Keynote Speakers

2026 Keynote Speakers

Yohuru Williams, Ph.D.

Dr. Yohuru Williams is the Distinguished University Chair and Professor of History and Founding Director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas. He received his Ph.D. from Howard University in 1998. Dr. Williams is the author, co-author, and editor of eleven books, including Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter and More Than A Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, which was longlisted for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature. Dr. Williams has appeared on a variety of local and national television and radio programs, including the History Channel, CNN, Fox Business News, NPR, BET, and ABC. His scholarly articles have been published in the American Bar Association’s Insights on Law and Society and the Journal of Civil and Human Rights.

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Sekile Nzinga, Ph.D.

Dr. Sekile M. Nzinga is an interdisciplinary executive leader and practitioner whose expertise spans academic, governmental, therapeutic, arts, and not-for-profit sectors. She currently serves as the Vice President of Campus Enrichment and Community Engagement at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and she was appointed as Illinois’ inaugural Chief Equity Officer. Prior to her state service, she was a tenured professor of social work and director of a campus-based women’s center. Sekile is the author of two books on parenting in higher education.

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Doreen Marshall, Ph.D.

Dr. Doreen Marshall received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the College of New Jersey. She earned her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Georgia State University. Dr. Marshall's clinical work has focused primarily on the treatment of suicide and suicide bereavement, depression, anxiety, and trauma.  She is nationally known for her work in suicide prevention and suicide bereavement. Dr. Marshall previously served as the Chief Executive Officer at the National Eating Disorders Association and the Vice President of Mission Engagement at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She is currently an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Psychology doctoral program at Brenau University. Dr. Marshall is a strong advocate for those with lived experience and works tirelessly to increase awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health conditions.

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Kirsten Behling, Ph.D.

Kirsten Behling is the Associate Dean of Student Accessibility & Academic Resources at Tufts University, where she oversees all academic support, including the accommodation process. Kirsten and her colleagues recently published Disability Services in Higher Education: An Insider’s Guide, which offers best practices to disability service providers. Kirsten also focuses her research on Universal Design for Learning and its impact all students and the instructors teaching them. Her book, Reach Everyone Teach Everyone: UDL in Higher Education, shares practical applications for instructors to begin “doing” UDL immediately. Kirsten frequently consults around disability service efforts and offers workshops and trainings on UDL.

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Past Conference Speakers

• Lilian Gonzalez
• Nessa Schrank
• Dr. Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, "Unearthing and Creating a Way Forward: Radical Healing in Communities of Color"
• Mr. Ray Cabrera, "From the Brick City to the Great Plains, Building Gateways that Create a Culture of Belonging and Student Success"
• Dr. Suzanne Johnson, "The Imperative of Turning Words into Actions: Equity is More than a Policy"
• Dr. Darrick Smith, "Equity and Excellence: Dealing with the Discomfort, Confusion, and the Shortcomings of the Academy"
• Dr. Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales, "A Steep, Uphill Climb: 5 Stories that Illuminate the Challenges Undocumented Students Face in Pursuit of Higher Education"
• Dr. Katie Spencer, "The Gender Affirmative Lifespan Approach: A Clinical Model for Gender Care for All Genders"