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. Ashley Han
Faculty Director of LGBTQ+ Communities
Jiangxue (Ashley) Han, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Public Relations at Appalachian State University. She earned her M.S. in Journalism from Ohio University and her Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the Pennsylvania State University. Her research investigates the social and psychological effects of narrative persuasion in health communication. She has received research funding from the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication for her work on narrative persuasion and the effectiveness of entertainment education in communicating science and risks. Her recent research focuses on advocating for improved industry standards that provide more leadership and professional development opportunities for women of color.
Dr. Allen Bryant
Faculty Director of Indigenous Communities
Dr. Bryant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum 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
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.
Dr. Shawn Ricks
Faculty Director of The Junaluska Project
Dr. Shawn Arango Ricks (she/her) is the Chair of the Department of Leadership and Educational Studies at Appalachian State University. Prior to joining Appalachian State, she was the Assistant Vice President for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Associate Professor of Race and Ethnicity Studies at Salem Academy and College. Dr. Ricks has a unique background in leadership/social justice and mental health that allows her to work with groups and organizations using a holistic approach. in Winston-Salem, NC., where she worked with faculty, staff and students around issues of equity, diversity and inclusion at both individual and institutional levels.
Dr. Ricks has experience working with diverse student populations, and has worked in the community college system, an HBCU, and large public and small private settings. She received her Ph. D. from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Educational Leadership andCultural Foundations, and a Masters in Counselor Education from the Pennsylvania State University, University Park.
Her research interests include psychosocial wellbeing of Black women, epistemic injustice, holistic approaches to gendered racism and trauma for Black women and girls, burnout and wellness.
Graduate assistants
Ciara McKnight
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Hometown: St. Petersburg, FL
Studies:
- Major: Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management
- Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics
Student organizations:
- SHRM
- Beans 2 Brew
Kwani Taylor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Studies:
- Major: Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management
Student organizations:
- Human Resources Science: Team
Student interns
Perla Nuñez-Tapia
Pronouns: She/Her
Hometown: Statesville, NC
Studies:
- Major: Social Work
- Minor: Psychology
Student organizations:
- Community Fellow for CEL (Community Engaged Leadership)
Jay Twitty
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Hometown: Rutherfordton, NC
Studies:
- Major: Political Science
Student organizations:
- Black Male Excellence initiative
- Fleming Scholar
- Ascend Program