Election Candidates

Melissa Dore

Curiosity. Starting in northern Maine and to my education in the Northeast and then Florida, I have always been curious about everything. My work and education include many fields: biology, English literature, marine biology, conflict resolution, college student affairs, higher education leadership, and law. I have always been curious about how things work and if there is a way to help and/or do it better. Working with students, faculty, and administration from a multitude of cultures, ethnicities, religions, disabilities, and sexual orientations has allowed me to continually learn how diversity enriches a university culture. I am a firm believer in student centric higher education and how we can either develop and/or build on current support structures for a holistic approach to student and faculty/staff resilience. The ARC leadership is important for stewardship, communication, and developing connections. The goal is to build institutional support of resiliency in higher education.

Click here to see Melissa’s CV. 

Ashley Gragido

I am humbled at the potential opportunity to serve as Chair for ARC. I am currently the Associate Director of Academic Resiliency & Student Success at California State University San Marcos and adjunct faculty in the Department of First-Year Programs. My main task is to design, coordinate, and lead our resilience curriculum which are various student success courses focused on academic recovery and student development. Part of my role also includes overseeing faculty community of practices and peer mentoring programs. My work is rooted in culturally meaningful perspectives on resilience, understanding resilience looks and feels different to individual students. As Chair, I intend to listen before speaking, ensure voices are lifted, and issues are addressed directly. We will utilize ARC’s guiding questions and collaborative goals to create programming with a focus on flexibility, engagement, and diverse voices. I would be honored to represent our membership body and our collective mission.

Kathy Stitts

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” C.S. Lewis

Dr. Kathy Stitts serves as Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of University College at Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university (HBCU). A native of Cleveland, OH, she attended Florida A&M University, obtaining a B.S. in accounting and her MBA. She earned a Ph.D. in Marketing from Florida State University.

Kathy believes success begins with an informed mind, willingness to discover and explore, and awareness that life’s barriers help build confidence, competence, and character. A mind, when told “you can’t” or “you won’t,” fosters RESILIENCE – fortitude, fight, and faith to push forward.

Kathy uses forward thinking with a historical lens to cultivate communication. She practices a holistic mindset to make informed decisions and influence ideas. Kathy embraces the diversity of thought, understanding that the differences of others add perspective and possibilities. She leads with a collaborative and hands-on approach with a desire to discover, develop, and discern. Kathy serves authentically with her heart, respecting others as she works toward making a lasting impact with her work.

Click here to see Kathy’s CV.

Debra Ainbinder

My goal is to help others find, increase, and utilize their inner resilience. This is true of my work as a Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, as a Professor of Counseling and Psychology, and as a counseling clinician. As the administrator at Lynn University for their Resilience Toolkit, I have the privilege of leading a team of professionals dedicated to building a culture of resilience for the University. This is what brought me to the ARC and what motivates me to help promote and enhance the work of the ARC in the future. As an Executive Board and founding member of the International Association for Resilience and Trauma Counseling (IARTC) division of ACA, I work in and with a field of resilience professionals. I have seen firsthand the power of resilience building and want to assure this important work is supported, shared and available to more academic institutions.

Click here to see Debra’s CV.

Mindy Barna

Dr. Mindy Barna serves as the Associate Dean for Health Professions at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska. She has devoted the last 15 years of her career towards educating and empowering women. Her experience includes developing academic programs, curriculum, educational plans, and assessments. Dr. Barna holds a Doctorate in Education from College of Saint Mary, a Master of Science in Nursing from Nebraska Methodist College, and her associate’s and bachelor’s degree in the Science of Nursing from College of Saint Mary.

Christine Ritzkowski

I am a strategic thinker and service-minded manager on the financial, academic, and programmatic administration of graduate programs. I bring over 5 years of experience of overseeing graduate programs at Boston University in the College of Engineering. I have served as the Graduate Manager for the Division of Materials Science & Systems Engineering, the Academic Program Manager for PhD Programs in ECE, and prior to that role, I worked in the Development and Alumni Relations Office on the medical campus. I am passionate about supporting the academic, professional, and personal goals of students. In particular, I enjoy working in an environment where I can grow and serve others, build networks, and provide opportunities by developing student programming that fosters academic skills and student well being. Before joining BU, I taught English and German as a second language in both private and public schools. I am active in the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), a College Access & Student Success Mentor, and a food rescue volunteer with Foodlink. I am seeking a position on the ARC Leadership Committee not only to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing students, faculty and administrators but to foster collaboration to develop best practices in the ARC community.

Kacie Thompson

I am an Alumni from Northeastern State University earning my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in education. I have been in the education and case management fields for ten years. I am the student success coordinator at my alma mater where my position includes establishing student success by defining and implementing strategies to help students stay on course to fulfill their educational goals. My priorities for promoting academic resilience are establishing human connections by developing strong relationships, implementing self-efficacy, and cultivating a proactive mindset for academic success. I subscribe to the idea of Servant Leadership. This means, as secretary, I will be responsible for making sure that every committee has a voice, also verifying that all records are carefully maintained, and checked for accuracy. I can bring a voice of diversity to the committee, with my personal experiences in higher education and retention as a member of the LGBTQ+ Community.

Melissa Dore

Curiosity. Starting in northern Maine and to my education in the Northeast and then Florida, I have always been curious about everything. My work and education include many fields: biology, English literature, marine biology, conflict resolution, college student affairs, higher education leadership, and law. I have always been curious about how things work and if there is a way to help and/or do it better. Working with students, faculty, and administration from a multitude of cultures, ethnicities, religions, disabilities, and sexual orientations has allowed me to continually learn how diversity enriches a university culture. I am a firm believer in student centric higher education and how we can either develop and/or build on current support structures for a holistic approach to student and faculty/staff resilience. The ARC leadership is important for stewardship, communication, and developing connections. The goal is to build institutional support of resiliency in higher education.

Click here to see Melissa’s CV.

Ashley Gragido

I am humbled at the potential opportunity to serve in a leadership role for ARC. I am currently the Associate Director of Academic Resiliency & Student Success at California State University San Marcos and adjunct faculty in the Department of First-Year Programs. My main task is to design, coordinate, and lead our resilience curriculum which are various student success courses focused on academic recovery and student development. Part of my role also includes overseeing faculty community of practices and peer mentoring programs. My work is rooted in culturally meaningful perspectives on resilience, understanding resilience looks and feels different to individual students. As Education Chair, I intend to listen before speaking, ensure voices are lifted, and issues are addressed directly. We will utilize ARC’s guiding questions and collaborative goals to create programming with a focus on flexibility, engagement, and diverse voices. I would be honored to represent our membership body and our collective mission.

Samantha Conway

Sam has been in the field of college health promotion for the past 9 years. She is currently the Assistant Director, Mental Health Promotion at Northwestern University in the department of Health Promotion and Wellness. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Illinois and received her Master’s in Social Work from The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. In 2014, Sam joined with undergraduate students at Northwestern to create a psychoeducational peer and staff led program called “ResilientNU”. She has presented on ResilientNU at the American College Health Association annual conference, Building Healthy Academic Communities webinar, ARC’s “What Works” Showcase, and the Depression on College Campuses Conference. She looks forward to more opportunities to promote resilience, break down perfectionism, and help students to build social emotional skills at Northwestern and beyond.

Christine Ritzkowski

I am a strategic thinker and service-minded manager on the financial, academic, and programmatic administration of graduate programs. I bring over 5 years of experience of overseeing graduate programs at Boston University in the College of Engineering. I have served as the Graduate Manager for the Division of Materials Science & Systems Engineering, the Academic Program Manager for PhD Programs in ECE, and prior to that role, I worked in the Development and Alumni Relations Office on the medical campus. I am passionate about supporting the academic, professional, and personal goals of students. In particular, I enjoy working in an environment where I can grow and serve others, build networks, and provide opportunities by developing student programming that fosters academic skills and student well being. Before joining BU, I taught English and German as a second language in both private and public schools. I am active in the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), a College Access & Student Success Mentor, and a food rescue volunteer with Foodlink. I am seeking a position on the ARC Leadership Committee not only to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing students, faculty and administrators but to foster collaboration to develop best practices in the ARC community.