Speaker Biographies

Dr. Tamba-Kuii Bailey

Dr. Tamba-Kuii Bailey is an associate professor in the Counseling Psychology and Counseling programs at the University of North Dakota. Dr. Bailey also serves as the Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of North Dakota.

Tamba-Kuii received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University. He also has a Master of Arts and Educational Specialist degrees in Community Counseling from James Madison University, and a Master of Arts in African American Studies from Temple University. Tamba-Kuii earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Morehouse College.

In addition to working in higher education, Tamba-Kuii’s professional experiences include clinical work in community mental health, university counseling centers, and a hospital setting. Tamba-Kuii’s teaching and research interests are in the areas of Black psychology, ethics, multicultural psychology, mental health stigma, and community mental health. In Black psychology, his interests are in the areas of racial oppression, internalized racial oppression, and the impact of race on mental health, mental health diagnoses, and physical health. In the area of multicultural psychology, his interests are in racial microaggressions, multicultural competencies, and social justice in psychology.

This keynote presentation will explore some of the internal and external challenges that can negatively impact universities and colleges’ ability to effectively implement and sustain equity and inclusion initiatives on campus. Using Van Maanen’s (1990) three lens perspectives on organizations, Tamba-Kuii will discuss ways of identifying current and future challenges to the diversity imperative in higher education.

Lastly, Tamba-Kuii plans to present strategies to address these challenges through the use of collaborative partnerships, policy change, use of best practices, and greater accountability across all areas of higher education systems.

Dr. Stacey Barboa-Peterson

Dr. Borboa-Peterson explores the transformative power of acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of forgotten diverse alumni who have long been an integral part of predominantly white institutions (PWIs). In understanding their stories, struggles, and triumphs, students of Color can cultivate a profound sense of identity, purpose, and belonging.