Dr. Anne C. Bailey is a writer, historian, and a Professor of History at Binghamton University. In her work, she combines the elements of travel, adventure, history, and an understanding of contemporary issues with an accessible style. Her works range from adult non-fiction to children’s historical fiction, and include African Voices of the Atlantic Slave Trade: Beyond the Silence and the Shame, (Beacon Press, 2005) and You Can Make A Difference: The Story of Martin Luther King Jr (Bantam/Doubleday/Dell). Her most recent book, The Weeping Time: Memory and the Largest Slave Auction in American History, was published by Cambridge University Press in October, 2017.
Bailey takes readers on a journey that spans many countries and several continents. As an American citizen, born in Jamaica to William and Daphne Bailey, her work is global in reach and perspective. Her books have been informed by extended stays in Paris, London, and West Africa. After immigrating to New York City where she attended high school, she studied English and French at Harvard University and later got her Ph.D. in African History, African American History and African Diaspora Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.
Bailey is committed to a concept of "living history" in which events of the past are connected to current and contemporary issues. She is also concerned with the reconciliation of communities after age old conflicts like slavery, war and genocide. This is best evidenced in her non-fiction book, The Weeping Time. This book is the first non-fiction title to look at the operation of a major slave auction in the United States and to trace the lives of slaves before and after their sale. The award-winning Weeping Time is unique in making use of interviews of the living descendants of slave families sold on the auction block.
The story of "the weeping time " is at its very essence a story of the strength and resilience of families, in this case, African American families, who in spite of a history of displacement and loss, managed to reassemble the fragments of their past. In the face of extraordinary challenges, many former slave families went looking for one another after emancipation and reestablished strong ties that remain to this day. This was no ordinary feat since thousands of slave auctions during the antebellum period alone made separation very common. The Butler slaves and their descendants are an important example of the triumph of family bonds.
Bailey is also committed to issues of public history and memory. Of note, on March 18, 2015, she was invited to speak at the United Nations for the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. In so doing, she was able to honor the lives and contributions of enslaved black Americans and others in the African Diaspora.
Dr. DeeDee M. Bennett Gayle is an Associate Professor in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity (CEHC) at the University at Albany, State University of New York. She is the lead director of the Extreme Events, Social Equity, and Technology Lab. Her research broadly examines the influence and integration of advanced technologies on the practice of emergency management and for use by vulnerable populations, in particular older adults, people with disabilities, as well as racial and ethnic minorities. Recently, her studies have also focused on workforce development and participation in disaster management fields.
Dr. Bennett-Gayle has led several research grants and contracts as PI or Co-PI, including from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security. Employing experimental designs, qualitative one-on-one and focus group interviews, and quantitative survey analysis, her research explores ways to increase disaster preparedness, reduce vulnerability, and shorten recovery- primarily in the United States. Her work spans all hazards, focused on micro-level impacts from tornadoes, hurricanes, extreme winter weather, infectious diseases, wildfires, and flooding, among others. Her studies also include investigating the use of a wide range of technologies for disaster preparedness, such as mobile wireless devices, social media platforms, mobile applications, virtual reality, personal intelligence devices, and artificial intelligence.
Dr. Bennett Gayle's work has been used in the formation of policy. She has testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging regarding disaster planning for people with disabilities and older adults and presented in town halls for various NYS Assembly members regarding COVID-19. She is co-author on five Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulatory filings and White House comments, many of which were cited in rulemaking. Her work has been covered or quoted in Spectrum News, Washington Post, Newsweek, CNBC, WURD Philadelphia, and Honolulu Civil Beat, among others.
With over 60 publications, her work is published in various journals and conferences related to emergency management, disability, wireless technology, and future studies. She co-authored the book Empowered or Left Behind: The Use of Technology During COVID-19 and co-edited the edited book volume Social Vulnerability to COVID-19: Impacts of Technology Adoption and Information Behavior. In 2023, she was selected as one of the Ocean Decade Champions by the National Science Foundation and the Kaleta A. Doolin Foundation for research on marginalized populations.
Dr. Bennett Gayle received her Ph.D. in Fire and Emergency Management from Oklahoma State University. She has a unique academic background, receiving her M.S. in Public Policy and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
A proud six-time graduate of the SUNY system, Dr. Sim J. Covington, Jr.'s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling, Certificate of Advanced Study in School Counseling, and Master of Science in Educational Administration and Policy Studies – Higher Education Leadership, all from the University at Albany, State University of New York. He also obtained his MBA in Technology Management from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resource Management from Empire State College. His Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration was awarded at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Covington has made history in New York's Finger Lakes region on several occasions. First, serving as the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer for Finger Lakes Community College, appointed in January 2018. In this role, he is responsible for supporting all aspects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for all segments of the institution, creating a welcoming atmosphere for students, faculty, and staff. Focusing on climate, policy, programming, curriculum, and recruitment, he works to advance diversity and equity within institutional units in support of organizational sustainability.
Second, he is the first African-American to serve as the Finger Lakes Law Enforcement Academy (FLLEA) Implicit Bias Associate Trainer and Associate Member. This position was created to facilitate real conversations with law enforcement agencies after the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Third, after running a well-organized campaign and being officially elected in November 2021, Dr. Covington was sworn in as the first African-American man to be elected as a Council Member-At-Large for City Council in Canandaigua, New York.
A proud proponent of world-class business school training, Dr. Covington has completed prestigious programs at Harvard Business School, Yale School of Management, Columbia Business School, the University of Pennsylvania, UCLA Anderson School of Management, the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, and Stanford Graduate School of Business. Representing the college and the community with the highest level of humility, Dr. Covington takes his role supporting matters of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility very seriously, as he continues to grow personally and professionally.
Dr. Danielle Lee is the Associate Dean for Academic Institutes and Programs for the School of Arts and Sciences at SUNY Old Westbury, the Director of SUNY Old Westbury’s Social and Environmental Justice Institute, and an Assistant Professor of English. Dr. Lee is Old Westbury EOP Alumna (2010) where she received her B.A. in English, with a specialization in Multicultural Literature. She received her Doctorate in English from St. John’s University in Queens, NY. Aside from her dean and director duties, Professor Lee also teaches Early Modern British Literature, Shakespeare, and Topics in African American literature. Dr. Lee’s research is rooted in Premodern Critical Race Studies, examining precolonial African agency in the construction of the Atlantic Trade System.
Dr. Gabriel Marshall serves as the associate vice president for student affairs at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego. This role includes direct responsibility for four units: Student Engagement and Leadership, Campus Events and Conference Services, Campus Recreation, and Student Orientation and Family Engagement.
Prior to this role, he served as the inaugural assistant vice president for student success and retention at Buffalo State University. Before joining Buffalo State, Dr. Marshall worked as the Director of Student Access and Achievement Programs (SAAP includes Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Project Excel, Young Scholars, and First Generation Student Initiatives) at Nazareth University.
Throughout his professional tenure, spanning over 15 years in academic affairs and student affairs, Dr. Marshall has innovatively supported student success and retention through a variety of educational, financial, social, personal, and career initiatives that increase academic achievement, retention, and graduation rates.
Dr. Marshall received his Ed.D. in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University, his MSEd. in College Counseling and Certificate of Advanced Study in Mental Health Counseling from the State University of New York at Brockport, and his BA in English from Daemen University.
Dr. David Oyero is currently the Interim Dean of Students at Nassau Community College (NCC). Dr. Oyero's entire higher education career has been in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. He initially began his career at SUNY Maritime College and progressed to the assistant director of student services before leaving to pursue a position at NCC due to his passion for two-year institutions.
It is Dr. Oyero's belief that well-built community colleges are the institutions that afford the best access, opportunity, experience, and make the most impact on students.
As a higher education professional, he believes all institutions should provide and be held responsible for the quality of service, diversity experience, wellness of its students, learning support, and an inclusive community that students need to succeed. These are the criteria that he expects himself to be judged on and nothing less.
Dr. Oyero holds a Doctor of Education in Educational and Policy Leadership from Hofstra University; a Master in Higher Education Administration from New York University; and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management Information Systems from State University of New York at Old Westbury.
Dr. Oyero's favorite motto is "If serving is beneath you, leadership is beyond you." This is the foundation of his leadership style.
Ainsley Thomas is the Chief Diversity Officer at Hudson Valley Community College. Mr. Thomas came to HVCC from Albany County, where he served as Director of Affirmative Action for four years and oversaw the county-wide development, implementation and monitoring of anti-discrimination, equal employment opportunity, sexual harassment and ADA compliance policies.
As Chief Diversity Officer at HVCC, he oversees the following areas: education and training initiatives on campus diversity; student recruitment, enrollment, and retention; and acts as a community liaison for the college.
Earlier in his career, Ainsley was employed in state government, working as a Legislative Analyst for the New York State Senate Majority Office, where he focused on issues impacting higher education. He is also a certified teacher and taught Social Studies for seven years in the Albany City School District and Bishop Maginn High School.
Ainsley is a graduate of LeMoyne College, where he received his Bachelor's degree in political science. He received his M.A. in political science and education from the University at Albany. He is co-chair of the Albany County District Attorney's Felony Youth Diversion Program, a board member of the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center, former board member of the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission (a statewide network of independent screening panels for judicial candidates), a board member of the Albany County Zero Youth Detention Task Force and sits on numerous committees for Hudson Valley. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 recipient of the "Outstanding Public Servant Award" from the Cameroonian Association of the Capital District, Inc. In addition, in 2018, he was awarded the "Adult Achiever Award" from the Capital District YMCA Black and Latino Achievers Program. In April 2023, Ainsley was recognized for his years of selfless dedication, support, and unwavering commitment to the Jeannine C. Holt Felony Youth Diversion Board.