22-25 JANUARY 2025 // WASHINGTON, DC

Student Affairs Divisional Leaders serve as stabilizing leaders in times of complexity and change.

Increased activism, student demands for more inclusive environments and systemic structures of oppression require 21st century university leaders to be more emotionally intelligent and responsive to emergent campus issues. The times demand courageous leaders.

FEATURES

The institute will:

• Focus on all that we have experienced over the last 2.5 years —election seasons and a national election, COVID-19, national diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice push back, Gaza-Israel protests and more.
• Create a space for divisional leaders to “be,” to “breathe,” to “be in community with each other.”
• Provide an opportunity to be with others – restoring, refueling, and moving from compliance to humanity. 
• Delve into strategies for institutional cultural change that lead to transformation.
• Reflect on our leadership practices and how we embrace humanity by stabilizing ourselves, others, and culture to create change.

With greater self-awareness and facility with the tools to develop a culturally competent response plan, participants will grow in confidence about leading their institutions through challenging times with competence and humanity. 

Institute Goals:

• Leave more connected to yourself
• Become more self-aware so that you can better self-regulate
• Have an opportunity to pause, reflect and make sense of your context
• Better align your leadership actions with your values
• Identify and interrupt performative patterns that are incongruent with the ways you want to lead
• Clarify the costs of not unleashing the internal voice that never gets spoken or heard
• Consider the dynamics that impact your ability to stabilize the context of the environments you lead
• Identify better ways to care for and stabilize yourself

FACULTY

Dr. jake DIAZ

he/him // University of South Florida, St. Petersburg

Jacob Diaz is a proud first generation graduate for whom Southwestern Community College in southeast San Diego cultivated the possibility of a career in higher education and student affairs. He is someone who is reminded by his daughter that what we do in colleges and universities is next generation work.

Professionally, “Jake” serves as the Regional Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg where he provides strategic leadership for a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services. He has had the privilege of holding senior leadership roles such as Vice President for Student Development and Assistant Vice President & Dean of Students, both at Seattle University. In addition, he has served as Assistant Dean of Students and Director of the Center for Student Ethics & Standards at the University of Vermont as well as held positions in Residential Life and in Multicultural Affairs.

He has presented workshops at numerous regional and national conferences and published on topics such as multicultural competence in student affairs, serving students of color as well as leading inclusive student conduct processes. In addition, he has also served professional associations within higher education, including service as a faculty member with the ACPA Mid Level Managers Institute, National Chair of the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program, Faculty Member of the NASPA Mid-Level Professionals Institute and Faculty Member of the NASPA Graduate Student & New Professionals Institute.  Dr. Diaz has also served as a consultant and keynote speaker on various campuses throughout the United States.

He received his Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies and his Master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont, where he was also a Bill & Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar and was honored as the Doctoral Student of the Year for the work conducted with his dissertation. Dr. Diaz’s dissertation is a narrative account of his journey with racism in higher education and he currently resides in St. Petersburg, Florida with his partner (a fellow educator) and their daughter.

His Bachelor’s degree in English literature was attained at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dr. D’Andra Mull

she, her // University of Colorado, Boulder

For more than 20 years, Dr. D’Andra Mull has served the field of higher education and student affairs leading organizations and initiatives that uplift and enable a comprehensively excellent student experience. Throughout her tenure, and beyond the traditional classroom setting, she has sought to create educational environments in which all students can engage, transform and thrive as active citizens in an evolving global society.

Dr. Mull serves as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), where she leads a division of 30 departments, over 850 staff members, and more than 2,700 student employees. The Division of Student Affairs at CU Boulder crafts a comprehensive student experience through co-curricular programs, supports and services that promote academic achievement, student learning, health and wellness, safety, personal development, and community building as we prepare students for lifelong engagement as global citizens.

Prior to joining CU Boulder, Dr. Mull served as Vice President for Student Life at the University of Florida (UF) leading a team of more than 25 departments committed to developing a robust community for 58,000+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and was responsible for managing a budget of $140 million. As the university’s chief student affairs officer, she developed and oversaw numerous initiatives to enhance students’ sense of belonging, well-being, and career opportunities, creating pathways for student success. As a key executive leader during the global COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Mull led collaborations with her divisional team, campus leaders and partners, and the greater Gainesville community to create supportive and innovative structures of support for students and staff.

In addition to her role at the University of Florida, Dr. Mull held numerous executive and senior leadership posts within the Division of Student Life at Ohio State, including serving as Associate Vice and Dean of Students; Assistant Vice President; Chief of Staff; Interim Director for the Multicultural Center; Director for Strategic Partnerships, and Director for Graduate Programs and during her 16-year tenure with the Buckeyes. As a practitioner-scholar, her areas of focus include undergraduate, graduate, and global recruitment and retention, community outreach and engagement, organizational development, student support and success, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. As a member of the graduate faculty for the University of Florida and Ohio State, she has taught courses focused on multiculturalism in higher education and student affairs; service learning and leadership engagement; and the administration of higher education and student affairs. Beyond UF and Ohio State, she has also held student life positions at Kent State and Michigan State University.

Dr. Mull serves on numerous student affairs executive committees for state and national organizations, including the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities (APLU), and as a higher education consultant in diversity and inclusion initiatives, organizational strategy and development, and strategic global recruitment and retention efforts.  She has contributed to numerous national and international knowledge communities as an invited speaker, panelist and author. 

Dr. Mull is the recipient of multiple national honors, including the 2022 ACPA Diamond Honoree award for her commitment to the advancement of research, scholarship and programs that uplift college student development and success. She is a first-generation college graduate who earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and criminal justice studies from Kent State University, a Master of Arts in higher, adult and lifelong education from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in educational policy and leadership from The Ohio State University.

Dr. Patty perillo

she, her // University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Patricia (Patty) A. Perillo hails from Wilmington, DE.  As one of eight children, with 80+ first cousins as her father was the youngest of 15 and her mother was the oldest of three, she still lovingly claims this familial community. She was the first in her family to graduate from college and learned, early on in her college career, that education has the power to transform individual lives and that of communities. She knew that she wanted to work in higher education as a vehicle to make the world – one person and community at a time – more humane and just.

Dr. Perillo has worked at seven institutions of higher learning before returning to her doctoral alma mater to serve as the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) at the University of Maryland (UMD).  Immediately before her arrival at UMD, she served as the VPSA and assistant professor of higher education at Virginia Tech for seven years. She also worked at Davidson College, the State University of New York (Plattsburgh and Albany campuses), UMBC and previously at UMD and the University of Delaware. She has worked in every functional area of student affairs, always focused on building collaborative, learning partnerships with student affairs and academic affairs and creating the conditions for students to thrive. UMD’s lived values of community, service, well-being, inclusion and learning resonate with her deepest values so she feels like she has truly come home.

As a renowned scholar-practitioner for over 30 years, Patty provides leadership and oversight for more than 16 departments and administrative units in the Division of Student Affairs at UMD. With a team of over 4,200 students, faculty and staff, a budget of over $250 million, and responsibility for nearly 30 percent of the campus physical capital, she is committed to ensuring transformative learning experiences for students. She is an international leader in higher education having served as past president of ACPA – College Student Educators International located at the National Center for Higher Education.

She obtained her doctoral degree in Public and Community Health, with an interdisciplinary academic partnership with the Student Affairs program in the College of Education, from the University of Maryland.  Her master’s degree is in College Counseling and Student Affairs and bachelor’s degree in Psychology are from the University of Delaware. She has received many honors and awards including ACPA’s Esther Lloyd Jones Professional Service Award, ACPA’s Diamond Honoree Award and inductions into Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Delta Kappa to name a few.

In her free time, Dr. Perillo enjoys spending time with her wonderful spouse, extended family and close community of friends, and engaging in the arts, athletic events, outdoor activities, exercise, prayer, reflection, music, reading and entertaining.

rev. dr. jamie washington

he, him // Washington Consulting Group

Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington, Pronouns (He/Him/His) He is the middle child and only son of Annette and James Washington and Grandson of Elizabeth and Thurman Williams. He serves as the President & Founder of the Washington Consulting Group (WCG). WCG was named by the Economist as one of the Top 10 Global Diversity Consultants in the world. Dr. Washington has served as an educator, administrator, and consultant for 40 years.  He served as an invited instructor in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the Lancaster Theological Seminary. He is the President and Co-Founder of the Social Justice Training Institute and a Past President of ACPA.

Dr. Washington earned his B.S. degree from Slippery Rock State College; a double Master of Science degrees from Indiana University/Bloomington; a Ph.D. is in College Student Development, from the University of Maryland College Park; and a Master of Divinity from Howard University School of Divinity. He’s been awarded honorary doctorates from Shepherd University in Virginia and Wheaton College in Massachusetts.

He has received many awards and honors.  He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Golden Key, Alpha Phi Omega, Phi Delta Kappa, and a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity Inc.

Rev. Dr. Washington also serves as the Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church of Baltimore and is an Elder in the Unity Fellowship Church Movement.  He is the grandfather of 8 and great uncle to 9.  He enjoys spending time with his grands, cooking, music, laundry, all dogs and is binge watching TV programs. 

Known and “The Engagement Specialist”, WCG   works to make a better tomorrow, today.  WCG works every day to help people find the best in themselves and others and create environments where all members can thrive and operate their full potential.

Registration Rates

In order to qualify for member rates for the SSAOs as Stabilizers Institute: Centering [Your] Humanity in Times of Change, membership with ACPA must be valid through 25 January 2025. You must have your own individual membership. ACPA Members who purchase a SSAOs as Stabilizers Institute: Centering [Your] Humanity in Times of Change Registration understand their membership needs to be active through 25 January 2025. If it is not active prior to the start of the Student Affairs Divisional Leaders as Stabilizers Institute: Centering [Your] Humanity in Times of Change you will not be provided with your SSAOs as Stabilizers Institute: Centering [Your] Humanity in Times of Change credential unless you renew your membership or pay the difference between the non-member and member registration cost.

Registrations can be paid by check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. All fees must be prepaid. Purchase orders are not accepted. Refunds will be given for cancellations, received in writing at ACPA by 19 December 2024. Cancellations must be sent to [email protected]. After 19 December 2024, there are no refunds. ACPA reserves the right to charge a service fee of US$50 for returned checks. Registrations are non-transferable. The conference may be canceled or postponed due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the fees will be fully refunded; however, ACPA will not be responsible for other additional costs, charges or expenses, including cancellation/change charges assessed by airlines and/or travel agencies.

hotel information

The host hotel for the 2025 Student Affairs Divisional Leaders as Stabilizers Institute is the Embassy Suites by Hilton – Washington DC Georgetown, offering a nightly rate of $169. The room block closes on 20 December 2024, or once the room block fills, whichever occurs first.

schedule-at-a-glance

*all times listed in Eastern Time • Schedule is tentative and subject to change

Meals included are dinner Wednesday, breakfast and lunch Thursday and Friday, and breakfast on Saturday. Dinner on Thursday and Friday are on your own.

Friday, 24 January 2025

8:30am     Breakfast
9:00am     Morning Sessions
12:00pm    Lunch
1:00pm      Afternoon Sessions
5:00pm     Free Evening

Saturday, 25 January 2025

8:30am     Breakfast
9:00am     Morning Sessions
12:00pm    Institute Concludes