Inclusive Leadership Development Program

Erin Binkley
Associate Professor
Counseling

Dr. Binkley is an Associate Professor of Counseling at Wake Forest University. She received her PhD in Counselor Education and Counseling at Idaho State University (2010) and her Master’s of Counseling at Wake Forest University (2007). Her teaching and research interests are focused on advocacy and social justice issues in counseling and counselor education, crisis and trauma counseling, creativity in counseling, and counselor preparation. She has worked in both public school and mental health settings, and currently practices at Trinity Center, Inc. in Winston-Salem, NC as a mental health counselor serving young adults and individuals impacted by trauma. She is licensed in the state of North Carolina as an LCMHC and Qualified Supervisor, is a trained EMDR practitioner, and is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP).

Dionnia Brown
Associate Director
Financial Aid

Dionnia Brown is a dynamic higher education professional with over two decades of experience, currently serving as Associate Director of Financial Aid at Wake Forest University. With a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from McKendree University, she leads efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), notably spearheading the implementation of the RIDE Framework in her division. Dionnia holds certifications in Diversity and Intercultural Competence from Wake Forest University and an Inclusive Workplace Culture credential from SHRM. Her commitment to equity extends beyond campus, engaging in the Winston Salem community through roles with the REACH Women’s Network, the Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem, and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Dionnia’s professional and community leadership reflects her passion for fostering inclusivity, enhancing educational access, and driving positive social change.

Rodrigo Castro
Director, Public Services
ZSR Library

Rodrigo Castro serves as the Director of Public Services at Wake Forest University’s Z. Smith Reynolds Library. Before joining Wake Forest University, Rodrigo served as Head Librarian for Access Services at Boston College’s Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Library, Director of Library Services at Barry University’s Monsignor William Barry Memorial Library, and Head of Access Services at University of Miami’s Otto G. Richter Library. Rodrigo has extensive experience in all areas of public services and has served in multiple professional committees and working groups. Currently, Rodrigo co-chairs the North Carolina Library Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee; and serves as vice-chair of North Carolina Library Association’s Leadership, Administration & Management Section. Previously, Rodrigo co-chaired Boston Library Consortium’s Access Services Community of Interest, Resource Sharing Community of Interest, and Equity Diversity & Inclusion Best Practices Working Group. Rodrigo holds a BA in English from Florida International University, and a MLIS from the University of South Florida. In his spare time, Rodrigo enjoys reading contemporary Latin-American Literature and spending time with his family.

Jamie E Crockett
Associate Professor
Counseling

Jamie E. Crockett PhD is an Associate Professor and Co-Graduate Program Director in Wake Forest University’s Department of Counseling. She holds a B.A. in Studio Art with a minor in Psychology, an M.S. in Counseling, and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education. She teaches a wide range of Counseling courses including Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling, Helping Skills, and Psychopharmacology for Counselors. Her clinical and research interests include social justice, culture, feminist theory, advocacy, ethics, neuroscience informed-counseling, self-directed violence, contemplative practices, attachment theory, emotion, and self-regulation.

Mary Crosby 
Associate Counsel 
Legal Department 

Mary Crosby is an experienced higher education employment attorney, having served both public and private institutions in outside counsel and in-house roles for over 15 years. Mary previously served as in-house employment counsel for a large R1 public university where she regularly advised on a range of student and employment-related matters, including litigation, faculty disputes, and discrimination. Prior to her in-house roles, Mary also practiced employment law at a full-service regional law firm in Charlotte, NC where she was a member of the Education Section with a focus on supporting private institutions of higher education and K-12 school systems.

Jessica Francis
Executive Director, Global Abroad 
Center for Global Programs and Studies 

Jessica Francis is the Executive Director for Global Abroad Programs in the Center for Global Programs and Studies, where she leads the development of semester, short term and summer programs and ethical community-based global learning initiatives. She also oversees the ongoing review of all for-credit abroad programming, including the management of study abroad team. Jessica is dedicated to promoting inclusive excellence and advancing equity in education abroad. Her work includes specialized training for international team members, developing identity-based programs, and creating opportunities for first-generation college students, efforts that earned Wake Forest the prestigious 2013 Andrew Heiskell Award.

Michael Gross
Chair and Professor
Engineering

Michael Gross is Chair and Professor of Engineering and the David and Lelia Faculty Director of Entrepreneurship at Wake Forest University. Gross is a founding faculty of the Engineering program that launched in fall of 2017 with the goal of creating a flexible engineering curriculum rooted in the liberal arts that educates the whole engineer in the spirit of the Wake Forest motto Pro Humanitate, “For Humanity”. Gross researches and provides faculty development in designing inclusive educational experiences that support student intrinsic motivation and satisfy basic psychological needs for all. He also researches energy technologies through the lens of chemical and materials engineering.   

Kristina Gupta
Associate Professor
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Kristina Gupta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Wake Forest University. Her research and teaching interests are in the areas of sexuality studies, feminist theory, feminist studies of science and medicine, and disability studies. She teaches courses such as “Sexual Politics in the U.S.,” “Gender and the Politics of Health,” and “Men, Masculinity, and Power.” She is currently working on a book project about asexuality, compulsory sexuality, and science. Her first book, Medical Entanglements: Rethinking Feminist Debates about Healthcare (Rutgers University Press, 2019), uses intersectional feminist, queer, and crip theory to move beyond “for or against” approaches to medical intervention . She is also a co-editor of Queer Feminist Science Studies: A Reader (The University of Washington Press, 2017). Her articles have been published in Signs: The Journal of Women in Culture and Society, the Journal of Medical Humanities, the American Journal of Bioethics: Neuroscience, the Journal of Lesbian Studies, and Feminism & Psychology, among others.

Eranda Jayawickreme
Harold W. Tribble Professor of Psychology
Psychology

Eranda Jayawickreme is the Harold W. Tribble Professor of Psychology and Senior Research Fellow at the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University. He earned a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College and a Ph.D. in positive and social/personality psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the interdisciplinary study of moral and intellectual character, character formation in the wake of adversity, and flourishing. His awards include the 2023 Early Career Contributions Award from the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology, the 2018 Faculty Excellence in Research Award from Wake Forest, the 2015 Rising Star award from the Association for Psychological Science, fellow status from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the Association for Psychological Science, and multiple grants from the John Templeton Foundation, Templeton Religion Trust, Templeton World Charity Foundation, European Association for Personality Psychology and the Asia Foundation/USAID. His work has been profiled in the New York Times, the BBC, the Guardian, CNN, NPR (including on NPR’s Hidden Brain), the Philadelphia Inquirer, Los Angeles Time, Scientific American, and Slate. He is currently co-editor of Social Psychological and Personality Science as well as an associate editor for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: PPID, and Personality and Social Psychological Review.

Loréal Maguire
Executive Director, Student Services
School of Professional Studies

Dr. Loréal Maguire has worked in the higher education field (in continuing education, distance learning, and/or alumni affairs) for over twenty-five years. In her role as Executive Director of Student Services for Wake’s newest school – the School of Professional Studies – Loréal leads the student services team in several student and alumni support areas including success coaching, student records, career support, engagement, retention, and student events. Prior to coming to Wake Forest in 2021, she was the Director of Volunteer Programs (Pipeline & Lifelong Engagement) at Cornell University. Loréal has her undergraduate degree in English Education and her graduate degree in Higher Education Administration from Indiana University. She earned her doctorate in Adult Education from Penn State University, where her dissertation focused on the development of distance learning policy from the faculty perspective.

Rebecca May
Public Services Archivist
Special Collections & Archives

Rebecca Petersen May is the Public Services Archivist in Special Collections & Archives at the Z. Smith Reynolds Library at Wake Forest University. In her work, she provides research assistance for the University Archives, Personal Collections & Manuscripts, and the NC Baptist Historical Collection. Rebecca received her Masters in Library and Information Sciences from UNCG, and a BA from the George Washington University with a major in American Studies and a minor in Art History. 

Annette Medalie
Senior Associate AD, Finance
Athletics

I am a native of the southern tier of New York, with a Bachelor’s degree in CPA Accounting & Finance from Syracuse University. After working in public accounting for Deloitte in New York City, I obtained my MBA in Sport Management from Florida Atlantic University. I have been working in college athletics since 2010 with stops at the College of Charleston, Northeastern University, and UNC Asheville. I have been at Wake Forest since November 2020 and serve as the controller of the Athletic Department with responsibilities in finance, budget, travel, HR, and field hockey sport supervision.

Branden Nicholson
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
School of Law

Branden Nicholson serves as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the School of Law. Managing student life and facilities operations, Branden is a Student Affairs professional focused on creating inclusive spaces where students can create community and thrive, maintain wellness, and pursue legal education as their authentic selves. He enjoys creating engagement opportunities, improving processes, and exploring innovative solutions to intractable problems, all with an aim to enhance the student experience. Branden is a relationship builder focused on creating bonds that last beyond graduation. Outside of his work at the School of Law, Branden enjoys music, performing in several instrumental and choral groups throughout the Triad and Charlotte areas. He is also the proud fur-father of a six-year old golden retriever, Tucker, and a four year old cat, Pete.

Sheena Ramirez
Senior Associate Dean and Director of Coordinated Enrollment Systems
Undergraduate Admissions

Dr. Sheena Ramirez has an extensive background working in Higher Education, particularly in the areas of Admissions and Recruitment.  Recognized as a thought leader in these fields, she has presented for national organizations such as Slate Technolutions, the College Board, Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru), and the International Council of Fine Arts Deans (ICFAD). As the Campus Experience Manager and CRM Specialist at Stevens Institute of Technology, she was recognized as the “Technology at our Core” Employee of the Year in 2013. She served as the Director of Recruitment for the College of Visual and Performing Arts at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia from 2015 – 2021. In 2022 she joined the Office of Admissions at Wake Forest University. She oversees the technical operations of the Slate CRM, coordinates the file review process, and manages a team of admissions operations professionals. In 2023, she was selected to be a member of the third cohort of the SACAC Leads program. Her role at Wake Forest continues to evolve as her responsibilities now include coordinating enrollment systems for all admissions units across the university on behalf of Project Wakeday.

Shar Seyedin
Director of Finance and Administration
School of Divinity

Shar has over 16 years of creative, strategic, and transparent leadership in finance with solid approach to business and program management working in the industry and academic institutions, leading staff, and supporting faculty towards positive organizational outcomes. She has proven demonstration of effective and efficient leadership with experience in enterprise-wide unit and functional division management in higher education programs, grants, personnel, and workflow coordination for multiple large projects with various stakeholders. Shar also has extensive experience with policy implementation, risk management, scholarships, financial aid, and management of restricted and unrestricted financial assets and endowed gifts. In her current role, as the Director of Finance and Administration at the School of Divinity, she leads and supports the financial and operational management of the school and has successfully implemented a new and sustainable financial planning model, inclusive of budgetary forecasts, aligned with the school’s strategic initiatives. She applies personal attributes of leadership, character, and effective communication skills into her work environment, and can relate very well to people of all diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Kathleen Stimely
Director, Program Administration
Program for Leadership and Character

Kathleen Stimely has worked with character-related research grants at Wake Forest University since 2010. She now serves as the Director of Program Administration for the Program for Leadership & Character. In addition to leading administration on this team, Kathleen creates various opportunities for Wake Forest staff to engage in character education through the Departmental Grant program and Leadership and Character focused discussion groups. Kathleen has a B.A. in psychology from Francis Marion University and a M.H.R. from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. Thanks to the generous support of the Kern Family Foundation, Kathleen completed an M.A. in Character Education at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham in 2022.

Ansley Tallant
Director, Employment Solutions
Human Resources

Ansley is a Human Resources leader with proven experience managing teams of professionals who execute the administration and strategic direction of tasks related to talent acquisition, employee engagement, employee onboarding, employee relations and workplace investigations, leaves of absence management and worker’s compensation. Having received professional certifications from both HR Certification Institute (HRCI) and Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), Ansley has been able to demonstrate both strong knowledge base and situational judgment expertise throughout her nearly 10 years of Human Resources experience. Currently serving as the Director, Employment Solutions on the WFU-HR team, Ansley leads the strategic efforts related to the employment lifecycle for WFU faculty, staff, and student employees, and provides strategic guidance on a variety of employment-related topics with campus partners.

J. Bren Varner
Assistant Dean, Master of Science in Management Program
School of Business

J. Bren Varner is the Assistant Dean of the Master of Science in Management Program in the School of Business and Senior Lecturer of Strategy and Entrepreneurship. He previously served as Director of the Business and Enterprise Management Program and Director of the University Center for Entrepreneurship. He received his bachelor’s degree in business from Wake Forest University and his master’s degree in business administration from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

Buffi Vestal
Director, Budget & Campus Financial Services
Finance

Buffi Vestal is the Director of Budget and Campus Financial Services. She recently completed her 24th year at Wake Forest University. She enjoys the opportunity to work with wonderful colleagues, the aspects of her job, and the ability to work with all areas of the University through the Budget Office or Campus Financial Services. 

At WFU, she has worked in a couple of departments, including Payroll, where she spent her first 14 years as part of Financial Services and the last 10 years in Budget and Financial Planning. She is currently the administrator for the Workday Adaptive Planning Budget system, which is part of Workday. Over the last year, she has been the representative for the Business Administrators Forum (BAF), which is designed to share information, exchange ideas, and foster and maintain an informed and trained community which she has really enjoyed.  

Besides working at WFU, Buffi enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids. One of her favorite pastimes is watching her son play baseball and witnessing her daughter’s achievements as a nurse and firefighter, and attending church.

Chris Zaluski
Program Director (Doc Film Program) and Center Co-Director (Wake The Arts Center)
Documentary Film Program

Christopher Zaluski is Program Director and Associate Teaching Professor at the Wake Forest University Documentary Film Program.  Prior to higher education, he worked as a multimedia journalist for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Roanoke Times and spent time as the Director of Video at Teach For America. His work has earned distinctions from such organizations as the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Webby Awards, Broadcast Education Association, and the Online News Association.  His documentary films have screened at film festivals, museums, and universities around the world and can be found on most major streaming platforms.

Individuals may self-nominate or be nominated by a divisional/department leader. The following should be sent to ildp@wfu.edu by the announced deadline. 

• Name of nominee
• 1-2 paragraphs stating why this program would benefit the nominee. Letters should contain evidence of the nominee’s:
  • Leadership abilities and leadership potential
  • Level of motivation and interest in being a leader
  • Capacity for self-reflection

After an individual is nominated, they will be invited to apply by submitting the following to ildp@wfu.edu:

1. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume.
2. Written summary outlining the following:
   • University roles and responsibilities not listed on the CV or resume.
   • Individual program-related development goals.
   • Short answers to the following prompts
     1. What do you anticipate as strengths and challenges of learning in a cohort-based program?
     2. Why do you want to participate in this program? 
     3. How does inclusive leadership development fit with your career goals? 

All application materials must be received by the announced deadline. The ILDP Review Committee will review the application materials and notify the selected cohort members. At that time, the participants will receive the dates for the sessions.