Dr. Brian Bedford (he/him/his) builds end-to-end organizational strategies that affect diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace. As a DEIB leader with global experience and 25 years of multi-sector experience, Brian gets results by understanding people, being a collaborative and effective leader, cultivating passionate and informed allies, designing unique strategic plans to fit each organization, and executing on clear and measurable outcomes. Brian is well-known for his dynamic interactive and personable style and his ability to leverage his comprehensive business acumen in complex and ambiguous work environments to achieve desired results. Beyond his work as an organizational DEIB strategist and certified executive coach, Brian is also a sought-after thought leader, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and panelist. Brian holds a BA, MBA, JD, and EdD.

Dr. John Eshun is a seasoned leader with a diverse academic background in Biochemistry, Management, and Educational Leadership. He has over 17 years of experience within Institutions of Higher Education, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to the field. His distinguished career spans across notable institutions like the University of Winchester (UK), the University of Coventry (UK), United Way of Tarrant County, Tarrant County College, and his current position at Dallas College. Dr. Eshun possesses extensive expertise in grant management, having served as a principal investigator, grant manager, grant writer, compliance officer, grant auditor, and grant evaluator for various federal, state, local, and private grants. His commitment extends beyond professional pursuits, actively engaging in community service through volunteer work.

Beyond his leadership and management skills, Dr. Eshun finds fulfillment in empowering others. As a dedicated mentor and coach, he has demonstrably fostered the development of students and colleagues. He has also solidified his position as a thought leader by authoring and publishing three books, sharing his knowledge and experiences with a wider audience. Dr. Eshun's professional achievements are complemented by his personal life. He is happily married to Prisca and enjoys the company of his three children, Jayden, Jason, and Johntel.

Dr. Haddad brings diverse experiences and has served in a variety of roles in higher education and non-profit organizations. In her current role as Associate Dean of Student Affairs at the Rockville campus, she leads the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), provides support in addressing student concerns and student conduct, and supervises the Student Wellness Center for success. She also serves as the project director for the Basic Needs Grant through the U.S. Department of Education. 

Dr. Haddad has a wealth of experiencing spanning more than two decades. She is distinguished by her compassion, counseling, strong leadership, and advocacy skills. Prior to Montgomery College, Dr. Haddad worked in the rehabilitation counseling field as a counselor, evaluator and assistant director. Since joining Montgomery College, she has served as a disability support services counselor, professor, and led the department as College-wide Chair of Disability Support Services. Dr. Haddad’s dedication to equity and inclusion is evident through her involvement with organizations like MD-AHEAD, where she served as president from 2017 to 2018, Montgomery County Suicide Prevention Coalition, and her active participation with the Truth Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center and the President’s Advisory Committee on Equity and Inclusion. 

Dr. Haddad earned a bachelor of arts in sociology and a master of arts in counseling and personnel services from the University of Maryland, in addition to a post-graduate certificate in clinical community counseling from Johns Hopkins University. She recently earned a doctor of philosophy degree in counselor education and supervision from the University of the Cumberlands. Her research interests include college students’ mental health and wellness, counselor burnout, and social justice and advocacy. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the State of Maryland, Board Approved Supervisor, and is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC).

Ms. Hudak has a M.S. in Arts Administration from Drexel University and spent 18 years in community non-profits, with a focus of fundraising for the arts, before assuming her role at Reading Area Community College (RACC) in 2017.  Organizations that she has previously worked for include Olivet Boys & Girls Club in Reading, the Allentown Art Museum (AAM) and the Baum School of Art in Allentown, and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. In her role as RACC’s Director of Grants, Ms. Hudak is responsible for overseeing the college’s re-occurring grant submissions and reports, as well as seeking out new revenue streams through local, state, federal, private and corporate funders.  She currently manages a portfolio of $7.8M in grant funding for the college. Ms. Hudak currently serves on various boards and committees including the WCR Center for the Arts’ Advancement committee and as the President of the Association of Fundraising Professions (AFP) Berks County Chapter.  She was recognized as a Distinguished Honoree at the 2019 AFP National Philanthropy Day breakfast.  Rhonda lives in Reading, PA with her husband, two daughters and her amazing Shep, Luna.

Rachel Johnson originally hails from Toronto, ON, and found her way to Santa Barbara for graduate school at UCSB and never left. Transitioning from academia into the non-profit sector, Rachel has amassed over twenty years of program development and grants management experience in museums, K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, and throughout the nonprofit sector. Her professional strengths include federal grants, general grantseeking, strategic partnerships, program development and evaluation, equitable data practices, corporate and foundation relations, and team management. Her personal mission is rooted in equity, social justice, and educational access, priorities shared by the SBCC Foundation and other organizations to which Rachel devotes her time.

Rachel joined the Foundation in 2017 as the Director of Grants and became Chief Program Officer in 2021. Working with nearly every corner of the College, Rachel oversees institutional grants, discretionary and emergency funds, program support funds, and the SBCC Promise team. Over the past four years, Rachel has raised over $5 million in grant funds for the College and distributed millions more back to programs.

With over 20 years working in higher education, Dr. Brandy Naughton currently serves as the Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs at Montgomery College, MD. She is primarily responsible for overseeing the College’s public grants and sponsored programs. During her career, Dr. Naughton held a variety of positions at Harford Community College including coordinator for grants; dean for community education; director for adult developmental and literacy programs; director for tutoring, service-learning and disability support services; coordinator for tutoring and service-learning; coordinator for tutoring; student support services counselor; assistive technology specialist; and art history instructor. Dr. Naughton earned Doctor of Education and Education Specialist degrees in educational leadership from Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA.  She earned a Master of Arts in art history and archaeology from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in art and classical civilization from Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA.

With over 20 years working in higher education, specifically at Community Colleges, Dr. Nancy Newton currently serves as the Manager of Grants and Sponsored Programs at Montgomery College, MD. She is primarily responsible for investigating federal, state, and local government funding opportunities, which will assist the College in increasing opportunities for all learners. Prior to making the move to the Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs, Dr. Newton spent fifteen years as a Senior Program Director in Workforce Development Continuing Education. To provide educational opportunities for all learners, Dr. Newton and her team created and managed educational partnerships with the Montgomery County maximum-security jail, Montgomery County drug court, and Montgomery County pre-release and reentry center. She has worked with refugees, asylees, ESOL learners, GED learners, learners impacted by the justice system, learners hoping to become U.S. citizens, and learners who want to become ESOL instructors. Her doctoral dissertation focused on a partnership between a community college and a maximum-security jail and how the right or wrong style of leadership could have a radical effect on the educational experience of learners and faculty. Dr. Newton holds a doctorate in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education from Johns Hopkins University, a Master’s in Humanities from Georgetown University, a Master’s in Adult Education from Jones International University, a Bachelor’s in Drama and American Studies from Leicester University, and a Teaching Certificate in ESOL. Dr. Newton’s personal and professional life are guided by her commitment to advocating and fighting for equity, inclusion, and social justice and her philosophy that education should be available anywhere and for anyone, no matter the circumstances.

Dr. Dumisa Nyarambi is on a mission to champion innovation and add value while responding to emerging needs of her institution and regional workforce community. Her unique background in organizational development, higher education, hospitality management, public health, provide her rich experiences that she harnesses in her work. She serves as the  Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs  at Northeast State Community College, and is a published researcher who has a keen interest in design and delivery of professional development training. She has recently developed  a student-centered professional development program, Success with Essential Etiquette at Northeast State Community College. As an undergraduate student she  designed and facilitated  an in-service training curriculum, STUDENT- FOCUS which was delivered to 116  student leaders at Morgan State University. Her recent publication from a grant-funded project entitled Setting Patient-Centered Priorities for Cardiovascular Disease in Central Appalachia: Engaging Stakeholder Experts to Develop a Research Agenda showcases best practices for engaging stakeholders in identifying solutions for the communities and organizations they serve-a collaborative model that is transferable to leadership for grant funding procurement and advancement efforts.

Megan Pereira has worked in higher education and grant-writing for nearly two decades. She is currently employed at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke, Massachusetts as the Interim Assistant Director of Foundation & Government Grants. In addition to her work supporting the advancement of community colleges, she has raised millions of dollars for organizations supporting the arts, culture, and media. Megan has her B.A. and M.A. from Elms College, and an M.S. in Nonprofit Management from Worcester State University. She is currently working towards her Ed.D. in Leadership for Equity in Higher Education at the University of Colorado - Denver.

Megan loves working with staff, faculty, and community partners to create data-informed stories, and finds special joy in creating the perfect logic model. While studying at Worcester State University, her research focused on planning, assessing and promoting the sustainability of externally-funded programs in community college settings. When she's not proselytizing about the importance of program sustainability, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, reading books of all types, and volunteering at her local library. Megan lives with her husband and over 50 furry, hooved, and feathered companions in central Massachusetts.

Ms. Edwige Stephen is a Senior Manager in Accenture’s Public Service Strategy practice, bringing over two decades of consulting experience to her role. Throughout her career, Edwige has been instrumental in helping Federal, State, and Local government clients reimagine their grants capabilities.

In her capacity, Edwige supports her clients through the entire grants management lifecycle, from strategy implementation to performance measurement. She is a leader in Accenture’s Grants Management Community of Excellence, where she leads efforts to support state, local, and higher education clients across the country, sharing best practices and fostering innovation in grants management.

Edwige firmly believes in the importance of effective grants management for maximizing funding opportunities. Edwige’s work is driven by her commitment to making a meaningful impact in our communities through strategic and efficient grants management.

Dr. Adrienne Thompson brings nearly two decades of higher-education expertise to her role as Senior Director at Dallas College. She passionately develops sponsored programs, grant initiatives, and community partnerships, ensuring alignment with the college's strategic goals. Her expertise spans strategy, grants management, sponsorship, and team building. Outside of work, Dr. Thompson values family time, travel with her husband, reading, and appreciating music. She is the proud mother of two young adults.