Facilitators
Members
Cintia Aguilar, Director of Latinx Programs and Juntos, CALS/Extension
Ms. Cintia Aguilar is a program manager in NC State University Cooperative Extension, Community and Rural Development. Cintia is originally from Costa Rica where she attended the University of Costa Rica, obtained a master’s degree in psychology and graduated with honors. She started working with Latino families in North Carolina in 1997 in Pitt County and with NC State Extension starting in 2001. Cintia’s job responsibilities include programming across Extension core areas, convening and participating in transdisciplinary specialist teams to develop and/or adapt educational programs that meet the needs of Latino audiences, and to assist in building organizational capacity to effectively engage with Latino and other diverse audiences. Cintia is originally from Costa Rica, where she attended the University of Costa Rica and obtained a master’s degree in psychology. Cintia is a co-founder and co-developer of the Juntos para una Mejor Educación Program and co-developer of the Extension Farmworkers Health and Safety Program. She is also part of the NC Coming Together for Racial Understanding Team.
Monica Banks, Assistant to the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, NCBI and IDI Facilitator
Monica (she/her) has a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication, and Master’s in educational leadership and policy studies with over ten years of diversity and inclusion experience in higher education. Monica’s involvement with diversity and inclusion efforts at NC State includes serving as a cultural competence facilitator, facilitator and trainer with the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) and as a qualified administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).
Christy Byrd, Assistant Professor, College of Education, IDI Facilitator, OIED Faculty Fellow
Dr. Christy Byrd (she/her) is an assistant professor of developmental sciences in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences. She received her B.A. in psychology from Agnes Scott College and Ph.D. in education and psychology from the University of Michigan.
Adrienne Davis, Director of Bias Impact and Community Care Response, Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity
Adrienne Davis is a graduate of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. She also earned a master’s in public administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She later served under the leadership of Julius L. Chambers as the director of research, student programs and community services at the UNC Center for Civil Rights. Following that, she served as the first diversity coordinator at the Trinity School of Durham. She currently serves as director of bias impact and community care response at NC State, providing technical and case management, coordinating ongoing training and developing restorative practices to build community and support impacted persons following acts of discrimination, injustice and bias.
Stephanie S. Davis, Assistant Director, Learning and Development, Human Resources, IDI Facilitator
Stephanie S. Davis, (she/her) is the assistant director for learning and organizational development within Human Resources, where she has served for 15 years. In her role, Stephanie provides leadership and professional development programs as well as team development initiatives. She holds a variety of certifications, including The Leadership Challenge® and LPI coaching, Cultural Intelligence (CQ), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Adaptive Mindset for Agility® and Social Styles & Versatility. She is excited to be on the IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory) Champion Team and received her M.Ed. from NC State’s College of Education. Stephanie has a passion for the Wolfpack community and loves to connect with people at all stages of their professional development journey.
Kristen Feierabend, Area Agent for Urban Programs, NC Cooperative Extension
Kristin Feierabend (she/her) serves as area agent for urban programs with North Carolina Cooperative Extension. In this role, she helps to lead Wake County Social and Economic Vitality, a collaborative initiative to eliminate intergenerational poverty in limited-resource communities. Kristin also works with Extension staff and leadership across the state to increase Extension’s relevance, position and impact in North Carolina’s growing urban communities. Prior to joining Extension, Kristin worked with the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group in Washington, D.C., where she helped community leaders across the country build regional prosperity and increase economic success for low-income families. Kristin currently serves as a facilitator for NC Cooperative Extension’s Coming Together for Racial Understanding Dialogues and facilitates restorative circles in Raleigh. Kristin has an M.A. in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts University and a B.A. in sociology from Furman University.
Marian Fragola, Director of Program Planning and Outreach, NC State University Libraries
Marian Fragola (she/her) is director of program planning and outreach for the NC State University Libraries, where she develops and manages a diverse suite of multidisciplinary programs and activities that benefit the campus and broader community. She received her Master’s of Library Science at UNC and worked for the Durham County Library system before coming to NC State. Fragola is on the board of Student Action with Farmworkers and was a past board chair of the North Carolina Humanities Council. She lives in Durham, NC.
Melvin “Jai” Jackson, Director for Graduate Student Success and Special Assistant to the Associate Dean for Student Success
Melvin (Jai) Jackson (he/him) currently serves as director for graduate student success and special assistant to the associate dean for student success within the College of Education at NC State University. Jai earned both a B.S.B.A. and M.A. from Appalachian State University and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. He is a passionate servant-leader inspired by his work towards student advocacy, success and representation. Through service in diversity, inclusion and equity, Jai continues to dedicate his career towards the proliferation of an environment of collective success, anti-racist realities and holistic inclusion.
Susan Jakes, Associate State Program Leader for Community and Rural Development, CALS/Extension
Susan is the associate state program leader for community and rural development for NC State Extension and an Extension assistant professor at NC State University. She specializes in program design to promote systems and community change, particularly in the areas of community engagement, strategies to broaden voice in community decision making, economic development, power and equity, leadership, local food and collaboration. Susan believes that communities have the capacity to solve today’s complex community issues, and that education, leadership and inclusion are the keys to putting that capacity to work. Susan received a B.S. in psychology and an M.S. and Ph.D. in community psychology. When not partnering with communities as they articulate and develop their strength and vitality, you will find Susan on a horse, hiking, cooking or hanging out on the porch with her husband.
Paula McAvoy, Assistant Professor, College of Education
Paula McAvoy is in her third year as an assistant professor of social studies education at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on empirical and philosophical questions related to the aims and practices of democratic education. She is the co-author with Diana Hess of The Political Classroom: Evidence and Ethics in Democratic Education (Routledge, 2015), which won the 2016 Outstanding Book of the Year from AERA and the 2017 Grawemeyer Award for Education. She leads professional development workshops around the country aimed at helping teachers and university faculty engage students in discussions of controversial political issues. She is currently working with Lauren Gatti on a book project called, Just Teacher: Taking the Ethical Long View in the Profession of Teaching (Teachers College Press).
Jonathan McCorey, Director, GLBT Center, Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity
Jonathan (he/him) comes to NC State from Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he served as director of multicultural affairs. Prior to that, he served as senior human service coordinator and retention specialist for the Urban Male Initiative at the Community College of Denver and director of student leadership and associate professor of religion at Brewton Parker College in Mt. Vernon, Georgia. He has undergraduate and graduate degrees in religion from Liberty University and served as a pastor before entering higher education. He nows serves NC State as the director of the GLBT Center.
Stephanie Helms-Pickett, Associate Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and Strategic Practice, Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity
Stephanie Helms Pickett holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and television broadcasting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a Master’s (’96) and Doctorate (‘o3) in higher education administration from North Carolina State University. She has worked at private, public, single-sex, predominantly White and historically Black institutions of higher education; in residence life, commuter life, multicultural affairs, orientation, leadership, international student affairs, disability services, academic support services and as an education consultant with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Most recently, Dr. Helms Pickett was appointed as the associate vice provost for inclusive excellence and strategic practice in the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity at North Carolina State University. Prior to this appointment, she served at Duke University for 12 years as director of assessment and professional development, as well as director of the Women’s Center in the Division of Student Affairs at Duke University.
Nikki Price, Assistant Dean for Culture, Talent and Human Resources and IDI Facilitator, College of Sciences
Chiniqua “Nikki” Price serves as the assistant dean for culture, talent and human resources in the College of Sciences at NC State University. She is a performance-driven, collaborative, creative problem solver with extensive leadership experience in higher education human resources. Nikki inspires excellence and fosters an environment that embraces, promotes and celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion in both the workplace and community. Nikki holds a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from North Carolina Central University and a Master’s of Science in human resources from Western Carolina University. Nikki also holds certifications as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Society for Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and is an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator.
Kittrane Sanders, Community and Rural Development Agent, Cooperative Extension
Kittrane Sanders (she/her) serves as the community and rural development agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension. She is responsible for providing leadership in several areas: community, economic and organizational development. Kittrane has initiated and/or developed numerous partnerships and has trained youth and adult leaders in a variety of subjects, including entrepreneurship, workforce development, financial education, STEM, diversity, customer service, hospitality and grant writing. She is an experienced trainer and facilitator in strategic planning, team building, eXtension ISBE and the REAL Colors personality instrument. Kittrane truly enjoys making a difference in the lives of others as they work towards making themselves and their communities a better place to live, work and play. She is very thankful for an organization that has allowed her to grow and give back. Kittrane has a B.S. in sociology and MBA. She is also part of the NC Coming Together for Racial Understanding Team.
Rebecca Brookman Zuvich, Assistant Dean for Human Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Becca (she/her) has 23 years of experience in higher education personnel administration within the UNC System. She served for 8 years at UNC-Charlotte in the Office of the Provost. She then joined the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State, serving there for the past 15 years. Becca earned a bachelor’s degree in international history and politics from the University of Leeds, UK. She is certified by the Center for Creative Leadership in 360 feedback, is a Certified Public Manager, Certified Agile HR Practitioner, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Gallup trained Engagement Champion and is a trained mediator. Studying abroad started a lifelong passion for helping others to consider the unique perspectives and filters through which we engage. She loves the higher ed workspace and is interested in culture, employee engagement, strengths-based development, coaching, wellbeing and positioning our people strategy for the agile, diverse and complex future of work.