Panelist Introduction:
Ke’Ana Bradley, Ph.D., is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has worked as a student affairs administrator in higher education for more than 15 years. She currently serves as Assistant Director of Justice Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion & Early Career Engagement for NASPA – Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education. She holds a doctorate degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, master’s degrees from Southern Methodist University and the University of the Incarnate Word, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Vandana Nandakumar, Ph.D., recently graduated with a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington. Currently, she works as a Senior Research Associate for a Head Start grant with the College of Education at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her research focuses on international students’ academic and social adjustment, mental health, academic advising, and issues as it relates to persistence and retention at the graduate level.
Tiara Thomas, Ph.D., is currently employed at the Coordinator of the Title IV-E Child Welfare Program at the UTA School of Social Work. She has over 5 years of experience in higher education, ranging from academic advising to the Office of Student Conduct, and direct practice experience in social work as a CPS investigator and parole officer. Dr. Thomas holds a BSW degree from Rutgers Univ and MSW from the Univ of Maryland. She completed her Ph.D. at UTA in ELPS in Summer 2021, and her research interests include faculty experiences, social work student experiences, and social work education.
Panelist Introduction:
Patrick Jackson, MPA, is a higher education professional with over eight years of experience in student access and success. Patrick currently serves as the Assistant Director of Transition Programs and Services at The University of Texas at Arlington, where he develops programs designed to support the successful transition for new students. Prior to that, Patrick served as the Assistant Director of Admissions at UTA for four years, where he managed transfer enrollment initiatives and programming. A native of Port Arthur, Texas, Patrick began working at UTA in September 2014. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 2012 and his Master’s Degree in Public Administration in 2018 from UTA.
Kathleen (Katy) Launius, ME.D., has more than a decade of experience in student affairs and currently serves as the inaugural Associate Dean of Support Programs at Dallas College. In this role, she leads the college’s development of five new support programs designed to increase access and success for those historically excluded from and underserved in higher education. Katy completed her Master’s in Education and Bachelor of Arts at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin. She is a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and her research focuses on how higher education policies promote and limit college access and success at community colleges.
J.C. Stoner, Ph.D., is the Associate Director for Housing Operations at the University of Texas at Dallas. He oversees 40+ essential full-time staff, including coordinators, housekeepers, and marketing staff. During summer, he also manages the maintenance make-ready process for summer camps and fall move-in. Throughout the pandemic, his job responsibilities have included managing the sanitation, cleaning, and resetting of isolation rooms; generating daily “do not enter” room lists for maintenance and housekeeping; and serving on the leadership COVID rotation initiating contact, and moving students into isolation. Prior to 2019, he served 14 years in residence life at two different institutions.