Events
“From My Father’s Eyes”: A Conversation with Father Professionals
January 27 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm UTC+0
“FROM MY FATHER’S EYES”: A CONVERSATION WITH FATHER PROFESSIONALS
TUESDAY, January 27th, 2026
2 – 3PM EST / 1 – 2PM CST / 12 – 1PM MST / 11AM – 12PM PST
DESCRIPTION
Fatherhood remains an underexamined topic within higher education, particularly when viewed through the experiences of fathers themselves. As faculty and staff welcome new additions to their families, they navigate evolving personal roles as spouses and parents while simultaneously managing shifting expectations in their professional responsibilities and their engagement with students. These dynamics are even more complex for fathers of color, whose experiences are shaped by intersecting racial and gender identities that influence both their personal lives and their professional trajectories. To better provide voice to this topic, we are hosting a panel of fathers of color working in higher education, facilitated by Dr. Adrian H. Huerta, Associate Professor of Education at USC Rossier School of Education.
This webinar is presented by the Coalition on Men & Masculinities (CMM), in collaboration with the Asian Pacific American Network (APAN), the Indigenous Student Affairs Network (ISAN), the Native American Indigenous Coalition (NAIC), the Multiracial and Transracial Adoptee Network (MTAN), the Pan African Network (PAN), the Latinx Network (LN), and the Coalition on Multicultural Affairs (CMA).
**This webinar is free for all ACPA members**
FACILITATOR
CMM Scholar-in-Residence: Adrián H. Huerta
Adrián H. Huerta is a tenured Associate Professor of Education and Population & Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California. He is an expert on boys and men of color, gang-involved populations in the educational pipeline, the high school-to-college transition, and student parents in higher education. Dr. Huerta was awarded the Early Career Award from the Association for the Study of Higher Education in 2022. He was a 2024 co-winner of the Anna Julia Cooper Early Career Award from the American Sociological Association’s section on Sociology of Education. He has secured more than $2.8 million in research grants, fellowships, and other funding to support his research. Dr. Huerta’s research appears in the Journal of College Student Development, Innovative Higher Education, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, and other scholarly/practitioner outlets. He earned his PhD in education from UCLA.
PANELISTS
Dr. Alan Acosta
Dr. Alan Acosta is a passionate higher education professional whose work has focused on supporting college students in their psychosocial development and helping them become ethical global leaders. He currently serves as the associate vice provost for student life at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, where he collaborates with students, faculty, and staff on cultivating and nurturing holistic student support, engagement, and wellness.
Prior to his current role, Alan worked at Clark University and Florida State University in a variety of roles and managing numerous campus offices, including student conduct, housing, new student orientation, and accessibility services. In these roles, Alan also coordinated institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, managed campus-wide student crises, and supported campus offices through transition and change.
In addition to his campus-based work, Alan has been actively involved in ACPA – College Student Educators International (ACPA) and the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) throughout his career, and he has served each organization in numerous roles. Alan has also authored numerous articles and chapters for academic publications, and he was a co-editor of a book focused on student conduct in college residence halls.
Dr. Bernie Liang
Dr. Bernie Liang is a dedicated and people-centric leader with deep expertise in program management, continuous improvement, and strategic development. As the Program Manager for the Office of IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Sovereignty) at the UW Information School, he oversees initiatives that foster belonging, equity, and community across the school.
Bernie’s work is grounded in intentional systems-change: he designs and implements programs that increase access and participation for students, alumni, and staff, and he brings a collaborative approach to any campus community. With experience at various institutional types and sizes, he’s worked in functional areas such as residence life, student activities, leadership development, and inclusion and belonging. On top of his institutional impact, he’s been recognized externally, including being selected as a 2020 Diamond Honoree by the ACPA Foundation and serving as ACPA 2021 Convention Chair for the Virtual Experience.
Based in Seattle, Bernie is a dedicated husband, father, and dog-owner who loves to cook, explore new cities, and practices yoga and meditation.
Melvin Monette-Barajas
Melvin Monette-Barajas is an enrolled citizen of The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians but they call themselves Anishinaabe, also known as Ojibwe. Ten years ago, Melvin founded Indigenous Education, Inc. expressly to administer the prestigious Cobell Scholarship Programs. As the founding CEO, Melvin has led his team from scholarship provision to fellowship supports to ground-breaking research. Melvin and his husband, John have 2 grown daughters, 4 teenage grandchildren, and are active foster parents primarily to local teenagers in Grand Forks, ND although the Cobell offices are in Albuquerque, NM. Melvin attended Ojibwa Indian School on his home reservation then attended high school at Four Winds High School on the Spirit Lake Nation. He holds both a BS and MS in Education and Leadership from the University of North Dakota. As CEO, he is also a Past-President of the National Indian Education Association and current Treasurer for AISES – Advancing Indigenous People in STEM.
Dr. Benjamin Rieth
Dr. Benjamin “Benny” Rieth serves as the Vice President of Student Affairs, Enrollment, and Belonging at Bellin College. In his role, he leads efforts that center student belonging, admissions, wellness, and engagement, ensuring every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.
An enrolled member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and a descendant of the Menominee Nation, Dr. Rieth grounds his work in Indigenous values of relationality, storytelling, and community care. He researches student belonging, Indigenous paradigms, and equity-centered leadership in higher education. He also is the founder and principal consultant for BelongingU: Rieth Strategy Solutions, supporting colleges, high schools, and small businesses with programming, strategic planning, and initiatives focused on engagement, belonging, culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Beyond his professional work, he enjoys cycling, spending time with his husband Ryan and their family, and exploring the beauty of Wisconsin.
Dr. Travis C. Smith
Dr. Travis C. Smith is a proud native of LaFayette, AL, and an alumnus of The Alabama State University. In 2020, he earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership in Higher Education at Clemson University. As a critical educator, he focuses on inquiry, practice, and pedagogy that help disrupt oppressive systems to support racially minoritized students. His research agenda sits at the intersection of race, gender, and class at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the experiences of Black graduate students at PWIs, and post-secondary access for rural Black students.
Brendon M. Soltis
Brendon M. Soltis is a PhD candidate in the Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education program at Michigan State University. He is a research assistant with the Undergraduate Education, supporting college access and student success programs. His research focuses on multiraciality in higher education, multiracial identity and categorization, and student success. Before joining Michigan State University, he served as the Assistant Director for Residential Education at Tufts University. Brendon earned a BS in Computer Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and an MA in Student Development Administration from Seattle University.