Quiana Gordon
Senior Program Advisor
Quiana Gordon
Senior Program Advisor
Quiana Howard Gordon is a Senior Program Advisor with the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. She has 15 years of experience working with various state agencies, higher education institutions, and college and career development organizations.
Mrs. Gordon has a passion for helping students reach their greatest potential. While working for the Georgia Career Information Center, Mrs. Gordon helped implement a statewide college and career development initiative for more than 1.6M secondary students in Georgia. She is excited to continue building upon the work she began with those students as they move through their postsecondary experience. As a graduate of Georgia State University, Mrs. Gordon also holds an M.Ed. in Adult and Career Education (ACED) from Valdosta State University. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in the same discipline. While Mrs. Gordon is a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, she has called many places home as an Army brat. Today, she celebrates 28 years as a Georgia Peach. She currently resides in Lilburn, Georgia.
Arnecia Watson
Lead Educational Technology Specialist
Arnecia Watson
Lead Educational Technology Specialist
Arnecia Watson serves as a Lead Educational Technology Specialist for the National Institute for Student Success. In this role, Ms. Watson helps support the team by assisting with content creation, research, and production. Ms. Watson has a true passion for learning and teaching and has over 8 years of experience in the education field. Prior to this role, she was an instructional designer for a corporation, a curriculum developer, and a primary school teacher. Ms. Watson has a Bachelor’s in Education from Florida Atlantic University and a Master’s in Educational Technology from the University of Central Florida.
Monique Farone
Data Analyst
Monique Farone
Data Analyst
Monique Farone is a Data Analyst at the National Institute for Student Success. She partners with clients to leverage data insights gleaned from information collected during the Diagnostic Analysis. She enjoys exploring new ways to present data in order to highlight key findings while tailoring to the unique needs of each client. Monique works to inspire data-driven decisions and programs that promote the holistic success for all students.
Darryl Stephens
Grants Manager
Darryl Stephens
Grants Manager
Darryl Stephens is an Atlanta native and received is B.B.A. in Marketing from Georgia State University. Darryl went on to pursue his M.B.A. from Howard University, focusing on finance and supply chain management. After completing his master’s degree, Darryl worked as a Sourcing Associate for the consulting firm Kearney, where he assisted client organizations with reducing their supplier costs. In 2018, Darryl joined the Howard University team as a Grants Manager, where he led the finance team on several federal grants including the Charles B. Rangel Grant, Donald M. Payne Grant, Thomas R. Pickering Grant, and the NOAA NCAS-M grant. Darryl has years of experience in preparing grant budgets, preparing financial reports, and tracking grant spending.
Lindsey Fifield
Director, Strategic Programs
Lindsey Fifield
Director, Strategic Programs
Lindsey Fifield is the Project Director for the Chatbot focused on retention and persistence communications. The chatbot supports the larger unit of Student Success through text nudging campaigns and AI enhanced support services for a variety of offices including Student Financial Services, Academic Advisement, Student Health and Wellness, Registration, Career Services, International Initiatives, Student Success programs along with other university initiatives. A leader in student centric communications, Lindsey has helped to maximize the use of chat-based technology on campus, scaling to over 35,000 undergrads while continuing to develop research initiatives in the realm of academic course nudging.
Ms. Fifield began her career at GSU in academic advising and worked with a team to strategically implement and develop predictive analytics into the advising culture. She received her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Abilene Christian University.
Andy Fentem, PhD
Program Advisor
Andy Fentem, PhD
Program Advisor
Dr. Andy Fentem serves as a Program Advisor, co-constructing with clients the NISS diagnostic analyses, playbook recommendations, and implementation steps. Dr. Fentem’s experience in higher education begins as a student, earning degrees from a small community college in Tifton, Georgia before continuing his educational career at Valdosta State University. In 2011, he began graduate school at Georgia State University where he also worked various roles including Writing Tutor, Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Teaching Assistant and Visiting Lecturer. Dr. Fentem holds a master’s degree in English and a Ph.D. in Postcolonial Literature. Dr. Fentem has experience navigating the complex systems associated with higher education at one of the smallest and then at one of the largest colleges and universities in Georgia. His passion for systemically, institutionally, and positively impacting student success comes from years engaging with higher education as a Pell and Georgia Hope recipient.
Matthew Dischinger, PhD
Assistant Director of Client Service Delivery
Matthew Dischinger, PhD
Assistant Director of Client Service Delivery
Dr. Matthew (Matt) Dischinger serves as an Assistant Director of Client Service Delivery in the Diagnostic and Implementation processes and supports the development of NISS’s Educational Programs and Learning Platforms. Dr. Dischinger began his career as a faculty member: first as a postdoc at Georgia Institute of Technology and later at Georgia State, where he served as a Lecturer in the Department of English. As a member of the faculty, Dr. Dischinger taught courses across the curriculum, served on committees related to curriculum design and Academic Program Review, and helped oversee mentorship programs for graduate teaching assistants. A graduate of Auburn University’s journalism program, Dr. Dischinger holds a doctorate in English from Louisiana State University.
Sade Tramble
Assistant Director of Client Service Delivery
Sade Tramble
Assistant Director of Client Service Delivery
Sade Tramble supports clients through their diagnostic analysis, playbook development, and implementation support. Sade has a passion for helping historically underrepresented students be successful in their academic careers in higher education, especially in majors they are not represented or historically do not perform in well.
Sade came to the NISS from Kennesaw State University where she was a director of academic advising. Prior to her time at Kennesaw, she worked at Georgia State University in academic advising on both the Atlanta and Perimeter College campuses. Sade has over 12 years of experience in higher education and is currently working on her doctorate degree from the University of West Georgia in Higher Education Administration. She received her master’s in education from the University of South Carolina and her bachelor’s from the University of South Alabama. Sade is also actively involved with NACADA (The Global Community for Academic Advising).
Briana Dayton
Program Advisor
Briana Dayton
Program Advisor
Briana Dayton supports clients through their diagnostic analysis and playbook development. She also coaches clients on implementing NISS recommendations on their campuses. Briana began her career as a high school social studies teacher. Briana earned her M.Ed. in Secondary Social Studies Education at Georgia State University and her B.A. in History and Political Science from Agnes Scott College. Briana’s passion for equitable educational access and improving student outcomes was built through her years of service preparing high school students for higher education.
Stefanie Wright
Program Advisor
Stefanie Wright
Program Advisor
Stefanie Wright supports clients through the diagnostic analysis and playbook and implementation support. Stefanie earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Old Dominion University. After serving in both Career Services and Multicultural Service at ODU, she transitioned to Academic Advising at Georgia Perimeter College where she held several roles within the unit over a 15-year period.
Upon the consolidation of GPC and Georgia State University, Stefanie served as an Assistant Director with the University Advisement Center for the GSU – Perimeter College Online team. She was also appointed Learning Support Coordinator for all Perimeter College campuses and led various cross-campus collaborative initiatives in support of increasing retention, progression, and graduation rates. Through this work, Stefanie experienced first-hand how the NISS strategies contribute to transformational change in student success outcomes.
Aditi Kar
Data Analyst
Aditi Kar Serves as the data analytics expert of institutional data and supports NISS with holistic management of data received from the partner institutions during the diagnostic process. She partners with the clients to better understand analytical needs and performs quantitative and qualitative assessment that provide insight into institutional effectiveness and student success.
Prior to her role at NISS, Aditi worked at various positions at the University of Georgia and Georgia State University that dealt with institutional outreach and student records at the granular level. She has a passion for finding meaning in data and loves to explore new ways to present the findings based on unique needs of end users. Aditi works to maximize the benefits of data use, gain a deeper understanding of student needs, and develop effective models to better serve students.
Sandra Bethea
Grants Officer
Sandra Bethea
Grants Officer
Sandra Bethea is a results-driven and community-focused leader for nonprofits, foundations, government, and educational entities in the areas of program development and implementation, outcomes and evaluation, and resource development. With more than 20 years of experience, she has supported hundreds of organizations and foundations across the country in developing outcomes-based grant applications, program designs, and evaluation frameworks. She is characterized by many as being a thought leader in creating proven results, collaborative solutions, and sustainable change.
Sandra has a Master of Science Administration with a concentration in Philanthropy and Fundraising. Sandra is a Certified Project Management Professional and a Certified Grants Professional. Sandra has a life-long commitment to building effective coalitions, increasing the capacity of organizations, empowering people, and strengthening communities.
Kelly Koch
Program Advisor
Kelly Koch
Program Advisor
As a NISS coach, Kelly Koch supports clients through diagnostic analysis and playbook development. She also coaches clients with implementing NISS recommendations on their campuses. Kelly’s passion for removing institutional barriers and implementing data-driven student success initiatives was built over numerous years of working one-on-one with students in both advising and tutoring.
Kelly Koch came to the NISS from Columbus State University where she served as the Associate Director of Advising. Kelly has over 12 years of advising experience in higher education and is currently working on her doctorate degree from Columbus State University in higher education administration. She also received both her master’s in higher education leadership and bachelor’s in English, with a concentration in professional writing from Columbus State University.
Genesis Thigpen
Project Director: NISS Fellow
Genesis Thigpen
Project Director: NISS Fellow
Genesis Thigpen is the NISS Fellow for the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Genesis holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Spelman College, a certificate in Financial Accounting from Harvard Business School, and a master’s in Educational Leadership, Organization, and Entrepreneurship from Harvard University.
Genesis began her professional career in corporate & investment banking and later transitioned from finance to higher education, fueled by her passion for student success, college completion, post-graduation student outcomes, and upward mobility for students from underrepresented backgrounds. After serving in a variety of roles across finance, higher education, research & project management, grant implementation, and student success, Genesis is now the inaugural Project Director: NISS Fellow where she works across NISS service platforms and supports the team in the delivery of services to partner institutions, ensuring strong systems are in place to make organization-wide decisions, and managing those processes to drive strategic and effective change at higher education institutions across the nation.
Destiny Boyd
Business Manager
Destiny Boyd
Business Manager
Destiny Boyd serves as the Business Manager for the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. A native of Atlanta, GA, Destiny holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from DeVry University and a Master’s in Accounting and Financial Management from Keller Graduate School of Management. Destiny began her professional career in the United States Air Force. She began her higher education career within the University System of Georgia as an administrative professional, and she was quickly promoted, attaining the needed skill sets no matter what the job title. Destiny now serves the NISS as the primary person responsible for coordination of the budget and personnel matters of NISS operations.
Kidist Daniel
Administrative Specialist
Kidist Daniel
Administrative Specialist
Kidist Daniel is the Administrative Specialist at the National Institute for Student Success, an Atlanta native, and a Georgia State University alumnus. Kidist specializes in administrative technology and is responsible for educating other employees on using progressive systems and applications, including traveling software, mass communication procedures, and organizational apps. Kidist is a delightful yet hard working force in the workplace and uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed.
Tim Fulton, PhD
Senior Data Analyst
Tim Fulton, PhD
Senior Data Analyst
Tim is a Senior Data Analyst with the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. Tim leverages a multidisciplinary background to transform data into actionable insight and develop evidence-based strategies that improve student success. He enjoys creating informative data visualizations that effectively and memorably communicate the story of the data. Tim earned a PhD in Physiology from Indiana University and a BA in Economics from the University of Northern Iowa.
Priscilla Bell, PhD
Associate Director, NISS Incubator
Priscilla Bell, PhD
Associate Director, NISS Incubator
Dr. Priscilla Bell serves at the Associate Director for the NISS Incubator at Georgia State University where she oversees the development and execution of research projects associated with the NISS. The Incubator team strives to advance the field of data-informed student success across the country through the generation and presentation of relevant, high-quality content. Prior to beginning at the NISS, Priscilla worked in a number of student success roles that focused, respectively, on access, transition, retention, and degree completion with a particular emphasis on supporting first-generation/low-income students and students of color. Priscilla earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Florida, her M.Ed in College Student Affairs from Penn State, and her Ph.D. in Schools, Society, and Culture from the University of Florida.
Chris Curtis
Program Advisor
Chris Curtis
Program Advisor
As Program Advisor, Chris Curtis supports clients through diagnostic analysis, playbook development, and implementation steps. Chris began his career as a high school teacher where he developed his passion for student success. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from the Pennsylvania State University. Over his career in both public and private education, Chris has helped to identify areas for institutional and individual growth and pushed to improve outcomes for all students. Through his commitment to student success and his skills in data analysis, coaching, and program implementation, Chris helps NISS partner institutions identify and resolve barriers to student success.
Todd Shutley
Chief Operating Officer at InLight Real Estate Partners
Todd Shutley
Chief Operating Officer at InLight Real Estate Partners
Todd is Chief Operating Officer at InLight Real Estate Partners focusing on operational excellence. He has over 30 years of experience in capital markets, real estate, and financial services. Todd started his career at SunTrust and spent over 20 years at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. In 1995, he founded the Structured Real Estate Group, creating innovative real estate capital structures for corporate clients. The group provides debt and equity capital for various real estate projects, generally for single tenants. Since inception, the Structured Real Estate Group has provided over $15 Billion in real estate capital to clients of the bank. Todd was also the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey for 3 years and Executive Vice President, Head of Specialties in the commercial bank. Prior to joining InLight, he served as Chief Specialty Banking Officer and EVP with Ameris Bank, where he was responsible for the specialty banking division including premium finance, dealer services, Small Business Administration, and USDA government-guaranteed lending lines of business. Todd has a Master’s of Science in Finance from Georgia State University, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Georgia, and is a CFA charter holder.
Kelt Kindick
Advisory Partner at Bain & Company
Kelt Kindick
Advisory Partner at Bain & Company
Kelt Kindick is a leader in Bain’s Social Impact practice focusing on addressing inequities in K-12 and higher education. He also advises clients on governance issues especially related to the role and duties of the board of directors.
Kelt joined Bain & Company in 1980 and was elected partner in 1986. He has served as managing director of Bain’s Boston office, chairman of the firm’s management committee, chief investment officer and global CFO.
From 2003 to 2005, Kelt took a leave of absence to serve as the chief financial officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reporting to Governor Mitt Romney.
Kelt is the lead director of Devon Energy. He has also served on the boards of WPX Energy, The Advisory Board Company and Beacon Health Strategies.
Rebecca Russell
Partner at Bain & Company
Rebecca Russell
Partner at Bain & Company
Rebecca Russell is a member of Bain & Company’s Consumer Products practice.
She has 14 years of consulting experience with Bain. Rebecca primarily advises consumer products and retail clients undergoing large-scale transformations. She has deep experience in operating model redesign, behavior change, and establishing agile enterprises. Rebecca has additionally led work spanning adjacency growth, corporate diligence, and performance improvement at Bain.
In addition to her client work, she is an active member of the Womxn at Bain affinity group, is very engaged in Bain’s associate consultant recruiting efforts, and leads Atlanta’s Social Impact education pillar.
Rebecca holds an MBA from The Wharton School, where she was a Palmer Scholar, and an undergraduate degree, with honors, from Washington & Lee University. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.
Barbara Sullivan
Vice President at Fidelity Foundation
Barbara Sullivan
Vice President at Fidelity Foundation
Kristin Ohnstad
Chief Talent Officer at Oxeon
Kristin Ohnstad
Chief Talent Officer at Oxeon
Kristin has spent her career building and growing innovative human capital-centered companies across the education and healthcare sectors in a variety of leadership roles. Her experience spans mission-driven startup and growth stage companies in both the private and non-profit space. She’s an accomplished executive, operator, and people leader, specializing in spearheading strategy, growth, organizational development, change leadership, and communications.
Most recently, Kristin was the Chief Talent Officer at Oxeon, a venture studio, investment, and executive search firm in healthcare, where she led to and through a Founder-to-CEO transition and other strategic people and communications initiatives. Prior to that, Kristin was the Head of Growth for The KIND Foundation where she was a founding executive. She oversaw the creation, launch, marketing and communications, and international expansion of the $20M signature corporate social responsibility initiative, Empatico, an ed-tech platform to develop empathy among children around the world. Before that, she spent 7 years at Teach For America during its peak growth years, culminating in the role of Vice President, Strategy. There, she developed the organization’s national strategy, pivoting from a teacher pipeline to a leadership pipeline, and pioneered their national executive leadership program, recognized for its innovative methodology and impact.
Kristin is Vice Chair of the Board of Futures Ignite, which was incubated in a NYC public high school to significantly increase graduation and college rates and is now growing. She is also an Advisory Board Member of the National Institute of Student Success, which replicates the pioneering, nationally recognized work at Georgia State that radically improved graduation rates and closed equity gaps at other college institutions.
Kristin got her start as a journalist, as a second grade teacher, and by learning from her serial-entrepreneur father who showed her both the power and risk of entrepreneurship to create positive change and impact. Growing up in a low-income household, she has personally experienced the life-changing effects of quality education, healthcare, and financial literacy. She grew up on the west coast and now Brooklyn, NY is home, where she lives with her husband Chad, son Hayes, and dog Fia.
Jen Wu
Venture Partner at Reach Capital
Jen Wu
Venture Partner at Reach Capital
Jen is a venture partner with Reach Capital. Reach is an impact investing fund that backs mission-driven founders developing edtech solutions that improve access to opportunity through education. Jen leads Reach’s impact efforts, articulating Reach’s approach to impact and providing support to companies to measure and deepen their impact. Jen has operational experience in tech startups, K12 districts, and education non-profits in functional areas such as product management, teaching, and school improvement coaching. Reach’s higher ed portfolio includes Mainstay (chatbot), Stellic (degree management), Riipen (work-based learning), and Handshake (transition to careers),
Natalie Grandison
Director, Higher Education & Strategy at A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation
Natalie Grandison
Director, Higher Education & Strategy at A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation
Natalie Grandison serves as the Director of Higher Education & Strategy at the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. She believes deeply in the value of community investment, meaningful social impact and the potential for systems to change, especially in higher education scholarship administration and student supports.
At the Clark Foundation, Natalie’s portfolio has committed nearly $400 million in philanthropic capital to date to ensure high-potential students with financial need can access a high-quality engineering education. Her primary responsibility is managing the scholarship arm of the Foundation’s signature academic investment, the A. James Clark Scholars Program, which will support over 450 students at 11 campuses nationwide in perpetuity.
In addition to the Clark Scholars Program, her work involves investing in organizations that empower leaders to creatively develop solutions to support the whole student beyond financial aid and in the classroom. Natalie oversees the Foundation’s multi-year investment of nearly $220 million in students, faculty, infrastructure, and research at the University of Maryland.
She serves on the Board of Trustees Engineering Foundation at the University of Virginia. Natalie also serves on the Advisory & External Evaluation Board for the National Science Foundation Project, “Better Together: Leveraging the Shared Commitment of Community Colleges and HBCUs to Optimize Black Engineering Student Pathways.”
Previously, Natalie was the Director of External Relations in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, where she focused on development, corporate and public relations, external outreach, board management, and communications. Prior to that, she worked in development at George Washington University; City Year – Washington, DC; and New York University.
Natalie volunteered on the Board of Jubilee Jumpstart, an early childhood education center; and as President of the Board for the Congressional Chorus, where she is a singer and dancer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Business and a Master’s in Public Administration from New York University. She resides in Washington, DC with her husband and daughter.
Engrid Roy, EdD
Program Advisor
Engrid Roy, EdD
Program Advisor
Dr. Engrid Roy is a Program Advisor/NISS Coach, supporting clients through diagnostic analysis, playbook development, and implementation steps. She has over 15 years of experience in higher education; most of those years were spent teaching at what is now Perimeter College at Georgia State University. Having taught first-year students for nearly a decade, Dr. Roy is familiar with many of the challenges—academic and non-academic—that today’s students, specifically minoritized and first-generation college students, face. As a lecturer, she embedded an array of non-academic skills into each of her courses to equip students with the confidence and the “know-how” to navigate the college environment. Dr. Roy has also served as a dissertation coach and editor for over a decade, supporting doctoral candidates as they work through barriers to program and dissertation completion.
Dr. Roy holds a doctorate in Adult and Career Education (Valdosta State University), a Master’s in English/Professional Writing (University of Memphis), and a Bachelor’s in sociology (University of Southern Mississippi). Some of her other experience includes single-gender urban education, medical and academic editing, grant writing, and human resources.
Dionne Clark
Project Director: NISS Fellow
Dionne Clark
Project Director: NISS Fellow
Dionne Clark serves as NISS Fellow: Project Manager for the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. Dionne brings over ten years of experience in non-profit operations, program administration and management, and public programming. Dionne has led and supported programming and operations in university research centers and managed and directed statewide and national programming at humanities-based non-profit organizations. In addition to her non-profit experience, Dionne has over fifteen years of research and instructional experience in the humanities. She has a M.A. in African and African American Studies, and she is currently completing her doctoral studies in English – Literary Studies. Her research and pedagogy engage African American history and culture, literature, and narratives of race, place/space, and memory in the U.S. South. In her professional and academic work, Dionne strives to serve and engage diverse communities and extend research beyond the academy to foster partnerships with diverse communities, cultural and educational institutions, and public and private industries. As NISS Fellow: Project Manager, Dionne plays a pivotal role in supporting the organization’s mission by overseeing the planning and execution of institute convenings.
Eric Cuevas
Senior Director, Student Success
Eric Cuevas
Senior Director, Student Success
Eric Cuevas leads programs and offices designed to provide access to and success in higher education for undergraduate students on all six campuses of Georgia State. He oversees nearly a dozen grants and partnerships, provides leadership and oversight to more than 20 student success initiatives, and directs more than 85 full-time employees in one of the most diverse units at the university. He also serves on numerous committees and initiatives, including chairing the University Staff Council. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and business from Florida International University, a master’s degree in sports management from Georgia Southern University and is a doctoral candidate in higher educational leadership at Valdosta State University.
Raishell Adams, PhD
Director, Advising
Raishell Adams, PhD
Director, Advising
Tarrah Mirus
Associate Vice President & University Registrar
Tarrah Mirus
Associate Vice President & University Registrar
Tarrah Mirus is the University Registrar and has been serving in such a capacity in the University System of Georgia since 2011. She joined the Georgia State team in 2016, bringing with her a background in curriculum management, instructional technology, analytics and customer service management. The Office of the Registrar team is responsible for registration, compliance, transcript management, degree conferral, document management, classroom scheduling and academic data reporting. Tarrah holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from East Carolina University and a master’s degree in curriculum, instruction and adult education.
Jennifer Condon
Associate Director for Student Success
Jennifer Condon
Associate Director for Student Success
Heather Housley
Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement
Heather Housley
Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement
Jenise Stafford
Strategic Coordinator for Data and Reporting
Jenise Stafford
Strategic Coordinator for Data and Reporting
William Davis
PRMC Assistant Director, Video Production and New Media
William Davis
PRMC Assistant Director, Video Production and New Media
Torri Williams
Associate Vice President of Student Financial Services
Torri Williams
Associate Vice President of Student Financial Services
Torri Williams is the Director of Student Accounts. She is responsible for the billing, control and custodianship of university receivables and related records. She oversees daily operations related to Accounts Receivables, Collections and Quality Assurance. Ms. Williams works collaboratively with the Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services, the Enrollment Management Group, Student Financial Services and university staff to provide strategic leadership in pursuit of student success initiatives.
Caroline King
Lead Educational Technology Specialist
Caroline King
Lead Educational Technology Specialist
Caroline King serves as a Lead Educational Technology Specialist for the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. Ms. King has worked in the field of Education for 10 years, passionately advocating for effective and equitable community development and social change both locally and internationally.
Caroline holds Bachelor’s degrees in Music and International Affairs from Sweet Briar College. During this time, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Paris, where she attended the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, studying European Politics, and the Schola Cantorum, studying Flute Performance. Feeling drawn to the field of Education, Ms. King returned to France after graduating to teach English and Music at a high-need elementary school. She then moved back to her hometown of Atlanta to work in program management and teach for local music and early-childhood education nonprofits. Ms. King began her time with Georgia State University as a Master’s student in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management. She then progressed to the role of Administrative Coordinator for Georgia State’s College to Career QEP initiative. In this role and in her current position, she has had the opportunity to witness and support the inspirational Student Success initiatives that provide systemic, equitable transformations in the field of Higher Education.
Julie Fowkes
Associate Director, Educational Programs and Learning Platforms
Julie Fowkes
Associate Director, Educational Programs and Learning Platforms
Julie Fowkes supports the Accelerator Director in the development of the NISS’s accelerator and coaching curriculum. She creates online instructional materials, including tailored training programs, interactive learning modules, and online reference materials. She also supports content strategy for the design of the NISS accelerator website and learning management system. In addition, she facilitates curriculum development for the College to Career program and instructional design in multiple subject areas.
Julie holds a Master’s Degree in English and will soon defend her Ph.D. Dissertation in 18th-Century British Literature. In addition to her studies, Julie worked as a Curriculum Designer and Graduate Teaching Assistant trainer in the Department of English at Georgia State University. She also served as Project Director in the Office of Student Success.
Tanya Stuhr
Lead Educational Technology Specialist
Tanya Stuhr
Lead Educational Technology Specialist
Tanya Stuhr supports the Director and Associate Director of Educational Programs in designing and developing content for the NISS’s learning platforms. Tanya holds a Master’s degree in English and also has a Master’s degree in Intercultural Studies. She taught English for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system before joining Georgia State’s English department as a Ph.D. student with a concentration in Rhetoric and Composition. After arriving in Atlanta, she taught first-year composition as part of the graduate program at GSU and also worked as a writing teacher for K-12 students. In addition to her work at the NISS, Tanya continues to work on her Ph.D. studies.
Timothy M. Renick, PhD
Founding Executive Director
Timothy M. Renick, PhD
Founding Executive Director
In 2020, Dr. Timothy Renick became Founding Executive Director of Georgia State University’s new National Institute for Student Success. Prior to this transition, Dr. Renick served for thirteen years as Senior Vice President for Student Success, leading a series of innovations that established Georgia State as an internationally recognized leader in student success and enrollment strategies. Under Dr. Renick’s leadership, Georgia State saw a 70% improvement in graduation rates and the elimination of achievement gaps based on students’ race, ethnicity, and income levels.
Dr. Renick has testified on strategies for helping university students succeed before the U. S. Senate and has twice been invited to speak at the White House. His work has been cited by former President Barack Obama and has been covered by national news media, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, and CNN.
Dr. Renick was named one of the Most Innovative People in Higher Education by Washington Monthly, was the recipient of the Award for National Leadership in Student Success Innovation and was awarded the McGraw Prize in Higher Education. In 2021, Fortune named him one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Dr. Renick has served as principal investigator for more than $60 million in grants to support the success of college students.
A professor of religious studies, he has previously served as Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Director of the Honors Program, and Vice Provost. A summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, Dr. Renick holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University.
Allison Calhoun-Brown, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Success at Georgia State University
Allison Calhoun-Brown, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Success at Georgia State University
Since 2008, she has had oversight of the University’s Academic Advisement Center as well as all Georgia State Success programs, using data to develop strategic initiatives to promote student achievement, facilitate academic progression and increase graduation rates. Incorporating the use of predictive analytics, Dr. Calhoun-Brown has implemented new and innovative programming to address issues of effective academic advising, unmet student financial need, curricular progression barriers and support for at-risk students. Her areas of expertise include proactive advising, degree mapping, meta majors, momentum-year strategies, completion grants and other initiatives. Dr. Calhoun-Brown graduated with honors from Oberlin College and earned master’s and doctor’s degrees in Political Science from Emory University.
Jessica Rowland Williams, PhD
Senior Director of Client Service Delivery
Jessica Rowland Williams, PhD
Senior Director of Client Service Delivery
Dr. Jessica Rowland Williams serves at the Senior Director of Client Service Delivery of the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University where she oversees the end-to-end delivery of services to clients and the continued development of cutting-edge student success solutions. She also manages a team of program advisors, who provide best-in-class consulting services to institutions by leveraging content experts and product innovations that sit at the forefront of student success. Jessica previously served as the Director of Every Learner Everywhere, a network of organizations with a mission to help institutions use new technology to innovate teaching and learning to support student success. As Director, she provided leadership and vision for the network and lead the operation of the network strategy. Prior to this role, Jessica served as the Completion Grant Initiative Project Director for University Innovation Alliance. She also worked as Project Director in Georgia State University’s Office of the Senior Vice President of Student Success.
Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and earned both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University. During her time at Princeton University, Jessica served four years as a Diversity Fellow in the Office of Academic Affairs and Diversity and was honored with the Patrice Y. Johnson *80 Memorial Service Award by the Association of Black Princeton Alumni in recognition of her high levels of performance and service to the university. Jessica has devoted her career to helping institutions better serve marginalized students.
Carol Cohen
Associate Vice President of the University Advisement Center
Carol Cohen
Associate Vice President of the University Advisement Center
An expert on proactive advising, Carol instituted mandatory advising for all freshman students, successfully implemented an advising system to track progression and established tracking and communication processes to ensure that advisement needs of students were being met. In 1990, Ms. Cohen began her career in academic advising in the Georgia State Athletic Department, implementing the first academic support program for student-athlete development. Carol received her bachelor’s degree from Berry College and her master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Georgia State.
Angela M. Christie, PhD
Senior Director of Educational Programs and Learning Platforms and Faculty Director, QEP: College to Career
Angela M. Christie, PhD
Senior Director of Educational Programs and Learning Platforms and Faculty Director, QEP: College to Career
Dr. Angela Christie oversees the development of the NISS’s accelerator and implementation pathway courses. She leads the team responsible for website design, platform implementation, marketing and branding and technical writing, and content development. Dr. Christie also designs deliverable solutions for NISS clients , serves as the Faculty Director of GSU’s College to Career program, and is the NISS subject matter expert in the area.
Dr. Christie was selected as the faculty director of the next Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP): College to Career: Career Readiness through Everyday Competencies in fall 2018. College to Career is a university-wide initiative that will increase students’ ability to recognize and demonstrate the career competencies they are learning through their curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences. As faculty director, Dr. Christie oversees the development, refinement and implementation of College to Career and works with units and personnel across the university. She is working with departments to design their plans for QEP participation, conducting periodic surveys and assessments to measure the QEP’s success, and planning activities to raise faculty and student awareness about the QEP on all campuses. A principal senior lecturer on the Atlanta Campus in the Department of English, Dr. Christie has been the associate director of Lower Division Studies since 2007. In that capacity, she has mentored graduate teaching assistants, edited the university’s Guide to First-Year Writing, served as the assessment reporter for the department’s core courses and developed paired-instructor courses for the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Christie has led her department in developing college-to-career assignments, curricula and pedagogical practices in core courses and the major.
Crystal Mitchell
Director, University Advisement Center
Crystal Mitchell
Director, University Advisement Center
Crystal Mitchell serves as the Director of the University Advising Center at Georgia State University. For 27 years, Crystal has served the Georgia State community in a variety of roles within the University Advising Center. From her tenure as an Academic Coordinator, Academic Advisor, Graduation Counselor, Senior Coordinator, Assistant Director, and Associate Director, Crystal has always been for the advancement of student success. Throughout her career, Ms. Mitchell has primarily focused on utilizing predictive analytics to implement strategic advising practices, developing cross campus collaborative initiatives, and innovative services in support of increasing the retention, progression, and graduation metrics at Georgia State University for two-year and four-year students.
Ms. Mitchell is a resident of Atlanta, Georgia, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration at Clayton State University and a Master of Education in Higher Education at Georgia Southern University.
Ben Brandon
Senior Director of Student Success Analytics
Ben Brandon
Senior Director of Student Success Analytics
Ben generates insights from data to positively impact the outcomes and experiences of Georgia State students. He has served in research and analytics roles at Georgia State for over a decade and leads a team responsible for the management and evaluation of a wide portfolio of Student Success programs, including the administration of Georgia State’s chatbot to more than 30,000 undergraduate students. Ben has lead research and analytics initiatives funded by the U.S. Department of Education, The Kresge Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts. A native of Atlanta, Ben holds a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Georgia, a master’s in Economics from Georgia State University, and a master’s in Analytics from Georgia Tech.
Scott Burke
Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions and Housing
Scott Burke
Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions and Housing
Scott Burke is Associate Vice President and Director of Admissions. He is responsible for university policies and regulations that affect admissions and new student enrollment. Mr. Burke also oversees the planning, development and implementation of recruitment strategies and special projects. He has been with Georgia State since 2008. During his tenure, he has been instrumental in increasing recruitment and enrollment of domestic and international students. He was instrumental in the deployment of a Chat Bot into the admissions process to assist with lowering “summer melt.”
Jennifer Lee
Assistant Director University Advisement Center
Jennifer Lee
Assistant Director University Advisement Center
Atia Lindley
Director Student Financial Management Center
Atia Lindley
Director Student Financial Management Center
Atia Lindley is the Director of the SunTrust Student Financial Management Center and the Perimeter College Student Financial Management Centers. She works with students, faculty and staff to increase financial aid student awareness, access and engagement and to boost financial literacy program participation.
Ben Brandon
Senior Director of Student Success Analytics
Ben Brandon
Senior Director of Student Success Analytics
Ben generates insights from data to positively impact the outcomes and experiences of Georgia State students. He has served in research and analytics roles at Georgia State for over a decade and leads a team responsible for the management and evaluation of a wide portfolio of Student Success programs, including the administration of Georgia State’s chatbot to more than 30,000 undergraduate students. Ben has lead research and analytics initiatives funded by the U.S. Department of Education, The Kresge Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts. A native of Atlanta, Ben holds a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Georgia, a master’s in Economics from Georgia State University, and a master’s in Analytics from Georgia Tech.
Ramona Simien
Director, University Career Services
Ramona Simien
Director, University Career Services
Ramona joined Georgia State University in 2005. As the Director of Employer Relations, she enjoys branding Georgia State University and giving students a fresh, new look at career opportunities. Students and employers can contact Ramona for campus engagement related to special populations and programming for strategic recruitment goals. Ramona is a consultant, coach, and mentor to many. She is a University of Cincinnati alum, a native of New Orleans, LA, and currently resides in Atlanta, GA. In her free time, she enjoys crafts, volunteering, history, music, and sports.
Winnie Tsang-Kosma
Director of Information Systems
Winnie Tsang-Kosma
Director of Information Systems
Dr. Winnie Tsang-Kosma has been a University Administrator since 1995 leading the support of student success by minimizing technology-related barriers for students, faculty, and staff. She serves as a functional expert liaison for internal and external technical teams to assist with technologies evaluation and supports Student Information System implementation for process improvement and university academic polices as well as any related third-party systems to work with existing technologies. She is experienced in the design, development and delivery of cost-effective, high-performance implementation solutions to meet challenging organization technological change demands for the higher education environment.
John Smith
Senior Program Advisor
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