Featured Speakers

This year's speakers include nationally recognized leaders, scholars, and innovators who bring fresh perspectives and practical strategies to our work. From policy to pedagogy, from grassroots to global, these voices will challenge, inspire, and energize the field. Their sessions will anchor the conference experience and provide vision for what’s next.

Rachel A. Bowser

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College and Professor of English, Agnes Scott College

Rachel A. Bowser assumed the position of vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college and professor of English on July 1, 2022. As vice president, she oversees the academic program, the faculty and academic support services. Most recently, she was associate provost for strategic initiatives and professor of English at Georgia Gwinnett College. She received her BA from Grove City College, MA from West Virginia University and PhD from Emory University, all in English

Erika H. James

Dean of the Wharton School, University of Pennslyvania

Erika H. James became the dean of the Wharton School on July 1, 2020. Trained as an organizational psychologist, Dean James is a leading expert on crisis leadership, workplace diversity, and management strategy.

Prior to her appointment at Wharton, Dean James was the John H. Harland Dean at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School from 2014 to 2020.

An award-winning educator, accomplished consultant, and innovative researcher, she has paved the way for women in leadership both in education and corporate America. Dean James has been instrumental in developing groundbreaking executive education programs, including the Women in Leadership program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School.

Dean James serves on the boards of Morgan Stanley, The Economic Club of New York, and Pomona College. She is a sought-after thought leader whose expertise has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, Bloomberg, The Washington Post, and numerous other media outlets. Her latest book is The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before (Wharton School Press) which she co-authored with Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University.

Nicole Long

Vice President for Finance and Administration, Agnes Scott College

Nicole Long joined Agnes Scott in April 2023 as the vice president for finance and administration. In this role, she oversees the college's finance, accounting, facilities, dining operation, institutional technology and public safety functions. Her career spans 25 years in finance with Fortune 500 companies, including WestRock, The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T and General Motors. She holds a BA in accounting and an MBA in finance from Florida A&M University and is a proud Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. member.

Chicora Martin

Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Agnes Scott College

Chicora Martin assumed the position of vice president for student affairs and dean of students on Nov. 1, 2022. Previously, Dr. Martin served as vice president of student life and dean of students at Mills College in Oakland, California. A graduate of East Carolina University, Dr. Martin earned a PhD in educational leadership from Colorado State University and a MS in higher education from Florida State University.

Monica Nixon

Vice President for Community, Access and Professional Pathways, NASPA

Monica Nixon brings to NASPA three decades of experience in higher education administration and a commitment to creating student-ready institutions where all students can thrive. Monica serves the non-profit association NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education as Vice President for Community, Access, and Professional Pathways, where she leads a team focused on providing access to leadership and career opportunities, supportive communities and mentors, and professional development geared to meet evolving needs across the career lifespan. Previously she served in student affairs, institutional equity, and administrative leadership roles at Saint Joseph’s University, Seattle University, Colgate University, the University of Puget Sound, and the University of Virginia.

Monica earned her B.A. in English in 1995 and M.Ed. in Counselor Education in 1999 from the University of Virginia. In 2013 she earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Washington, where her dissertation focused on the positionality and agency of women of color chief diversity officers in higher education institutions. Monica co-authored a chapter in the 2012 NASPA-published book Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Higher Education.