Speakers
Past HBCU Advance Speakers
NACAC was pleased to present these speakers from the forefront of the higher education field at the inaugural HBCU Advance on June 10, 2024. Information about 2025 speakers will be posted here when available.
Aisha Almond, Ed.D.
Founder/Senior Consultant
Reach1 Teach1 Consulting Group
Bio
Dr. Aisha Almond
Dr. Almond holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Coppin State University, a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership, and a certificate in Administration and Supervision from Notre Dame of Maryland University. In 1999, she began her teaching career with Baltimore City Public Schools in Baltimore, Maryland, where she taught various elementary and middle school grades. She also served as an assistant principal of a middle school and an alternative high school.
In 2008, Dr. Almond studied abroad for a semester at the University of Bologna in Italy to expand her horizons. In 2013, she was appointed principal of Coppin Academy, a public charter school serving grades 9-12. She established the Early College Program in collaboration with Coppin State University during her tenure. The program enabled over 200 students to earn up to 24 college credits before graduation, and over 150 students had internships and job shadowing opportunities in various industries with the support of The Hippodrome Foundation and Urban Alliance. Under her leadership, Coppin Academy maintained a 90% high school graduation rate average.
Dr. Almond’s commitment to excellence and equity in education earned her the Dedicated Educator Award from Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Inc., Kappa Chapter, in 2015 and the Principal of the Year award from the College Bound Foundation in 2018. In 2019, Coppin Academy was named the Best Charter School by U.S. News & World Report. That same year, she was also recognized as a Transformational Principal in Baltimore City Public Schools. She held that designation until she stepped down in 2023 after earning her doctorate in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education from Johns Hopkins University.
She has gone on to provide support to universities in college access and persistence, as well as publish a framework for high schools and universities, An Asset-based Framework for Persistence of First Generation College Students, which leverages the assets of first-generation college students to overcome cultural dissonance and academic barriers faced while earning a college degree. It was presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA) 2024 Annual Conference. She then founded Reach1 Teach1 Consulting Group to help other educational institutions mitigate barriers and increase resources for first-generation college students and underrepresented minority students. She believes education is a ministry and now mentors young professional women in education and other industries. From 2018 to 2022, she served as a board member for the Wuttooantam Foundation and presently volunteers with various tribal committees for the Connecticut state-recognized tribe, Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation. Dr. Almond loves spending time with her family in Pasadena, Maryland.
Paula Dofat
Founder
HBCU Money Guide
Bio
Paula Dofat
Using the âFree Degree Teaâ Instagram series, Paula shares strategic insights for mastering the initial aspects of college education. Her commitment to this cause is deeply personal, marked by her journey as a recipient of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, where $117,000 in student loans was successfully eliminated. Paulaâs mission goes beyond simply advocating for debt-free degrees. She is deeply passionate about guiding students toward achieving their college dreams without the burden of debt. Her approach includes a comprehensive understanding of foundational skills to not only facilitate debt-free education but also empower students to embrace financial literacy.
Melisa Hypolite
Director of Strategic Partnerships
CollegeBound Foundation
Bio
Melisa Hypolite
Anthony Jenkins, Ph.D.
President
Coppin State University
Bio
Dr. Anthony Jenkins
Under his leadership, the university has expanded its academic portfolio, experienced enrollment growth, elevated its national brand, generated hundreds of millions in capital projects, and achieved historic milestones in fundraising, student retention, graduation rates, corporate partnerships, endowment growth, and alumni engagement.
President Jenkins serves on the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Baltimore; the Hippodrome Foundation; and the Maryland Zoological Society. Maryland Governor Wes Moore appointed President Jenkins to the Equitech Growth Commission, and he serves on the American Council on Education Presidents and Chancellors for Military Learners advisory committee. President Jenkins has been honored by over 20 civic organizations and universities for his scholarship and leadership on social change and community engagement, in addition, he has appeared on more than 15 national and local media outlets discussing important higher education issues.
President Jenkins has also been inducted into 10 prestigious academic honors, business, and leadership societies. The Baltimore Business Journal included him in their âFaces to Watch,â the Baltimore Sun listed him among the Top 25 Marylanders to Watch, and the Maryland Daily Record named him to their âPower Listâ in Higher Education and selected him as a recipient of the Maryland Daily Record Influential Marylander award.
President Jenkins is a United States Army veteran who began his path to the presidency as a first-generation college graduate of Fayetteville State University. He earned a masterâs degree from North Carolina Central University and a doctorate from Virginia Tech. President Jenkins is the first graduate in the history of Virginia Techâs Educational Leadership and Policy Studies doctoral program to become a college or university president.
Robert Mason
Founder and CEO
Common Black College Application
Bio
Robert Mason
Angel B. PĂ©rez, Ph.D.
CEO
NACAC
Bio
Dr. Angel PĂ©rez
Dr. Angel B. PĂ©rez is CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In this role, he represents over 27,000 admission and counseling professionals worldwide committed to postsecondary access and success. He is the primary voice of the association to government, media, and global partners. PĂ©rez is recognized as a national thought leader and sought-after speaker on issues of educational equity, access, and success.
Throughout his career, Dr. PĂ©rez has worked to realize his belief that diversity and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive, and that every student who aspires to higher education should be afforded the opportunity. His work echoes his own story. Growing up poor in Puerto Rico and the South Bronx, he was the first in his family to graduate from college and went on to become a leader in higher education.
Prior to joining NACAC in 2020, Dr. PĂ©rez served in higher education leadership positions, most recently, as Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College in Connecticut. His work to enroll and cultivate students from around the globe was described as transformative. He became NACAC CEO in the midst of a global pandemic and steered the organization through extraordinary change to meet the urgent needs of the profession. During his tenure, the association adopted a new mission and vision, restructured its governance, doubled its membership, developed new programs and research, overhauled its federal policy initiatives, and secured the largest philanthropic gifts in its history. In September 2023, Dr. PĂ©rez announced the founding of the Center for Reimagining College Access.
Dr. PĂ©rezâs leadership has been featured in many outlets including the American Society for Association Executives, AwareNow, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. He is passionate about cultivating the next generation of leaders and created new initiatives for young professionals at NACAC, with a particular emphasis on diversifying the field of education. For his efforts to build an educational ecosystem that represents todayâs society, he was recently awarded Skidmore Collegeâs highest honor for diversity leadership.
Dr. PĂ©rezâs expertise is often sought by policy stakeholders. He advised the Biden-Harris administration on issues of college access and affordability. He also testified before the Pennsylvania State Board of Education in support of increased funding for higher education. During his time in Connecticut, the Governor appointed him to the New England Board of Higher Education, and he served on Forward50, a group of higher education leaders presenting solutions to Congress. He is a contributor and frequent commentator in media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, The Hill, NPR, Forbes, PBS NewsHour, The Atlantic, and CBS Evening News.
Dr. PĂ©rezâs passion for teaching led him to serve as a faculty member at Trinity Collegeâs Educational Studies Department, UCLAâs College Counseling Certification Program, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He also served as a visiting international faculty member at Rikkyo University in Japan. His trusteeships include the Berkshire School, United World College in Costa Rica, Hartford Youth Scholars, Tuition Exchange, Scholarship America, and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. He is a steering committee member for the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, and most recently, the Kresge Foundation appointed him to the Thrive Leaders Network.
Dr. PĂ©rez is a Fulbright Scholarship alumnus. He holds a B.S. from Skidmore College, an M.A. from Columbia University, a PhD from Claremont Graduate University, and a Teaching Certification in Higher Education Pedagogy from the Derek Bok Teaching and Learning Center at Harvard University.
Ivory Toldson, Ph.D.
Chief of Research at Concentric Educational Solutions, Professor of Counseling Psychology at Howard University, and Editor & Chief of the Journal of Negro Education
Bio
Dr. Ivory Toldson
Dr. Ivory A. Toldson is the national director of Education Innovation and Research for the NAACP, professor of counseling psychology at Howard University and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Negro Education. Previously, Dr. Toldson was appointed by President Barack Obama to devise national strategies to sustain and expand federal support to HBCUs as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHIHBCUs). He also served as president and CEO of the QEM Network and contributing education editor for The Root, where he debunked some of the most pervasive myths about African-Americans in his Show Me the Numbers column. Dr. Toldson is the executive editor of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Research, published by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. He is also the author of Brill Bestseller, No BS (Bad Stats): Black People Need People Who Believe in Black People Enough Not to Believe Every Bad Thing They Hear about Black People. Dr. Toldson is ranked among the nationâs top education professors as a member of Education Weekâs Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings, an annual list recognizes university-based scholars across the nation who are champions in shaping educational practice and policy.
Scholarship and Advocacy
Dr. Toldson was dubbed a leader “who could conceivably navigate the path to the White House” by the Washington Post, one of “30 leaders in the fight for Black men,” by Newsweek Magazine, and the “Problem Solver” by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Dr. Toldson, according to former U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan, is “a prolific young scholar and myth buster.” According to NPR, Dr. Toldson has “a desire to shed new light on old issues.” A sought after speaker, Dr. Toldson has been featured on MSNBC, C-SPAN2 Books, NPR News, POTUS on XM Satellite Radio, and numerous national and local radio stations. In print, his research has been featured in The Washington Post, CNN.com, The New York Times, The Root, The National Journal, Essence Magazine, BET.com, The Grio, and Ebony Magazine.
Dr. Toldson was named in the 2013 and 2014 The Root 100, an annual ranking of the most influential African-American leaders. His body of research was featured in The Foundation Center report, Building a Beloved Community, for his role in shaping sponsored programs for Black male achievement. Dr. Toldson was awarded the: Equity Champion Award from the New York City Department of Education; Outstanding Alumni Award from Penn State Black Alumni Association; Top 25 Forensic Psychology Professors, ForensicsColleges.com; and The Emerging Scholar designation from the Diverse Magazine.
Dr. Toldson was promoted to full professor while on leave from Howard University to serve President Obamaâs administration. He spent 3.5 years at Southern University and A&M College (SU), in Baton Rouge, LA, and more than a decade at Howard University in Washington, DC. At SU, Dr. Toldson was named young researcher of the year after successfully competing for the prestigious W.E.B. DuBois Fellowship from the U.S. Department of Justice. Dr. Toldson continued a high level of research productivity at Howard University, evidence by publishing 4 books, and more than 65 scholarly publications including articles in peer-refereed journals, book chapters, and policy reports. Dr. Toldson became the Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Negro Education (established 1932) in 2008, where he lead an effort to modernize The Journal, moving it to an online platform for peer reviews and subscriptions, while keeping it independently owned and run by Howard University. His efforts attracted many new international subscribers.
Policy and Executive Leadership
Dr. Ivory A. Toldson was appointed by President Barack Obama to be the executive director, for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In addition to ongoing work with elected officials, government executives, HBCU leaders and advocacy groups, Dr. Toldson conceptualized the White House Initiative on HBCUs All-Stars program, which identifies and engages the top HBCU scholars. He also co-authored a series of blogs on federal sponsorships for various federal agencies and hosted a series of webinars, in an effort to increase the approximately $6 billion of federal revenue that flows to 100 HBCUs.
Dr. Toldson has also served as senior research analyst for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. There, he conceptualized, developed and authored the Breaking Barriers series for CBCF, which analyzed success indicators for school-aged Black males. The Breaking Barriers series has been featured in numerous publications. Dr. Toldson has worked effectively with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and their staff to organize national and district level forums on educational equity and access. In his role, Dr. Toldson interacted with many foundation executives and corporate sponsors to raise revenue for CBCF programs, including research and scholarships.
Dr. Toldson has varied executive leadership experiences and has served many advisory boards. He is an executive board member of The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District a private, nonprofit organization established to enhance the overall quality of life for residents, visitors, employees and property owners in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Washington, DC. He is also an advisory board member for Generation Ready and the Morehouse Research Institute, and on the board of directors for the National Council on Educating Black Children, a premier non-profit and civil rights organization with a distinguished focus on improving educational opportunities and outcomes for African American children.
Preparation and Personal
After completing coursework for a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Temple University, Dr. Toldson became a correctional and forensic psychology resident at the United States Penitentiary. There, he completed his dissertation on Black Men in the Criminal Justice System. He also served as the clinical director of the Manhood Training Village. He has received formal training in applied statistics from the University of Michigan, and held visiting research and teacher appointments at Emory, Drexel, and Morehouse School of Medicine. Since graduate school, Dr. Toldson has had a career-long affiliation with HBCUs and takes pride in his ability to promote HBCU scholarship and being an example of professional talent cultivated at HBCUs. He holds an honorary doctorate from Florida Memorial University. He is married to Marshella Toldson, and together, they are raising their daughter, Makena and their son, Ivory Kaleb.
Kara Turner, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success
Morgan State University
Bio
Dr. Kara Turner
Dr. Turner has worked at Morgan since 2002. Prior to being appointed Vice President, she served in numerous administrative positions, including Associate Provost for Enrollment Management and Student Academic Support Services, Assistant Provost, Interim Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Dean-College of Liberal Arts, and Assistant Dean-College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Turner earned her B.A. in Political Science and Africana Studies from Rutgers University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in American History from Duke University. Prior to coming to Morgan in 2002, she served as Assistant to the Dean of Liberal Arts and Education and Assistant Professor of History at Virginia State University. Dr. Turner’s research specialty is African American civil rights and educational history. She is the author of several publications related to these fields, including book chapters, peerÂŹ-reviewed journal articles, book reviews, and encyclopedia entries. She’s also given numerous scholarly and public presentations on these topics at national conferences, schools, universities, and community venues.
Dr. Turner has a vast array of experience in Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management, and is committed to ensuring that students from all socioeconomic backgrounds and all levels of academic preparedness are given the opportunity to obtain a college degree.
Harry Williams, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Bio
