2023 Presenters
Session: Religious Diversity: Being a Muslim in the Midwest
Title: Program Director and Associate Professor, Fashion Design, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture, and Design
Email: hakou@iu.edu
Bio: Heather Akou has been a professor of fashion design at IU since 2004 and is currently the director of the program. She also serves as the faculty advisor for IU Muslim Women and as an advisory board member for the Muslim Voices project in the Hamilton-Lugar School. Outside of IU, she's a co-director of the Bloomington Multi Faith Alliance, which holds interfaith worship and educational programs. After ten years of serving as a board member for the Islamic Center of Bloomington, she is helping to run a small, women-led congregation for Muslims and for non-Muslims who are respectfully curious.
Session: Who Will Be My Ally In the Face of Antisemitism?
Title: Assistant Director, Borns Jewish Studies Program, College of Arts and Sciences
Email: kmfranks@indiana.edu
Bio: Karen Franks is the new assistant director for the Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program. Prior to this position, Karen was a lead academic advisor at the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. In addition to O'Neill, she served as advisor and career coach for 21st Century Scholars, and worked with pre-service teachers at the School of Education. She has deep knowledge of all kinds of programs and opportunities on campus. Throughout her career in student services, guiding young people to discover and reach their fullest potential has been very gratifying. She earned a Master's in Library Science from Indiana University, as well as her Bachelor's degree from the College of Arts and Sciences with a double major in German and Journalism. She serves on the professional development committee of the IUB Staff Council. She is a bike commuter, weather permitting, whose recent travels have taken her to Germany and Israel or visiting family in Virginia, New Hampshire, Denver, and Las Vegas.
Session: The Impact of External Events on Campus Communities: Culture Centers Respond
Title: Director, Asian Culture Center
Email: mcullath@indiana.edu
Bio: Melanie Castillo-Cullather is the founding director of IU's Asian Culture Center on the Bloomington campus. She has over 20 years of experience in community organizing. She has served on many boards and local commissions including Bloomington Human Rights Commission, Commission on the Status of Women, Middle Way House, Catholic Charities of Bloomington, and was a member of the City of Bloomington Board of Public Works. Her extensive experience and interests include working in diverse organizations building initiatives from the ground up, leading educational and culturally enriching programs, and spearheading philanthropic efforts. Recently, she taught a course on Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities and Social Change in the Asian American Studies Program in the College.
Session: The Impact of External Events on Campus Communities: Culture Centers Respond
Title: Director, Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center
Email: glhowell@indiana.edu
Bio: Gloria Howell is the director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center at Indiana University Bloomington. She is also a faculty coordinator for a first-year experience and introductory research course for freshman Hudson and Holland Scholars. Her research focuses on Black students broadly, specifically identity development and affirmation, culturally relevant pedagogy and curricular practices, and the effects of student activism on institutional change. Her Ph.D. dissertation research was on the African American Arts Institute at IU Bloomington. She is active in the Bloomington community, serving as the vice-chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Commission, a member of the City of Bloomington Black History Month Planning Committee, co-coordinator of the Free Homework Help Program at Beth AME Church, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Kappa Tau Omega chapter.
Session: The Impact of External Events on Campus Communities: Culture Centers Respond
Title: Director, IU LGBTQ+ Culture Center
Email: bsmail@iu.edu
Bio: Bruce E. Smail joined Indiana University in January 2020 and serves as the Director, LGBTQ+ Culture Center and Special Assistant to the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. His career spans almost 30 years and includes experience in social justice, diversity, and advocacy in the fields of higher education and nonprofit management. Smail's nonprofit leadership included: Deputy Director, Black AIDS Institute; Executive Director, The MOCHA Center; and CEO, Virgin Islands Community AIDS Resource & Education. In addition to his current position at Indiana University, Smail's higher education leadership experience included: Director, Cross Cultural Center (University of California, Davis); Director, GLBT Resource Center, (University of Colorado, Boulder); and Director, Black Student Services (Colorado State University). Smail received an M.A. in Counseling & Personnel Services and a B.A. in History from The College of New Jersey. As a Queer, Poz, Black, partially deaf, Caribbean man, Smail uses his multiple identities to address social justice through intersectionality. His passion for his work is rooted in giving back to several of his communities.
Session: Living at the Intersections: Embracing My Black, Queer, and Disabled Identity
Title: Graduate Instructor, Gender Studies
Email: mdaughtr@iu.edu
Bio: MarChé Daughtry (they/them/theirs) is a PhD student and associate instructor in the Department of Gender Studies and a PhD minor in human sexuality. Their research interests are disability, health, and illness, Black feminist theory, human sexuality, and popular romance studies. They have presented their work at several conferences, and they have been invited to participate in panels on intersections of disability, blackness, and queerness. MarChé holds a BA in American Studies and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with minors in Africana Studies, Latina/o Studies, and Justice and Law Studies from Williams College. Outside of the classroom, MarChé spends quite a bit of their time advocating for others by being an informal mentor for other students, serving on the Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy and Action Committee, and being a volunteer with Bloomington's Council for Community Accessibility. In their spare time, MarChé can be found petting the nearest cat, reading romance novels and cozy mysteries, and listening to R&B.
Session: Navigating Our Cross-Cultural Experiences at IU-Bloomington
Title: Academic Advisor, The Media School
Email: mkaryeka@iu.edu
Bio: Dr. Madhuvanti Karyekar has spent 15+ years in academia as an Instructor of German Language and Literature, first at Indiana University, Bloomington as an Associate Instructor & then as an Adjunct Faculty, a year at the Ohio State University as a Lecturer, four years at Savitribai Phule Pune University as a Visiting Faculty, and at Indiana University-Purdue University as a Senior Associate Faculty. She received her PhD in Modern German Literature and Culture from Indiana University, Bloomington IN, USA, in 2014. With bachelor's degrees in German Studies and Sanskrit and a master's degree in German Language and Literature with focus on literary translation, she has enjoyed teaching a variety of courses, at undergraduate and graduate level, focusing mainly on how linguistics, literary studies, and interculturality can inform theories and practices of translation. Having informally advised many of her students in developing meaningful education goals that are consistent with their personal interests, values, and abilities, she has recently accepted a position as an academic advisor in the Media School at Indiana University, Bloomington – because she strongly believes that a holistic academic support can leave a life-changing positive influence on the college experience, career path, and self-confidence of students.
Session: Navigating Our Cross-Cultural Experiences at IU-Bloomington
Title: Associate Dean for Organizational Climate, Inclusion, and Beloning, and
Email: jprotich@iu.edu
Bio: Dr. Rotich has led academic initiatives in institutions both domestic and abroad, including facilitating the establishment of the Kinesiology and Sports Institute at the University of The Gambia, Sere Kunda, Gambia, and developing the Global Understandings course with Mahatma Gandhi University, in India, and with Dalian University, China. In 2021, she served as a Carnegie Fellow at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She is a member of numerous organizations, including the American College of Sports Medicine, American Public Health Association, Kenyan Students and Scholars Association (President, 2019-2022), Kappa Delta Pi, and the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education. Dr. Rotich is also CEO and founder of Women & Youth Global Diversity Consultant, JVV Wellness and Safety, LLC., and the Kenya Students in Diaspora Foundation.
Session: Navigating Our Cross-Cultural Experiences at IU-Bloomington
Title: Graduate Student Services Coordinator, Spanish and Portuguese
Email: anstrin@iu.edu
Bio: Anne-Sophie Stringer is a Graduate Student Services Coordinator in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese at Indiana University. She was born in France, where she earned a degree in Japanese with International Relations from INALCO, Paris. She previously worked in Nara, Japan as a Coordinator for International Relations and in Durham, England as a logistics technician for a Japanese automotive company, before raising a young family in Ise, Japan. She has been living in Bloomington since 2006 and has been working at IU since 2017. She enjoys working with graduate students from a range of diverse backgrounds.
Session: Taking Up Space
Title: Native Education and Programs Assistant
Email: akawate@iu.edu
Bio: Adin Kawate is a fifth-generation Japanese and Filipina woman born and raised on Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi who currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana. Her passions are indigenous lifeways and learning, which include food growing and making, crafting, storytelling, singing, dancing and ceremony. She is a student of hula, oli, and kapa making. She is currently working as the Education and Program Assistant for the First Nations Education and Cultural Center.
Session: My Life, What I've Learned, and the Takeaways
Title: Case Management Senior Specialist, Employee Relations, University Human
Resources
Email: fepperso@iu.edu
Bio: Frank Epperson serves on many different advisory boards, committees, and working groups both within and outside of Indiana University. He works to increase the opportunities for people with disabilities ranging from emergency preparedness, the arts, and the physical accessibility of buildings and programs – but most relating to employment and people with disabilities. Frank also enjoys being a public speaker and speaks on subjects such as Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He also provides customer training for front-line employees who will be interacting with people with disabilities, and disabilities etiquette. Frank has a B.S. in Physical Education, has been an IU employee for over 20 years, is a two-time Paralympic, two-time world championship team wheelchair racer, a current ballroom dancer, and finally a lifetime advocate for people with disabilities.
Session: Embracing Life as a Culturally Diverse Family
Title: Business Operations Manager, Chemistry
Email: lburchen@iu.edu
Bio: Lisa Burchenson is the current Business Operations Manager in the Chemistry department at the College of Arts and Sciences. Prior she spent over ten years in Purchasing. Lisa is originally from Florida and moved her family to Bloomington in 2010 so her children could experience a better education. She has two daughters that attend Indiana University as a junior and freshman and are pursuing degrees in the medical field and psychology. Lisa enjoys working with such a diverse range of cultures within Indiana University and is looking forward to expanding her experience.
Session: Embracing Life as a Culturally Diverse Family
Title: Program Management Assistant, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Inbound Exchange Coordinator, College International Office
Email: lgturpen@indiana.edu
Bio: Lindsay is a proud Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences alumna, where she earned her B.L.S. with minors in Sociology and Anthropology. She is a Masters candidate at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where she is currently working on a degree in Social Justice and Community Action. A passionate advocate for neurodiversity and invisible disabilities, Lindsay enjoys working to develop programming, education, and understanding at the intersections of identities.
Session: Disparity Trap: The Socially Conscious Boardgame
Title: Director of Student Services, Intensive English Program, Department of Second Language Studies
Email: robertbe@indiana.edu
Bio: Bryan Roberts has more than 30 years of experience using games to facilitate creativity, discussion, and education in both the professional and personal arenas. From creating full game day events, running 50+ person games, and numerous game demonstrations, he enjoys seeing how games, in all their forms, can foster friendships, community, and change. Bryan is currently the Director of Student Services at the Intensive English Program as part of the Department of Second Language Studies in the College of Arts and Science.
Session: I Need an ASL/English Interpreter! How Do I Find Them and How Do We Collaborate?
Title: ASL Interpreter; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Email: eklovela@iu.edu
Bio: Emma Loveland is a Staff Interpreter in the American Sign Language (ASL) program at Indiana University, and works between English and ASL. Emma recently completed the European Masters of Sign Language Interpreting program and has focused her research on ethical decision-making among sign language interpreters. She is dedicated to ensuring effective and collaborative communication in the academic community here at IU. With an increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse population on campus, Emma is excited to orient new users to the work and role of interpreting services.
Session: I Need an ASL/English Interpreter! How Do I Find Them and How Do We Collaborate?
Title: ASL Interpreter & ASL Program Assistant; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Email: pkpatton@indiana.edu
Bio: Pam has been an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter since 1995. For twenty years she was a freelance interpreter in the community and university settings as well as interpreting with Video Relay Service agencies. She became the IU ASL Program's first full-time staff interpreter and program assistant in 2015. Pam is an avid life-long learner and is passionate about continuing to enhance her interpretation proficiency as well as her command of ASL as a second language.
Session: Housing: A Window into Cultural Differences
Title: President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County
Email: goodlett@monroecountyhabitat.org
Bio: Wendi Goodlett is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County, where she has served since 2018. She is committed to providing access to affordable and sustainable homeownership opportunities for underserved populations, while building community and engaging people in Habitat's mission. With nearly twenty-five years of career and volunteer experience in development, she has proven success in cultivating relationships to increase involvement and financial support of the organization. Prior to taking on the CEO role, Wendi worked extensively in development and advancement, most recently as Director of Development for Major Gifts in the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and IU Foundation.
Session: Wellness in the Workplace 101: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown
Title: Career Coach, Walter Center for Career Achievement
Email: rboveja@indiana.edu
Bio: Rachel Nefertari Boveja, PhD, is teaching with the IU Walter Center for Career Achievement. Her passion for blending education, cultural understanding, diplomacy, and wellness demonstrates her love for holistic and interdisciplinary work. Rachel's background involves North African and Middle Eastern refugee health policy, epilepsy awareness and cultural diplomacy. Rachel is also the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) Co-Chair for Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS) in Washington, D.C., and a board member for the FBI Citizen's Academy with the Indianapolis Field Office. Outside of work, Rachel loves traveling, cooking, playing tennis and reading historical fiction.
Session: Wellness in the Workplace 101: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown
Title: Director of Student Support for Health and Wellness, Kelley School of Business
Email: thomasjc@iu.edu
Bio: Jen Thomas-Giyer is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Social Work, where she now serves as adjunct faculty. Jen has spent the last two decades working across a variety of settings, specializing in the neurodevelopment of language & behavior, anxiety & sensory regulation, trauma informed care, and program development. She is passionate about relationship-based practice, understanding and promoting the unique culture of communities, and intersectionality work in higher education. When at home, you can find Jen watching college sports (particularly SEC football and women's basketball), making up (and forgetting) recipes in the kitchen or trying to beat last year's GoodReads goal.
Session: Bridging the Divide: Addressing Cultural Differences Between Faculty and Staff for a More Inclusive Work Environment
Title: Director of Business, Chemistry
Email: millsad@indiana.edu
Bio: Ashley Mills is the Director of Finance and Administration for the Department of Chemistry. Prior to this appointment, she served as Assistant Director of Business in Chemistry and as Assistant Operations Manager and Interim Operations Manager for Lab Animal Resources. In her current role, Ashley has direct responsibility for 22 administrative staff and oversees the finances and operations for the entire Department of Chemistry, consisting of 230 graduate students, 400 undergraduate majors, 48 staff (technical and administrative), and 58 faculty. Ashley is a dedicated administrator who is strongly committed to having operations that are compliant and effective in accomplishing the research and teaching missions of the Department. She has worked hard to help her staff feel confident and fulfilled in their roles. She works closely with the Department Chair to define responsibilities for staff, faculty, and students in complex Department operations, to address concerns in faculty/staff interactions, and to strategize and plan for excellence in research and education.
Session: Bridging the Divide: Addressing Cultural Differences Between Faculty and Staff for a More Inclusive Work Environment
Title: Faculty and Event Support, Physics
Email: vcmunos@iu.edu
Session: Bridging the Divide: Addressing Cultural Differences Between Faculty and Staff for a More Inclusive Work Environment
Title: Distinguished Professor, Astronomy
Email: cpilacho@indiana.edu
Bio: Professor Pilachowski holds the Kirkwood Chair in Astronomy at Indiana University Bloomington, where she teaches and conducts research on the evolution of stars and the chemical history of the Milky Way Galaxy from studies of chemical composition of stars and star clusters. She served for more than 20 years on the scientific staff of the NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy research Laboratory in Tucson. In addition to her astronomical research, Professor Pilachowski has been active in the areas of light pollution, astronomical instrumentation, large telescope design and construction, electronic publications, women in science, and diversity. She has served on numerous national and international boards and committees and as President of the American Astronomical Society from 2002-2004. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Professor Pilachowski received a B.S. in Physics from Harvey Mudd College in California, and her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii.
Session: Bridging the Divide: Addressing Cultural Differences Between Faculty and Staff for a More Inclusive Work Environment
Title: Human Resources Business Partner, Chemistry
Email: mmrider@iu.edu
Bio:Mayghan Rider is the Human Resources Business Partner for the Department of Chemistry. Prior to that she spent over ten years working in human resources in industry. In her ten months so far in the Department of Chemistry Mayghan has facilitated the hiring of over twenty staff, scientists, and faculty and has engaged in supporting many other staff in developing their workplace skills. Mayghan is has a strong interest in building a professional and inclusive work environment where staff and faculty feel empowered to do their best work.
Session: Bridging the Divide: Addressing Cultural Differences Between Faculty and Staff for a More Inclusive Work Environment
Title: Professor and Department Chair, Chemistry
Email: tait@indiana.edu
Bio: Steven Tait is the Herman T. Briscoe Professor of Chemistry, Chair of the Department of Chemistry, Adjunct Professor of Physics, and Associate Director of the Electron Microscopy Center at Indiana University. He currently serves as co-chair of the College of Arts and Sciences Diversity and Inclusion Advisory and Action Committee. He leads a research group of graduate students, undergraduate students, and postdocs in studies of surface chemistry, catalysis, and nanoscience. Prof. Tait teaches courses in general chemistry, physical chemistry, and surface chemistry and was recognized with the 2022 IU James P. Holland and Morley Award for Exemplary Teaching and Service. In his role as Department Chair, Prof. Tait leads a department that includes 22 administrative staff and 26 technical staff, in addition to 65 faculty (tenure track and non-tenure track), 240 graduate students, and 400 undergraduate majors. These 48 staff are essential to the Department's success and Prof. Tait is learning every day about how staff and faculty work together to achieve student success, excellence in research, and impactful service to society.
Session: SCOTUS Impact on Higher Ed: Unpacking Effects
Title: Senior Director, Undergraduate Program, Director of Diversity Initiatives, Kelley School of Business
Email: jjcano@indiana.edu
Bio: Juan started with Indiana University in 2015 as a member of the Groups Scholars Program, serving as a retention specialist and eventually the assistant director. Juan joined the Kelley School of Business in the summer of 2023 as the Senior Director of the Undergraduate Program for the Kelley Office of Diversity, where he sets the strategic vision for the recruitment, retention, advising, and support of underrepresented undergraduate students at Kelley as well as oversees diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for the Undergraduate Program.
Session: Assistant Director of Diversity Initiatives, Kelley School of Business
Email: apgalvez@iu.edu
Bio: Anna is originally from Dallas. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education, Educational Studies, and Spanish from Texas Christian University. Anna spent six years as a high school Spanish teacher at public and independent schools, including her alma mater, Greenhill School, where she had a dual appointment as a DEI Coordinator. Anna graduated from IU in 2023 with her Master of Science in Higher Education & Student Affairs.
Session: Working with Autistic Colleagues: What You Need to Know about Neurodiversity and the Workplace
Presenter: Cecilia Buckley
Title: Research Associate, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
Email: cepobuck@iu.edu
Bio: Cecilia Pohs Buckley has a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison with an emphasis in multicultural counseling. In her role as Research Associate at the Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC) at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at IU, Cecilia oversees development and delivery of state and national training programs for rehabilitation professionals with an emphasis on employment. Cecilia's background in disability services spans over twenty years and includes vocational rehabilitation counseling, crisis management, case management, residential services, job coaching, and teaching in a variety of public and private settings. Cecilia identifies as autistic and serves as the faculty advisor for the Neurodiversity Coalition at Indiana University Bloomington.
Session: Email Communication Styles Across Cultures
Office of International Services