Since its launch in 2023, the Black Leadership Institute has supported three cohorts and 23 SUNY faculty and administrative professionals. BLI Fellows represent 12 SUNY campuses across all four sectors and System Administration, bringing a broad range of experiences, roles, and perspectives from across the university system.
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Dr. Christy Banks is an empathy architect and community college administrator dedicated to fostering inclusion and supportive environments. With over 20 years of experience, she has designed programs and initiatives that enhance student engagement, deepen cultural awareness, and cultivate a sense of belonging within the college community. A leader in equity and inclusion, Dr. Banks builds partnerships that amplify student voices and create pathways for diverse perspectives to shape and enrich the student experience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master of Arts in Journalism, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Dr. Banks is committed to creating spaces that foster understanding, collaboration, and mutual respect, where all community members can thrive.
Professor Laticha Brown is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Fashion Business Management Department at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology. She holds a Master of Arts in Learning and Emerging Technologies from SUNY Empire State College and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Hampton University. With over a decade of teaching experience, Professor Brown specializes in fashion merchandising, leadership development, and examining Black culture’s influence on the fashion industry. Her industry background includes roles at Calvin Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks, Bloomingdale’s, and Walmart.
An award-winning educator, she is frequently quoted as an expert in fashion and culture across various publications and media outlets. Professor Brown actively contributes to institutional leadership, community outreach, and global conversations on fashion, equity, and education. She resides in Brooklyn, NY, is a fantastic gift giver, and enjoys traveling and golfing.
Dr. Joyce DeWitt-Parker is the Assistant Vice President for Health and Well-Being in the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment at the University at Albany, where she leads Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of Health Promotion, and Recreation and Wellness. She champions a holistic, campus-wide approach to well-being that supports student success, strengthens organizational health, and fosters a thriving community.
A licensed psychologist, Dr. DeWitt-Parker brings experience spanning higher education, the Department of the Air Force, community mental health, and the Veterans Administration. She is a passionate advocate for the international and U.S. Health Promoting Campuses movement, guiding UAlbany to become the first university in New York State to earn this designation in 2021. She founded the University’s Office of Health Promotion to support strategic, student-centered well-being initiatives, and champions the voices of student-athletes and first-generation college students in institutional decision-making.
Committed to cultivating leadership in her colleagues, she directs the Mid-Managers Institute, redesigned for Fall 2025 as a semester-long program that emphasizes mentorship, reflective practice, and cross-divisional collaboration. Nationally, she shares her expertise through leadership roles and presentations with the American College Health Association, the U.S. Health Promoting Campuses Network, and NASPA. Dr. DeWitt-Parker earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from UAlbany, her M.S. from Troy University, and her B.A. from UNC–Chapel Hill.
Alex Kumi-Yeboah is an Associate Professor at the University at Albany (SUNY) – School of Education, Department of Educational Theory and Practice. His research interests include cross-cultural collaborative learning activities in online learning environments; mediating cross-cultural factors (educational, social, psychological, socio-linguistic) impact on students in online learning (K-12 & higher education) environments. Another strand of his research examines cross-cultural dynamics affecting the educational advancement of immigrant and underserved students. Cross-cultural issues involve how these students negotiate diverse learning experiences from their home countries and the United States. This encompasses adapting to varied teaching methods, acclimating to new school environments, and often learning a new language and culture, as well as navigating educational, social, psychological, and sociolinguistic factors. Specifically, he investigates how Black immigrant, and underserved students integrate their home and school environments to facilitate academic engagement, and the instructional approaches that educators employ to support these students' experiences.
Dr. Kumi-Yeboah earned his Master's degree in Social Sciences Education (2004) and a Ph.D. degree in Curriculum and Instruction a the University oof South Florida (2012). He is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Chance (ELC) at Empire State University (SUNY) to be completed in 2026. He is also part of the SUNY-University Faculty Senate (UFS, 2025-2027) at UAlbany.
Tyler Ladd serves as the Director of Retention and Educational Planning at SUNY Corning Community College, where he leads advising, retention, and student success initiatives. He focuses on building strong systems, improving communication, and creating data-informed strategies that help students stay on track. His background includes enrollment management, academic advising, and teaching First Year Experience courses. Tyler holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management. He is committed to collaborative leadership and supporting meaningful change that strengthens the student experience.
Richie Sebuharara is a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in community building, leadership, communication, and human services. His career includes significant roles in community engagement, where he has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills.
Specializing in communication studies, Richie's expertise is grounded in the power of effective and meaningful dialogue. His early experience as a Division I student-athlete helped shape his collaborative leadership style and commitment to perseverance, both of which continue to drive his work today.
Richie holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication from the University at Buffalo, a Master's degree in Student Affairs Administration from Binghamton University, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Learning from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Since completing his master’s degree, Richie has served in multiple roles at Binghamton University, including Resident Director in Residential Life and Assistant Director in the Multicultural Resource Center. He now serves as the Director of Upward Bound at Binghamton University, where he continues to expand his impact on student success and educational access.
Richie is an educator, a coach and trainer in the local community, utilizing his expertise to inspire and guide others. On the side, Richie is also the founder of "Until Next Time LLC'', an organization that focuses on lessons through storytelling, dialogue, and constructive conversations. In addition to his hands-on involvement in community development and sports, Richie is a published author of poetry, reflecting his passion for sharing knowledge and contributing to the betterment of individuals and communities alike.
Napoleon Tiapo has over 16 years of work experience at SUNY Oneonta. He currently serves as Director of Finance and Resource Management and a member of the Academic Affairs Leadership Team. In this role, he oversees finance and resource management-related issues in the division and contributes to strategic initiatives at both the divisional and university levels. Napoleon also prides himself on his previous roles at the university, including serving as Operations Coordinator and Counselor for the Educational Opportunity Program
Teaching is one of Napoleon Tiapo’s passions. He has served as adjunct faculty in economics at SUNY Oneonta for 9 years and has served in a similar capacity at Hartwick College. Before joining SUNY Oneonta, Napoleon served as a visiting professor in the College of Business at Morehead State University, KY.
With a background in project management and impact assessment, Napoleon Tiapo has past professional experience as Program Administrator of a multilateral donor-funded Capacity Building and Impact Assessment Program with the International Association for Impact Assessment. He also served for 2 years as a Financial Consultant with Cornell University’s NY FarmNet Program. His other past project management-related roles include serving as Provincial Head of Unit for Monitoring and Evaluation and subsequently as Regional Supervisor of a World Bank-sponsored agricultural extension program in Cameroon.
Napoleon Tiapo holds a master’s degree in Agribusiness and Applied Economics from North Dakota State University (NDSU). He enjoys reading and travelling with his family. He is also an avid soccer fan.
Dr. Williams is a cancer researcher whose career reflects a deep commitment to advancing equity in biomedical science. She earned her B.S. from Savannah State University, M.S. from Tuskegee University, and Ph.D. from Purdue University, followed by postdoctoral training at Harvard University. Her journey into cancer research began at the Institute for Cancer Prevention in Valhalla, NY. She later joined Stony Brook University, where she rose through the ranks to become a tenured Associate Professor. Dr. Williams’s early investigations centered on the efficacy of standard and novel chemotherapeutic agents, with a particular focus on NSAID derivatives in colon cancer. Her team examined the role of transcription factors such as NF-κB in cancer progression, contributing to the understanding of molecular pathways that drive tumor development. Presently, Dr. Williams leads pioneering research into racial disparities in cancer outcomes. Her lab explores:
Motivated by the underrepresentation of African American models in cancer research, Dr. Williams’s group develops diverse experimental systems which includes 2D cell lines, 3D organoids, and patient-derived xenografts. These studies aim to advance personalized medicine and reduce inequities in cancer care.