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Diversity and Inclusion at App State
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/ About / Staff members

Staff members

Ginger Bryant

Ginger Bryant

Executive Assistant
bryantgr@appstate.edu

Ginger joined the Office of Diversity in August 2022. She previously worked in the Plemmons Student Union as the Information Desk & Ticket Sales Manager and PSU Art Manager. She is also one of several certified Koru Mindfulness instructors on campus. She enjoys painting, reading, and watching Marvel movies with her family.

Faculty Directors of Communities

The Faculty Directors of Communities (FDC) role was established in the summer of 2022. The FDCs work with the Chief Diversity Officer to co-create community partnerships serving within Western North Carolina. They advise and support the work of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion through the lens of their respective community identities by leading and developing professional development experiences, fostering conversation around campus, and managing campus climate issues and special projects.

Dr. Kristen Benson

Dr. Kristen Benson

Faculty Director of LGBTQ+ Communities

Kristen E. Benson, Ph.D., LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, is an Associate Professor and Program Director of Marriage and Family Therapy at Appalachian State University. She earned her B.S. in Family Science from Florida State University, M.A. in MFT from Appalachian State University, and Ph.D. in Human Development from Virginia Tech. Her research, clinical work and teaching centers on systemic inequality, social justice and inclusion, with a focus on providing ethical and inclusive therapy to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) people and relationships. She is committed to exploration and training about the relationships between systemic injustices and ethical practices.

Dr. Allen Bryant

Dr. Allen Bryant

Faculty Director of Indigenous Communities

Dr. Bryant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and the founder and director of Appalachian State’s Gadugi Partnership. The partnership is a dual enrollment program between Appalachian State University and Cherokee High School. He received his B.A. in American History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.A. in American Indian History from the College of William and Mary, and his Ph.D.  in History Education from the University of North Dakota. His research is in American Indian history and the history of American Indian education, with a focus on the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Dr. Claudia Cartaya Marin

Dr. Claudia Cartaya Marin

Faculty Director of Hispanic/Latine Communities

Dr. Cartaya Marin is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences where she served as chair for 16 years. Dr. Cartaya Marin is an organic synthetic chemist interested in developing synthetic methods and in the total synthesis of natural products that possess anti-cancer properties. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Universidad Simón Bolívar (Caracas Venezuela) and her Ph.D in Organic Chemistry from Brandeis University, and was a port-doctoral fellow at Cornell University. Additionally, she is a Co-PI on the NSF ADVANCE Appalachian grant, and she is coordinating the ADVANCE Appalachian Mentoring Program for STEM faculty. She is passionate about student success of Hispanic/Latine students.

Student interns

Amaya Crawford

Amaya Crawford

Pronouns: She/hers

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Studies:

  • Major: International Business & Digital Marketing

Student organizations:

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 
  • Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader 
  • Women of Walker
  • International Business Student Association
Veda Gopal

Veda Gopal

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Studies:

  • Major: Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management

Student organizations:

  • Human Resources Science
Christian Martin

Christian Martin

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC

Studies:

  • Major: Middle Grades Social Studies & Language Arts

Student organizations:

  • Black Student Association
  •  Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 
  • Student Government Association
  • Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader
Ashley Woodie

Ashley Woodie

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Hometown: Hickory, NC

Studies:

  • Major: Actuarial Science

Student organizations:

  • Gamma Iota Sigma
  • Actuarial Science Club

Contact

Diversity and Inclusion at App State
Jamie Parson, J.D. Chief Diversity Officer
Phone: 828-262-2460
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