at Morehouse College, where he oversees reports of gender-based discrimination and sexual misconduct involving students and employees. In this role, he also facilitates training and prevention initiatives focused on Title IX compliance and campus sexual violence awareness. Prior to his current role, Darius served as the Director of Student Conduct and Title IX at Valdosta State University, Assistant Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Student Conduct Specialist and Interim Director of Community Standards at the University of West Georgia. 

Throughout his career, Darius has presented at local, regional, and national conferences on topics including first-year student success, African American male retention, educational equity, student leadership, disability awareness, and gender-based discrimination. As an adjunct faculty member, he has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses, including a first-year seminar titled Snapbacks & Tattoos vs. Suit & Tie: Black America’s Definition of Masculinity, which explored evolving narratives around Black male identity. Darius’s work has been recognized by several professional organizations. In 2015, the NASPA African American Knowledge Community awarded him the “Kuumba” New Professional Award for his contributions to the African American higher education community. In 2023, he earned the Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award from the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) for his outstanding efforts in equity and inclusion. Darius was named to the 2025 inaugural 40 Under 40 Distinguished Alumni class at Clayton State University and also inducted into the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Gamma Class of 40 Under 40. Most recently, Darius received the 2025 NASPA Region III Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award. 

Beyond his professional roles, Mr. Thomas is deeply committed to mentoring young African American men and supporting their educational journeys. Darius is guided by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” His lifelong mission is to uplift, empower, and equip students—especially young Black men—with the tools they need to thrive.