Who We Are.

Alan Canterbury is a Senior Solutions Specialist at Grand River Solutions, Inc. In his previous role working for a high profile investigations firm, Alan conducted numerous Title IX investigations, as well as investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment, abusive conduct, and retaliation involving students, staff and faculty. Alan has served as a Hearing Officer for Title IX Hearings, and has trained investigators, attorneys, and educational personnel in conducting investigations under Title IX, as well as discrimination, harassment, and retaliation investigations. He has extensive experience conducting workplace investigations for public and private institutions.

An attorney licensed with the California Bar, Alan received his Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law, where he served as a Judicial Extern to the Honorable Dean D. Pregerson. A fluent Spanish speaker, Alan also served as a Judicial Clerk in the Supreme Court of Administrative Law for the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Alan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Film Studies from Claremont McKenna College.

Amber Abud is part of the Investigation, Hearing & Appeal Services Team for Grand River Solutions.  

Amber has more than 18 years of experience working in various roles within higher education. Amber previously served as Assistant Director and Title IX Coordinator for the University of Central Florda overseeing and conducting investigations for Title VI, Title VII, and Title IX, providing training, monitoring compliance, and helping facilitate supportive measure and pregnancy related accommodations. Amber also served as a Title IX Investigator with a focus on complaints related to sex-based misconduct, discrimination, and retaliation that involved students, staff and faculty. In that role, she conducted investigations, responded to inquiries, and provided community members with resources and explanations of their rights and options. Amber’s work also included conducting climate checks and collecting and monitoring data in response to reporting and auditing. 

Amber also served in law enforcement, including her assignment as a Detective, focusing on sexual misconduct investigations employing the FETI technique. In addition to these roles, she trained staff and new officers and was a Crisis Intervention Officer/Coordinator, focusing on the recognition of persons who may be experiencing or in crisis. She is experienced in the utilization of de-escalation strategies, and she identified additional resources and referrals for the individual. 

Amber received her master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida. She received a second bachelor’s degree in anthropology and is a member of the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society. 

Jennifer Ananda is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Jennifer conducts investigations and serves as an advisor and hearing officer in Title IX, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation matters.

Jennifer has nearly two decades of experience working with students, staff, and faculty in higher education. Jennifer served as the Title IX Coordinator at Emporia State University, where they conducted discrimination and harassment investigations, facilitated Title IX hearings, provided education and training to students, staff, and faculty, drafted policy and aligned university practices with best practices, and chaired the sexual violence task force. Prior to that, Jennifer was the Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Policy Specialist at the University of Kansas (KU). Jennifer also participated as a hearing officer with other universities and is an adjunct instructor. They have taught social welfare and leadership courses on intimate partner violence, sexual violence prevention, and policy and currently teach human sexuality and sexual and gender diversity.

Prior to their work with universities, Jennifer was a litigator, providing representation on civil, child in need of care, protection order, and immigration matters in Kansas. Jennifer also provided civil legal representation, conducted Title IX trainings, and did community-based research as an employee of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. They were the Executive Director of The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center where they supervised staff, managed budget and grants, fostered community relationships, and implemented the mission and vision of the organization. Jennifer was also elected to the Lawrence City Commission and was mayor of Lawrence, Kansas in 2020. In that role, they were awarded the Culture of Health Action Award from the LiveWell Sexual Violence Prevention Workgroup. Jennifer has co-authored peer-reviewed articles and a book chapter.

Jennifer is a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). Jennifer received a J.D. and Master of Social Welfare from KU. Jennifer has an bachelors degree in film and English. They are currently writing their dissertation.

Megan Altman-Cosgrove is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In her current role, she serves as a Title IX and civil rights investigator and a hearing officer.  

In her previous role, Megan conducted and oversaw Title IX, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation investigations involving students, faculty and staff in the U.S. and Canada. She led trainings for students, faculty, staff, advisors and hearing panels on Title IX, civil rights, investigations and hearings. Prior to her work at Niagara University, Megan was a Deputy Title IX Coordinator at Daemen University where she conducted Title IX, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation investigations. She trained hearing board members and the student population on Title IX and discrimination. In this role she also served as the Assistant Director for Residence Life and oversaw the student conduct system and conducted investigations related to other misconduct on campus. 

Megan earned a Masters of Science in Leadership Innovation and a B.A. from Daeman University. Megan brings commitment to exceptional work to all clients she serves and a passion for promoting objective, equitable processes. 

Jahanna Azarian is the Regional Account Manager at Grand River Solutions, serving the West, Pacific Northwest, and Mountain regions. In this role, she leads strategic engagement efforts with prospective and current partners, building collaborative relationships with colleges, universities, K-12 districts, and organizations across the educational landscape. Jahanna collaborates with institutions to assess evolving needs, identify tailored solutions, and implement services with an emphasis on access, compliance, and community impact.

Jahanna brings deep expertise in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and education law and policy. Prior to her current role, she served as Director of Marketing at Grand River Solutions, where she led the marketing team, focusing on lead generation, developing tactical campaigns for client acquisition and growth, and informing brand strategy. Her approach integrates data-driven insight with empathetic communication—qualities cultivated through her background in both law and advocacy.

At Stetson University College of Law, she served as a Fellow in the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy under the direction of Professor Peter Lake. As an EVERFI Fellow, she produced insightful webinars and white papers on prevention practices. Her work addressed topics including sexual violence prevention, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and equity and inclusion. She also spearheaded initiatives such as Stetson Law’s food pantry and earned accolades for her participation in national advocacy competitions.

Before embarking on her legal career, Jahanna held leadership roles in the hospitality industry, managing prominent establishments in Gainesville, Florida. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in classical studies from the University of Florida. Jahanna is based in Portland, Oregon and continues to coach for Stetson Law’s Dispute Resolution Board.

Collin Baer is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Collin provides investigation, written determination, and hearing services. Collin also facilitates training on topics such as trauma-informed investigations and report writing. In addition to providing these services, Collin is a team manager and supervises an internal team.  

Collin joined Grand River Solutions with over 20 years of experience conducting workplace investigations and providing professional services in higher education for state governments and private corporations. Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Collin served as Associate Director for the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity at Miami University, conducted investigations for the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission, and worked for private firm conducting workplace investigations across the country, including performing and supervising undercover assignments. 

Collin received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska and currently lives in Lincoln, NE with his spouse and two brilliant teenagers. 

Dawn Barker Floyd is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to providing coordinator and director services to clients, Dawn serves as the Assistant Director of the Title IX and Equity Services Team at Grand River Solutions, where she assists with developing and executing the team’s goals and objectives, supervises internal teams, and mentors individual team members. As a Title IX Coordinator and Director, Dawn oversees institutional compliance, ensures a fair and equitable process, supervises and mentors staff, conducts training, reviews and revises policies, and provides support to all parties engaged in a university Title IX or equity process.

Dawn has decades of experience in higher education and law. Prior to Grand River Solutions, Dawn was the Title IX Coordinator at a small private liberal arts university and at a large public university. At both schools, Dawn was the first full-time employee overseeing Title IX compliance and was instrumental in developing and implementing a robust Title IX program. In these roles, Dawn served as the primary intake person for reports involving students and staff, conducted investigations into alleged incidents of sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, drafted policies and procedures, and facilitated university-wide educational programs and training.

Dawn was also a director of university compliance for seven years at her previous institution. In this role, Dawn provided strategic guidance and compliance support on university policies and state and federal laws and regulations impacting the institution, including the Higher Education Act, ADA/504, FERPA, NCAA, F1 and J1 visas, consumer privacy laws, Title VII, and the Clery Act. In this role, Dawn also supervised the compliance training program for all employees, which included managing an online educational portal, developing program content, and presenting educational programming and training in multiple areas of university compliance.

Between 2004 – 2014, Dawn practiced law in New York and North Carolina as a litigation associate at private law firms. While in law school, Dawn completed a concentration in Employment Equality/Inequality and interned at the City University of New York Office of the General Counsel. Prior to law school, Dawn worked in higher education in various areas of student life including residence life, new student orientation, international student advising, and student activities. Throughout her career, Dawn has presented hundreds of educational programs and training to students, parents, employees, colleagues, law enforcement administrators, lawyers, and other professionals in higher education and law. Dawn’s work has always focused on an alignment of law, regulation, and policy while centering the needs of the population she is serving with a solutions- and equity-based approach.

Dawn has also taught courses as an Adjunct Professor. From this experience, she co-authored a chapter in a book entitled Collaborating for Change: Transforming cultures to end gender-based violence in higher education, published by Oxford University Press in 2020, and co-authored a chapter in the Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict, entitled War and Romance in 2022.

Dawn earned a J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law, an M.A. in Higher Education, and a B.A. in Political Science, from Appalachian State University. Dawn lives with her family in Hickory, North Carolina.

Vanessa Bentley is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, and Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to conducting investigations, Vanessa also serves as a process and hearing advisor for Title IX matters.

Vanessa has more than 12 years of experience working in different roles in higher education. Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, she worked at Cornell University, initially as a Police Officer and then as an Equity and Title IX Investigator within the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX. As an Equity and Title IX Investigator, Vanessa conducted initial assessments, drafted notices of investigation and no contact orders, and investigated allegations of prohibited discrimination, protected status harassment, and sexual and related misconduct by and against students, staff, and faculty. She also served as the office’s law enforcement liaison and provided Title IX training and informational sessions to local law enforcement agencies.

Vanessa is certified in trauma interviewing using the FETI technique, and has conducted hundreds of interviews with complainants, respondents, and witnesses. Vanessa held various ancillary duties within the Cornell Police Department, and was a certified Field Training Officer, with additional instructor certifications in domestic violence, physical fitness, and defensive tactics.

Vanessa received her bachelor’s and master degrees in sociology and criminal justice, respectively, from the University at Albany. Vanessa splits her time between Florida and the Finger Lakes region in New York.

Joe Bielevicz is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team for Grand River Solutions. In addition to his role as a Title IX and Civil Rights Investigator, Joe serves as a hearing advisor.   

Previously, Joe served as an investigator for the student and employee populations at the University of Pittsburgh and Boise State University. At both institutions, he conducted investigations of alleged Title IX violations, retaliation, and discrimination and harassment based on a protected class. Joe also has experience investigating and resolving employment issues such as hostile workplace complaints, conflicts of interest, and harassment not tied to protected class status.  

Prior to working in higher education, Joe served for 28 years with the Pittsburgh (PA) Bureau of Police. He was a detective in the Firearms Tracking Unit and the Homicide Squad and was assigned to a federal firearm trafficking task force for 15 years. Joe developed and delivered training to local, state, and federal law enforcement officers. He also testified before Pennsylvania and U.S. House Committees regarding gun trafficking and gun violence. 

Joe earned his Master of Studies in Law and a certificate in human resources law from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and his Bachelor of Arts in social sciences from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Bill Boerner is part of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Bill serves as a Title IX and EEO Coordinator at large and small public and private institutions across the country. As Title IX Coordinator, he oversees institutional Title IX Compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX Process, supervises and mentors Title IX staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and information Title IX grievance process.   

With over 25 years of experience in higher education, Bill previously served as the Interim Vice President and Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In his previous role, Bill oversaw the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion division, leading inclusion goals and visioning for the colleges. As the Title IX Coordinator, he led sexual violence prevention and response, and maintained compliance training for all students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, Bill served as the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer for the State University of New York at Fredonia, overseeing diversity, equity, and inclusion, affirmative action, Title IX, and ADA compliance. 

Bill has an extensive background in student affairs administration and social justice education, is a trained investigator and has experience leading intergroup dialogues and restorative justice circles. He frequently leads training and workshops related to identity, Title IX, bystander intervention, social justice, inclusion, LGBTQ+ topics, understanding bias, and navigating transitions. 

Bill received his undergraduate degree in social science from Keene State College, a Master of Education from the University of Connecticut, and a Doctor of Educational Leadership from Johnson & Wales University. Bill holds a certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Management and is a Certified Affirmative Action Professional from the American Association for Access, Equity, and Diversity.

Laura Boren, Ph.D. works on the Coordinator & Director Services Team and serves as a client success specialist.

Laura brings over 25 years of experience working with faculty, staff, and students in public higher education. Her expertise spans crisis response, Behavior Intervention Teams, student conduct, Title IX, and university administration. Throughout her career, Laura has held executive leadership roles in Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Georgia Southwestern State University, Tarleton State University, and Northeastern State University (OK). Laura is highly experienced in risk management and crisis response, notably playing a pivotal role in implementing risk management measures for student organizations at Texas A&M University following the 1999 Bonfire collapse. She is also deeply passionate about higher education law, as reflected in her extensive work in university policy development.

With a strong focus on individual wellbeing, Laura is committed to helping individuals navigate the complexities of federal regulations while ensuring that policies are applied in ways that promote fairness and support. As an experienced Title IX Coordinator and student conduct administrator, she excels at guiding institutions and individuals through complaints and policies with a focus on balanced, win-win solutions.

Laura earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University and holds both a master’s in science and a bachelor’s in business administration from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Chantelle Botticelli J.D., is the Senior Director of Business Development at Grand River Solutions. As a nationally recognized subject-matter expert in Title IX and related fields, she lectures extensively at universities and conferences throughout the U.S. on Title IX, VAWA, harassment, and implementation of best and emerging practices. Before she was in her current role, Chantelle was the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Client Relations for the Northeast Region.

Chantelle has more than 15 years of experience in the investigation and adjudication of sexual and interpersonal violence. Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Chantelle served as the Director for Institutional Equity and Title IX at Cornell University. Prior to that, she served as the Assistant Vice President for Equity and Compliance and Title IX Coordinator at the University at Albany. In these roles, she provided direct, hands-on experience in Title IX, civil rights, employment law, and workplace and academic investigations. Her responsibilities included focusing on diversity efforts, sexual assault prevention and training, affirmative action, and protecting minors on campus.

Chantelle spent the first decade of her career as an Assistant District Attorney assigned exclusively to the prosecution of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and crimes against children. While in that role, Chantelle developed an expertise in trauma-informed interviewing practices and investigation techniques.

Chantelle is an adjunct faculty member at Albany Law School and has also served on the faculty for National Center for Campus Public Safety and at Cornell Law School. Chantelle was recently appointed by the NY Governor to serve as a commissioner on the New York State Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct.

Chantelle received her B.A. from Binghamton University and her J.D. from Albany Law School.

Elizabeth Brady is the Manager of Training Solutions and Training Product Manager at Grand River Solutions. Elizabeth leads the strategy, development, and delivery of large-scale training initiatives for colleges and universities nationwide. She oversees Grand River Solutions’ training membership, manages cross-functional implementation efforts, and supports institutions in strengthening compliance, equity, and prevention education.

Before joining Grand River Solutions, Elizabeth spent nearly a decade in higher education focusing on sexual and interpersonal violence prevention, equity initiatives, and student support. She served as the Interim Executive Director of the Advanced Research in Reducing the Impact of Violence in Higher Education (ARRIVE) Center at the State University of New York (SUNY), where she oversaw prevention, education, and response programming across SUNY and its national portfolio. In this role, she secured more than $9 million in external funding to advance violence prevention and response efforts. During her tenure at SUNY, Elizabeth created SUNY SPECTRUM, the nation’s largest conference dedicated to violence prevention and response for LGBTQIA+ students and communities. She also played a key role in establishing the SUNY Student Conduct Institute, which trains institutions nationwide on conducting fair, thorough, and equitable investigations and adjudications.

Elizabeth brings additional experience as a victim advocate and health educator and currently serves on the advisory board of the Keep Families Giving Foundation, where she supports next-generation philanthropists and impact investors. Elizabeth was a recipient of City and State New York’s 40-under-40 award, and Southern Connecticut State University’s Inclusive Excellence Award.

Elizabeth earned her Master of Business Administration from Western Connecticut State University, a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Southern Connecticut State University, and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Women’s Studies and Counseling and Human Services from The University of Scranton.

Sandra Braedt is on the Investigation, Hearing & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions.

She most recently served as the University of Puget Sound’s Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer where she oversaw the university’s prevention efforts and coordinated the response, investigation, and resolution of complaints (individual or systemic) asserting violations of the university’s nondiscrimination policies.

Sandra has more than 15 years of experience in policy development, prevention, and investigations at 2-year colleges and public and private universities. Her expertise encompasses investigating discrimination and harassment specific to sex, gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics related to students, faculty, staff, and third parties.

Sandra holds a Bachelor of Science in Business, Human Resource Management from Western Governors University.

Jessica Brown is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Jessica serves in a Quality Assurance role and as the Request for Proposal Coordinator. Jessica has previously provided services as a civil rights investigator, hearing officer, training facilitator, and Title IX coordinator with Grand River Solutions.  

With over a decade of combined experience in the legal and higher education fields, Jessica has previously served as a Senior Systemwide Director for Civil Rights with the California State University Chancellor’s Office, Civil Rights Investigator at Baylor University, and Director of Educational Equity and Title IX & Section 504 Coordinator at Lafayette College. Jessica began her career as a judicial law clerk in Pennsylvania and later worked as a criminal defense attorney.  

Jessica has worked with both public and private institutions across the country where she has helped lead policy development, education efforts, and managed harassment and discrimination grievance processes from intake and investigation through resolution. 

Jessica earned her Bachelor of Music from Florida Southern College and her J.D. from Penn State Law. She currently lives in Ashland, Oregon. 

Megan Buxton is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team within the ADA/504 Team at Grand River Solutions. Megan provides strategic support, guidance and adoption of best practices to institutions of higher education and K-12 environments. This work includes facilitating trainings and delivering ADA/504 consultation and coordination services, including direct client support through service as an institution’s ADA/504 Coordinator. In this role, Megan also oversees institutional ADA and 504 Compliance, supervises and mentors ADA office staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, consults regularly with campus partners on accessibility and accommodation concerns, and creates processes to support institutional compliance efforts with the ADA and the interactive accommodation process.

Megan brings almost two decades of experience and expertise in ADA and Section 504 compliance and best practices. Megan’s years in the higher education setting and in private practice at an education law firm contribute to her robust background and wealth of knowledge that allows her to effectively address the needs of university communities. Prior to joining Grant River Solutions, Megan spent eight years as the Director of Accessibility at a private liberal arts University in the Northeast. During her time there, Megan was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the disability office while also leading larger accessibility initiatives across campus. Through trainings and collaborative initiatives, Megan promoted accessibility awareness and efforts across campus to remove barriers for individuals with disabilities. Megan also developed policies and procedures and responded to, investigated, and resolved student complainants regarding accessibility or accommodations. As the director of a high volume, multi-faceted, and fast paced office, Megan consistently provided creative solutions to complex issues, all while establishing relationships with students and faculty and adhering to best practices. Megan has also served as an Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) mentor, providing leadership and support to new professionals in this field.

Before her work in higher education, Megan practiced as an education law attorney at a law firm in Connecticut. In this capacity, Megan collaborated closely with clients to navigate complex legal matters relating to special education, disability, and Title IX related matters. Megan also provided extensive professional development trainings on these issues and assisted school districts with responding to Office of Civil Rights, Department of Justice, and state level administrative complaints. During this time, Megan developed expertise in special education and disability law. Megan’s deep understanding of the legal landscape as well as her time spent in higher education allows her to think strategically and creatively to provide practical solutions and recommendations to navigate complex issues.

Megan received her juris doctorate from University of Connecticut School of Law. Always a scholar athlete, Megan graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in science  and economics from Quinnipiac University while also being a member of the women’s basketball team.

Katie Clifford is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Katie also provides training and consulting services to clients.  

Katie joined the Grand River Solutions team with over 25 years of experience in educational legal consulting and a background in employment and labor litigation. Katie served as a legal consultant for public and private educational entities and provided proactive and preventative policy training, performed compliance policy audits and reviews, and served as an investigator for a wide array of civil rights complaints. Prior to serving as a legal consultant, Katie served as the Ohio Attorney General’s Education Section Chief and advised 53 Ohio public colleges and universities in that capacity. She also served in the Ohio Department of Education and oversaw all litigation for such institutions. In addition to her public law experience, Katie was employed by Means, Bichimer, Burkholder and Baker L.L.P. and served as legal counsel to 25 school districts in a wide array of litigation matters as general legal counsel.  

Katie possesses extensive experience in building and enhancing partnership and collaboration in areas of response, prevention, policy guidance, presentation and training, assessment practices, and coordination and management of civil rights investigations. Katie currently serves as a Columbus College of Art and Design Board Member and previously served as a Grandview Heights City School District Board Member from January 2010-January 2014.

Katie earned her bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and her Juris Doctorate from the Ohio State University. Katie resides in Columbus, Ohio with her spouse and three children. 

Jennifer Cobb is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions.  

Jennifer has over a decade of experience working in higher education. Prior to her role at Grand River Solutions, Jennifer was the Director of Compliance and Title IX Coordinator at Colorado State University Pueblo. In this role, she oversaw civil rights investigations into discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Jennifer created and conducted trainings for students, faculty, and staff.

Jennifer has extensive experience in Civil Rights matters and is a certified mediator and arbitrator. Her mediation training was tailored specifically to higher education by the Center for Conflict Resolution and is a valuable skillset for managing investigations. 

Jennifer has a J.D. from Cumberland School of Law and a B.A. in International Business from Samford University. 

Joan Cook is part of Coordinator and Director Services at Grand River Solutions.

Joan brings over 12 years of direct experience in civil rights compliance and investigations in higher education with student, employee, and third-party cases. Before joining Grand River Solutions, Joan served as Compliance Supervisor and Title IX Coordinator within the Legal Office at Columbus State Community College in Ohio. Prior to that role, she served as Student Conduct Administrator and Deputy Title IX Coordinator at the University of West Georgia. Before she began her career in higher education, Joan was a social worker who conducted assessments and facilitated outpatient treatment and psychoeducational groups for adults with mental health and substance use disorders. She later worked in Mumbai, India developing local career training programs for young adults from severely under-resourced communities and coaching trainees on soft skills and behavioral accountability.

Joan has expertise in Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, VAWA, ADA/ADAAA, Clery, and FERPA as well as extensive knowledge of related regulations, guidance and standards; investigation methods, including trauma-informed interview techniques; technical and analytical report writing; human resources principles; and best practices and trends in the field of higher education. Joan also has experience developing supportive measures for pregnant and parenting students, writing civil rights policy and procedure, and creating employee and student trainings in compliance with federal and state law.

Joan earned her Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in social work from the University of Dayton.

Crystal C. Coombes is the ADA/504 Practice Team Lead at Grand River Solutions.

Crystal has more than 40 years of experience in private and public industry, higher education, compliance, crisis management, program development, mental health services, and disability management. Crystal previously served as ADA/504 Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator in addition to her role as the Assistant Vice President of Equity and Access Services with the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at George Mason University. During her extensive career, she has developed, implemented and managed several inaugural programs and services, including that of a multi-campus division of Student Affairs.   

Crystal has an extensive background in mental health and crisis assessment and management, equity and access services, disability and workers compensation, compliance and risk management, and investigation. She holds various professional certifications including licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia and as a national mediator.  

She received her Bachelor of Social Work and her minor in psychology and English from Virginia Commonwealth University. Crystal holds a Master of Education, Counseling from the University of Virginia and a second Master of Arts in English from National University. In addition to her administrative duties, Crystal taught various specialized subjects in the humanities at the postsecondary level. She has written numerous poems, short stories, works of music, and is the author of the Lucille Garcia Mystery Series including All Things Equal. 

Laura Cornick is a Regional Account Manager at Grand River Solutions, where she partners with colleges, universities, and organizations across the country to deliver thoughtful, responsive Title IX and civil rights compliance services.

With more than 15 years of experience in higher education leadership and association management, Laura brings a deep understanding of institutional operations, stakeholder engagement, and mission-driven work. She has worked closely with presidents, senior administrators, and campus leaders to develop solutions that strengthen compliance, improve organizational effectiveness, and support student and employee well-being.

Laura is known for building trusted relationships, translating complex regulatory environments into practical strategies, and helping clients navigate sensitive issues with clarity and care. She is passionate about supporting institutions in creating fair, safe, and inclusive environments through proactive partnership and service excellence.

She holds extensive experience in business development, executive programming, and cross-functional collaboration, and is pleased to support the mission of advancing compassionate, response systems nationwide.

Davis Crow is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions.

Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Davis was an Investigator and Specialist with the Office of Equal Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance at the University of Mississippi. In that role, he conducted investigations into complaints arising under Title IX, Title VII, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Davis also helped write institutional policies, oversaw live hearings in the Title IX grievance process, and coordinated accommodations for students.

Additionally, Davis has assisted with institutional climate assessments and employment and hiring processes as they relate to federal nondiscrimination law. With a focus on compliance and equity, Davis has collaborated with campus partners in Human Resources, the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement, and the Office of the Provost. Davis also has significant experience conducting training for students, student-athletes, and employees regarding Title IX and other institutional policies. Similarly, Davis has conducted training for individuals acting as university-appointed advisors in the Title IX grievance process.

Davis earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida and his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law.

Diana Cuozzo is part of the Investigation, Hearing and Appeal Services Team for Grand River Solutions. Diana provides hearing, investigation, advisor, and written determination services to clients. 

Before joining Grand River Solutions, Diana served as the Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator for the City College of New York. In this role, she was responsible for investigating and addressing all reported violations of the university’s EEO and Title IX policies. Diana led the institution’s diversity and compliance initiatives, crafting and executing comprehensive strategies aimed at fostering a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning environment. As a member of the President’s Cabinet, she advised on various employment matters and the university’s diversity and inclusion efforts. In addition to overseeing compliance in faculty recruiting and hiring, she served on an employment action screening committee, ensuring equity and minimizing university risk by reviewing compensation, organizational structure, and adherence to applicable employment contracts. She also collaborated closely with student affairs, and public safety staff, as an active member of the college’s behavioral intervention team.  

Diana’s experience includes her tenure as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. There, she managed complex criminal prosecutions from intake through disposition and served as liaison to the Family Court Division of the New York City Law Department, focusing on juvenile prosecutions involving co-defendants prosecuted as adults. This role sparked her interest in education policy, leading her to work with the New York City Teaching Fellows and the New York City Department of Education, where she taught high school mathematics. Most recently, Diana combined her passion for education policy with her criminal justice background working for a non-profit organization that provides educational programming to adult learners inside Florida correctional facilities. 

Diana holds a B.A. from George Washington University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. She is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. 

Katon Dalton is part of the Investigation, Hearing & Appeal Services Team for Grand River Solutions. In his current role, he serves as an Investigator, Hearing Officer, and Appeal Officer.  

Katon joined the Grand River Solutions team with over 10 years of experience through service in multiple compliance leadership roles, including Interim Executive Director of Equity Programs & Compliance and Senior Deputy Title IX Coordinator and DHR Administrator at his previous institution in the California State University system. In these roles, he managed intake and resolution of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation complaints and supervised a team of investigators. He also led politically sensitive and novel investigations and provided equity and compliance training. 

Katon holds a Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he earned the American Bar Association/BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law and a Public Interest Law Certificate. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in International Relations from San Francisco State University.  

Outside of work, Katon dances Argentine tango. He values tango for the lessons it imparts about presence, listening, and building trust through subtle nonverbal communication. Much like in his professional capacity, tango requires balancing structure with flexibility, reading cues with sensitivity, and fostering connection while respecting boundaries. Katon finds that the patience, focus, and empathy cultivated on the dance floor mirror the qualities he brings to his professional practice. 

Abby DeFeo is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team for Grand River Solutions. Abby Serves as the Resolution Services Coordinator supporting the team through assignments, allocation and forecasting, and internal assurance processes.  

Abby previously served as a Compliance Coordinator at the University at Albany where she conducted Title IX and discrimination investigations involving students, faculty, and staff members and has extensive training in sexual violence cases. Prior to her work in Title IX, Abby served in law enforcement for seven years as an officer and investigator. She worked as an Internal Affairs Investigator with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, focusing on white collar criminal cases involving computer and drug offenses. She served with the Troy Police Department for five years as a Patrol and School Resource Officer.  

Abby and is certified in the FETI technique of trauma interviewing. She has led student and faculty trainings in workplace discrimination, sexual violence prevention, and bystander intervention. She is also trained as a member of the Emotionally Disturbed Persons Response Team, certified as a training officer, and instructed Women in Policing at the Zone Five Training Academy. 

Abby received her Master of Business Administration from Sage Graduate School, and her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice/Sociology from The College of Saint Rose. 

Jess Ettell Irvine serves as the Clery Product Manager, leading the company’s Clery Services. In this role, she provides expert guidance on compliance with the Clery Act and oversees the development and delivery of Clery-related solutions in collaboration with other Clery team members. Jess acts as a primary point of contact for clients and manages project oversight to ensure successful execution of services. She also coordinates internal procedures to enhance workflow efficiency and supports the development of new services to better assist clients in meeting Clery Act requirements. Jess is also a member of the Coordinator and Director Services Team. She serves as a Title IX Coordinator and acts as an advisor during formal resolution processes for client institutions. Across both roles, she applies a strategic approach to aligning campus policies, procedures, and operational workflows to support effective compliance and coordination. 

Before joining Grand River Solutions, Jess spent over a decade in various leadership roles in higher education. Her previous positions include Assistant Dean, Clery Compliance Coordinator, Director of Student Conduct, and both Title IX and Deputy Title IX Coordinator at several institutions. Her experience encompasses student conduct, Clery Act compliance, Title IX, prevention education, and crisis response. She has led behavioral intervention teams, chaired resolution processes, participated in emergency response teams, and developed institutional policies and protocols to streamline workflows. 

Jess has particular expertise in designing and implementing prevention education programs. She has led campus-wide initiatives focused on bystander intervention, sexual violence prevention, alcohol and drug use, mental health, and hazing. She is highly skilled at integrating policy with practice and fostering cross-functional campus teams to address safety and compliance with student well-being at the forefront of her approach. 

Jess holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from SUNY College at Brockport and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University at Buffalo. 

Jan Fennell is on the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions.

Jan previously served as an investigator for nearly four years at both American University and Tulane University. In her previous roles, Jan conducted Title IX investigations as well as investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation involving students, staff, and faculty. She also prepared and led training for students, faculty, staff, and hearing panel members on these topics.

Prior to her work in higher education, Jan worked at public defenders’ offices across the country as an investigator and attorney for nearly a decade. Most recently, Jan served as a public defender in New Orleans, Louisiana where she handled all aspects of litigation including interviewing clients and witnesses, overseeing investigations, preparing pleadings, engaging in plea bargaining, writing and arguing appeals, and conducting all motion hearings and trials. Jan began her career as an investigator for the public defender office in Washington, D.C, where she led several investigations for homicide, armed assault, and sexual assault cases.

Jan received her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, and her B.A. in Spanish Literature and Sociology from The University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Laura Figueredo is the Operations Administrator at Grand River Solutions. Laura provides comprehensive operations administration and identifies ways to organically grow Grand River Solutions’ business presence. In her role, Laura creates social media content and implements marketing strategies, measures and manages the efficacy of online campaigns, develops content management and social media best practices, edits, uploads, and publishes web content, maintains website quality control, hosts virtual training and events, and creates and edits digital media for use in training and marketing.

Laura is passionate about online organizing, media literacy, and digital history. Laura thrives in using social media as a tool to create and foster community. She is one of the founding members of her local mutual aid group which facilitates neighbor-to-neighbor financial assistance and local resource sharing.

Laura received her bachelor’s degree in women and gender studies from the University of Florida.

Liz Frost is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. She currently serves as a Title IX Coordinator for public and private institutions, a Deputy Title IX Coordinator at a community college, and an Equal Opportunity Coordinator at a public institution. In these roles, Liz oversees compliance and equity within Title IX and equal opportunity processes, conducts training, and supports both formal and informal resolution efforts within the grievance process. 

With over two decades of experience in higher education, Liz has held a variety of leadership roles including Associate Dean of Students, Director of Student Life, Director of Housing and Residence Life, Chair of the Behavioral Intervention Team, Chief Conduct Officer, and Title IX Coordinator. Her professional background spans both public and private institutions. 

Throughout her career, Liz has deepened her expertise in compliance, Title IX, and a range of higher education issues. She has served on the Yavapai County Community Crisis Response Team—an initiative of the Prescott Valley, Arizona Police Department’s special victims unit focused on family violence—and has worked with MATForce, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing substance use in Arizona communities. Liz also brings extensive experience in policy evaluation and procedural improvement. 

Liz holds a doctorate in educational leadership and higher education administration from North Central University, a master’s degree in educational leadership  from Northern Arizona University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. 

Outside of work, Liz enjoys spending time outdoors and giving back to her community. On weekends, she can often be found off-roading, riding motorcycles, or volunteering with a local nonprofit.

Kelly Gallagher is the Director of Business Strategy & Products at Grand River Solutions. Kelly is responsible for developing and executing strategy for products and offerings, ensuring alignment with the overall business objectives at Grand River Solutions.

Kelly joined Grand River Solutions in October 2020, after nearly 15 years of experience in education. Kelly’s experience at Grand River Solutions includes service as a product manager, delegated Title IX Coordinator, and hearing officer. Most recently prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Kelly served as a senior leader at Columbia University, including oversight of the institution’s Title IX investigation and adjudication processes. During her tenure at Columbia University, she was a leader in the establishment of the office that develops, interprets, and applies student policies related to compliance, including Title IX. In response to the May 2020 Title IX Regulations, Kelly led the cross-university advisory group to create Columbia University’s strategic and operational response to the U.S. Department of Education’s updated set of regulations, including the development of a new policy and procedure.

Kelly received her Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia Business School, her Master of Education degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina, and her Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology from Syracuse University.

Sabrinne Gibson is a part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions.  

Sabrinne previously served as an Employee Relations Investigator at the Ford Motor Company, focusing on investigations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation complainants in addition to other violations of Ford policy. Sabrinne also served as a Senior Investigator at the University of Michigan, inclusive of the University of Michigan Health System, where she conducted educational conversations, provided community members with resources, explanations of their rights and options, and conducted investigations into complaints related to sex-based misconduct, discrimination, and retaliation involving students, staff and faculty.  

Sabrinne has experience in labor relations and worked as a labor advisor while in the University of Michigan Health System where she administrated labor contracts. In this role Sabrine conducted training on the contents of local union contracts and labor laws, held grievance hearings, drafted grievance answers, and responded to ad-hoc labor contract concerns. 

Sabrinne obtained a B.S. in psychology from the University of Illinois and has a J.D. from the University of Toledo. Sabrinne is a licensed attorney with the District of Columbia Bar. 

Christine Gill is a Client Success Specialist at Grand River Solutions, providing onboarding and ongoing support with the Case Tracker system.

Christine’s most recent work involved just over five and a half years in the St. Norbert College Title IX department. During this time, she participated in various projects and committees that improved services and added clarity to the Title IX processes. Christine was also extensively involved in supporting efforts through the college’s grant with the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as well as various college-wide equity and inclusion efforts.

Christine has a solid background in providing program support in Title IX work. More extensively, her background involves customer support, database management, data integrity, project management, and process improvement. Before her work in higher education, Christine spent over 19 years employed in non-profit agencies. Most of that time was with the Healthy Families program of Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, an accredited home visitation program. The bulk of Christine’s non-profit work took place behind the scenes in database management/administration, program improvement, and data quality assurance. Predating this, Christine worked for four years in computer security, with job responsibilities that included the management of mainframe system access and customer support with issues and data requests.

Christine has an associate degree in marketing communications. She is also a graduate of the Lakeland University Communication program. When time allows, Christine dabbles in her art business, leading in-home arts and crafts classes or working from custom orders.

Joy Goodner is the Director of Human Resources at Grand River Solutions.

Joy has over 20 years of experience in all areas of human resources including talent management and engagement strategy, DEI, performance management, and talent development. She previously worked at the Toledo Museum of Art where she was responsible for compensation and benefits, employee relations, and human resources compliance. Her industry expertise includes manufacturing, banking, non-profit, state government, healthcare and media. Joy has served on the SHRM Board of Directors as a Diversity Director in Colorado and Ohio.

Joy is a founding member of the DEAI ALLiance of Northwest Ohio which is an organization committed to developing and advancing the discussion around diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion to lead the community and region in implementing solution-oriented and sustainable practices for workforce development.

Joy earned a human resources management bachelor’s degree from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. Joy also has certification as a Certified Diversity Professional from the National Diversity Council and holds a Mediation certification from the State of Texas.

Joy loves to spend time with her husband and family, volunteering with community organizations, traveling, cooking and also enjoys playtime with her grandson Ace.

Amanda Hanincik is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Amanda serves as a Title IX and EEO Coordinator for large and small public and private institutions across the country. As Title IX Coordinator, she oversees institutional Title IX Compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX Process, supervises and mentors Title IX staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal Title IX grievance processes. 

Amanda previously worked as the Director of Educational Equity and Title IX Coordinator at Lafayette College where she played an integral role in preparing for and implementing policies and procedures to comply with the 2020 and 2024 Title IX regulations. Before serving in this role, Amanda held the position as Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator at Albright College. 

Amanda has a strong background in student conduct, compliance, drafting policies and procedures, and delivering training. She has spent almost 15 years overseeing Title IX and other civil rights complaints involving students and employees. Amanda has extensive experience facilitating resolution processes that include informal and other restorative practices, as well as formal investigations and live hearings. She has also written applications for and implemented various state and federal grants relating to sexual violence prevention. 

Amanda received a Master of Science in counseling and educational psychology from West Chester University and a Bachelor of Science in psychology and business management from Albright College. 

Laura Harlow is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Laura assists with Title IX, Title VI and EEO services for clients. Laura serves as a Deputy Title IX and EEO Coordinator and consultant for large and small public and private institutions across the country.  In these roles she oversees institutional Title IX compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX process, coordinates hearings, oversees special projects for University administration, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach, and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal Title IX grievance process. 

Laura has progressive experience in both non-profit and higher education systems. Prior to working at Grand River Solutions Laura held positions as Dean of Students and Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusive Excellence. Laura has also served as the campus Deputy Title IX Coordinator and ADA Coordinator contact. In these roles, she was responsible for behavioral intervention team protocols, policy revisions for student conduct, oversight of institutional investigations, prevention efforts, and alternative resolutions for concerns of discrimination, harassment and sexual violence. Laura also worked in non-profit fraternal organizations as a volunteer, Alumnae Coordinator, and Director of Loss Prevention. 

Further, Laura previously oversaw affirmative action/equal opportunity programs to ensure compliance with federal and state statutes, and designed and executed a results-oriented search and screen program designed to increase participation of minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities. Her work also included conducting climate surveys, while collecting and monitoring data for trends. While Dean of Students, she supervised staff in Housing and Residence Life, Student Life, and Student Conduct, and oversaw the development of the Center for Understanding, Belonging and Experiences. 

Laura is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the higher education administration at Indiana State University. She is a graduate of Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and of Indiana University Bloomington with a Master of Science in Higher Education and Student Affairs. She was certified as an Affirmative Action Officer (CAAP) through the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity and holds a Student Affairs Law and Policy Certificate through NASPA Students Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.  

Laura lives in South Bend, Indiana with her partner, three sons, two dogs, and a cat. She is engaged in her community as a licensed foster parent and volunteers with the local Family Justice Center. 

Kateeka Harris is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Kateeka serves as a Title IX and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Coordinator for institutions of higher education and K-12 in large and small public and private institutions across the country. As Title IX and EEO Coordinator, she oversees institutional Title IX and EEO Compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX and EEO process, supervises and mentors’ staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach, and provides support to all parties engaging in formal and informal grievance processes. In her role, Kateeka also conducts training for Grand River Solutions. As a facilitator, she leads a wide array of sessions, including Title IX, Pregnancy or Related Conditions, Alternative Resolutions, Title VI, and Managing Challenging Conversations sessions.  

Kateeka’s work promotes institution-wide alignment with state and federal non-discrimination, harassment, and gender equity laws while centering on the needs of diverse community populations. Prior to joining the Grand River Solutions Team, Kateeka served in higher education at four year and two-year colleges and universities for nearly two decades. Her services included Title IX compliance, student conduct administration, multicultural program administration, and undergraduate admissions. She designed equitable and inclusive curriculum and facilitated countless awareness opportunities. Before transitioning into higher education, Kateeka worked in the juvenile justice system. During that time that she implemented the court’s victim offender, truancy, and family mediation programs. 

Kateeka is a nationally recognized expert in student conduct and Title IX administration and has held leadership positions within the Association for Student Conduct Administration, including President. Throughout her professional career she has employed restorative practices. Kateeka has a passion for alternative dispute resolution and has certifications in advanced mediation and arbitration. She has established and redesigned institutional policies, Title IX compliance procedures, and student conduct programs. Kateeka conducted student conduct and civil rights investigations and training for communities and campus constituents, including single administrators and hearing boards.   

Kateeka received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Youngstown State University and her Master of Arts in Higher Education from Slippery Rock University. Kateeka is working to complete her Doctor of Educational Leadership. She is a practitioner who honors individuality and cultural experiences while in pursuit of restorative justice for all people. Kateeka enjoys designing equitable and inclusive programs and facilitating awareness opportunities. She resides in Arlington Texas with her family.  

Kristine Hayes is a Quality Assurance & Editorial Specialist at Grand River Solutions. Kristine has a background in higher education law, employment law, civil litigation, administrative law, civil rights and Title IX compliance, Title IX and EEO investigations, and Title IX and EEO resolutions encompassing live hearings, administrative outcomes, and informal resolution.

Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Kristine worked at as a Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Education Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. In that role, she represented Ohio’s public universities and colleges in a variety of litigation matters and served as general counsel to certain assigned community colleges where she routinely provided advice and counsel on Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and FERPA compliance. She assisted in the review and drafting of various policies and procedures related to equal opportunity mandates and provided input and advice on investigatory matters when the need arose. Kristine has also worked at Ohio University as a Civil Rights Investigator. In that role, she led investigations related to sex-based misconduct, harassment, and discrimination that implicated Title IX. She also conducted investigations and issued findings in discrimination matters under Title VII, Title VI, ADA, and other federal and state laws and university policies.

Before focusing her work on higher education, Kristine’s legal practice included nonprofit compliance as a Senior Assistant Attorney in the Charitable Law Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. In that role, she represented the State of Ohio in matters pertaining to the regulation and oversight of charitable trusts, solicitation, and fundraising in Ohio and provided legal guidance in investigations involving the alleged misuse of charitable funds or violations of charitable solicitations laws and litigated those matters when necessary to protect donors and beneficiaries. Kristine has also provided student legal services on two of Ohio’s university campuses, worked at a private law firm in their litigation practice group, and served as an Assistant City Attorney in the Civil Division of the Columbus, Ohio City Attorney’s Office.

Kristine earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from The Ohio State University, a Master of Library Science from Kent State University, and her Juris Doctor from the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University. Kristine is admitted to practice in Ohio, the United States District Court in the Southern and Northern Districts of Ohio, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Emma Hempel is the Regional Account Manager for the Northeast at Grand River Solutions. She comes to this role after being an essential part of the Director and Coordinator Services Team for nearly four years. She is frequently sought after as a trainer and has trained thousands of individuals across the country on Title VI, Title IX, and other equity topics. At Grand River Solutions, she leads a wide array of training sessions, including the Title IX Coordinator Training, Advanced Title IX Coordinator Training, Intake and Notice Training, Pregnancy or Related Conditions, and many more.

With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Emma has served as Title IX and EEO Coordinator for both large and small public and private institutions across the country. As Title IX Coordinator, she oversaw institutional Title IX compliance, ensured a fair and equitable Title IX process, supervised and mentored Title IX staff, conducted trainings, revised policies and other relevant documentation, conducted outreach, and provided support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal Title IX grievance process. While she was the Title IX Coordinator at the State University of New York at New Paltz, she oversaw institutional Title IX compliance and was the primary contact for students, faculty, and staff who were reporting sexual and interpersonal violence.

Emma has developed and implemented a variety of trainings and workshops on topics including sexual violence prevention, sexual harassment, bystander intervention, and diversity and inclusion. Emma also served as President for the State University of New York’s Title IX Coordinator Association (STIXCA) and worked with 64 campuses and their Title IX initiatives.

Emma obtained her undergraduate degree in music and her graduate degree in social justice educational studies from SUNY, New Paltz. Emma resides in New Paltz, NY with her fiancé.

As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ Community, Emma was honored to also serve as SUNY New Paltz’s first LGBTQ Coordinator, where she provided broad support for LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, and students. Emma also previously worked at the LGBTQ Center of the Hudson Valley providing LGBTQ+ Cultural Responsiveness Trainings to local organizations, companies, universities, and K-12 schools.

Jackie Hennard is on the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions. Jackie also trains and mentors new investigators and hearing officers.  

Jackie previously served as the Director of Title IX, EEO and Employee Relations for the Art Institute of Chicago and School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she oversaw Title IX investigations and conducted discrimination and harassment investigations involving students, faculty and staff. Jackie also resolved requests for reasonable accommodations. Jackie served as the Associate Director and Lead Investigator of the Office for Access and Equity at the University of Chicago, where she conducted Title IX, discrimination, and harassment investigations involving students, faculty and staff. Jackie participated in various accessibility initiatives and projects. Jackie also served as investigator for the City of Chicago’s Department of Human Resources where she conducted investigations of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and violence in the workplace involving City of Chicago employees. She has also served as a major case specialist for the City of Chicago Office of Police Accountability, where she conducted investigations when members of the Chicago Police Department were involved in incidents that resulted in death, serious bodily injury, or significant media attention.  

Jackie received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Michigan State University and her Juris Doctorate from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law. She is admitted to the state bar in Illinois. Jackie is also a certified mediator.

Darci is on the Investigations, Hearings & Appeals Services team at Grand River Solutions. Darci also supports Grand River Solutions Darci as a Strategic Account Manager. She works with key clients across the country to identify tailored solutions that best fit their unique needs and institutional cultures and align with their strategic objectives. Her insights from over fifteen years in the fields of labor and employment, equity compliance, and higher education have provided her with in-depth knowledge of the unique complexities and opportunities of educational workplaces and campus communities.

As a consultant, Darci draws on her former experience serving in various roles including Assistant Vice President, Title IX Coordinator, Chief Civil Rights Officer, and State Senior Civil Rights Investigator as well as a labor and employment attorney. Darci is an experienced hearing officer, investigator, and senior administrator who has performed and overseen hundreds of complex student conduct and workplace hearings, determinations and investigations. In addition, she has delivered hundreds of hours of live training, presentations, as well as development, interventional and executive coaching.

Darci earned a certificate in international mediation and conflict resolution from the Erasmus Rotterdam program (IIMCR) in addition to completing leadership and executive coach training from the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI). She has worked, studied, and travelled extensively throughout Europe and West Africa.

Darci received her J.D. from the University of Oregon, her M.A. in International Policy Analysis from the Monterey Institute of International Studies (now Middlebury Institute), and her B.A. with dual majors in International Studies and Spanish from Portland State University. Darci lives in Oregon with her goofy spouse, two amazing children, and anxious but lovable chiweenie.

Kara Hughes is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions.  

Kara previously served as the Senior Investigator for the College of the Holy Cross Office of Title IX & Equal Opportunity. In this role she investigated allegations of discrimination, harassment, sexual and relationship violence, stalking, and retaliation. Kara also conducted intake interviews, implemented supportive measures, assisted with the adjudication processes, and facilitated compliance-based trainings for students, faculty, and staff. Kara was trained as an investigator in New York City (NYC), where she investigated police misconduct with the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board; allegations she investigated included excessive force and abuse of authority. She later investigated NYC Department of Education (NYCDOE) employees with the NYCDOE Chancellor’s Office of Special Investigations, managing cases including those with allegations of corporal punishment and verbal abuse. 

In addition to her time as an investigator, Kara has experience working on college campuses as an instructor, having taught English composition at the University of Pittsburgh, the City University of New York, and Suffolk University, as well as at Boston College as part of its McNair Scholars Program. 

Kara earned an A.B. from Harvard College and an M.F.A. in fiction writing from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Ashley Hull is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In her current role, Ashley conducts Title IX and civil rights investigations and provides hearing, written determination, advising, and appeal services to clients. 

Ashley joined Grand River Solutions with more than 15 years of experience in higher education. In her previous role she served as the Director of Public Safety, Clery Compliance Officer, and Title IX Coordinator at Lewis-Clark State College. While there, Ashley conducted civil rights and Title IX investigations involving students, staff, and faculty. Prior to her work at Lewis-Clark State College, Ashley served as an Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator at Washington State University where she conducted investigations into allegations of discrimination, including but not limited to, sexual assault, harassment, dating/domestic violence and stalking. Before her work as a civil rights investigator, Ashley served as a campus police officer at Washington State University for nearly 10 years.  

Ashley received her bachelors’ degrees from Washington State University in criminal justice and sociology with a concentration in law and social control. She also received certificates from the University of South Florida, Muma College of Business, in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and inclusive and ethical leadership. 

Ashley currently resides in Idaho with her spouse, five children, two cats, and one dog. 

Ann James, PhD, is a member of the Coordinator and Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Ann also serves as the Staff Development Manager for the team, ensuring that all members have opportunities to focus on their own growth while providing services to clients. In her role, Ann has served as a Title IX Coordinator and EEO practitioner at schools across the United States, including large and mid-sized public, private liberal arts, and religiously affiliated institutions. As Title IX Coordinator, she oversees institutional Title IX compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX process, supervises and mentors Title IX staff, conducts trainings, revises policies, conducts outreach, and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal Title IX grievance process. Ann is an experienced facilitator of training on Title IX compliance for those involved in the process at all levels, from employee reporting to coordinators.  

With 25 years working in higher education, Ann has experience leading offices within residence life, advocacy, student conduct, and Title IX. She has overseen high-profile investigations related to hazing and Title IX and has extensive experience resolving cases involving both students and employees. Additionally, Ann has expertise in crisis management, leading through change, and mentoring higher education professionals. She has held leadership roles in several professional associations and currently serves on the Association of Student Conduct Administrators Raymond H. Goldstone Foundation Board. 

Ann earned her BA in political science and MA in College Student Development from Appalachian State University and her PhD in College Student Personnel from the University of Louisville. Her doctoral research focused on the impact of sexual violence on first-year college students, specifically related to perception of campus climate and engagement. 

Tera Johnson is a Business Development Specialist and is part of the Investigation, Hearing, and Appeal Services team with Grand River Solutions. Tera has more than 14 years of professional experience in higher education including roles in residence life, student conduct, Title IX, and dean of students’ office.

Tera has nearly 20 years of experience in higher education. Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, she worked at Notre Dame College where she most recently served as the Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator. She also served in roles in Residence Life and Student Conduct during her time there and taught first year experience courses as an adjunct faculty member. Tera has extensive experience in adjudication, advising, case management, informal resolution, investigation, policy development, and training facilitation.

Tera earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from John Carroll University and a Master of Education in College Student Personnel from the University of Louisville.

Tom Johnson works in Coordinator & Director Services at Grand River Solutions. Tom assists institutions across the country serving in their Title IX and equity offices. In his roles, Tom helps oversee compliance with federal, state, and local laws, responding to reported campus incidents, implementing policy, training, and facilitating equitable processes for all parties involved. 

Tom has worked in higher education for over 17 years at both private and public institutions. Most recently, Tom served as the Title IX Coordinator at DeSales University, a Catholic-Salesian institution in Pennsylvania. Prior to DeSales, Tom was the Director of Title IX and Equal Opportunity Compliance at Rider University. In both positions, Tom was responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and conducting Title IX and EEO investigations. Tom also coordinated and facilitated training for the campus community and was responsible for policy development and revision. Before his work at Rider University, Tom held a number of positions at Temple University in residence life, student conduct, and wellness. Tom has also served as an adjunct faculty member undergraduate mediation and public health courses, and a graduate student affairs course. 

Tom has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master of Education in Student Affairs in Higher Education Administration from Kutztown University. Tom also has a Master of Legal Studies from West Virginia University and a Doctorate of Education in Learning and Organizational Change at Baylor University. 

Joshua Jones is on the Coordinator & Director Services team at Grand River Solutions.

He is a seasoned higher education professional with extensive experience in Title IX and EEO compliance, as well as legal and student conduct matters. With a background that includes serving as the Associate Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator at Louisiana State University (LSU), Joshua has worked across multiple institutions to ensure compliance with federal regulations. At LSU, Joshua oversaw Title IX compliance for the entire university system, managing a team responsible for intake, investigations, hearings, appeals, and training. Prior to LSU, Joshua served as the Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access at the University of Kansas and has also worked in student conduct and Title IX roles at the University of Iowa. Joshua began their career as a prosecutor in Miami-Dade County, eventually focusing on sex crimes, before transitioning into higher education.

Joshua brings a wealth of expertise in legal compliance, investigations, and policy development. With a strong background in prosecuting complex legal cases, Joshua has a deep understanding of sex discrimination, harassment, and violence, which informs his work in Title IX and EEO compliance. Having led teams and presented at national conferences, Joshua is skilled in training and educating diverse stakeholders, building robust compliance frameworks, and fostering supportive campus environments. Joshua is adept at managing complex systems, ensuring that policies and procedures are consistently implemented across multiple campuses, and mitigating institutional risks related to civil rights violations.

Joshua holds a Juris Doctor from Ohio Northern University (2005), a Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Iowa (2014), and a Bachelor of Arts in Technical Theatre from Wagner College (1999). This diverse educational background has equipped Joshua with both the legal knowledge and the higher education expertise to navigate the intricacies of Title IX and EEO laws while fostering a fair and supportive environment for students, faculty, and staff.

Karey Krohnfeldt is the Director of Resolution Services at Grand River Solutions. In this role, she oversees several of Grand River Solutions’ services including investigations, hearings, advising, appeals, and alternative resolutions.

Karey has extensive experience in civil rights, Title VII, Title IX, equal employment opportunity (EEO), employment law, and investigations. Prior to joining GRS, Karey served in a dual capacity as the Director of the Office of Equity and Title IX Coordinator for each CU Denver and CU Anschutz campuses. She has also worked as an independent consultant investigating EEO complaints for a number of Federal Executive Branch agencies across the country, an Assistant Director for an office of equity and diversity at a medium sized private research university in Southern California, as well as a Legal Analyst within the Federal Judiciary for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, California.

With over 25 years of investigations experience, Karey has conducted hundreds of investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation involving federal employees, as well as students, faculty, and staff in higher education. In addition to her experience as an investigator, Karey has also served as an Affirmative Action Officer, an ADA Coordinator, trainer, and certified mediator.

Karey received her J.D. from Whittier Law School and her B.A. in Political Science from San Diego State University. She currently resides high up in the Rocky Mountains of Southern Colorado with her spouse, their super mellow dog and extremely aloof cat.

Diana Kunce is the Director of Brand Identity, Design and Communications. Diana focuses on maintaining the overall identity, the brand identity and the values of Grand River Solutions. In addition, she oversees outward written and design communications including all marketing materials, advertising, and social media. Diana works closely with the Marketing Director to devise strategy for the company’s offerings.

Diana has 25 years of experience in the design field. She is a partner in her own successful design firm, WWFF Design, and she is also known as an award-winning independent film producer and film production designer. As director of WWFF Design, Diana has worked with clients internationally to design and build branding for both residential and educational spaces.

Diana executive produced It’s Not About Jimmy Keene, an Official Selection of the Indie Episodic program for Sundance 2019.  This project followed on the heels of another Sundance success, Eve, a film by Susan Bay Nimoy, which premiered in 2018.

Previous to WWFF Design and producing independent film, Diana worked as a commercial producer on several hundred filmed commercial projects with clients such as AT&T, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes, followed by an even more notable career as set decorator and production designer. She has travelled extensively on projects from Manilla to London and all over the U.S. Diana has won various prestigious design awards and her work is in notable collections, including Museum of Modern Art Award for Design, Permanent Collection of MOCA, Clio Awards Hall of Fame, Cannes Film Festival Lion and Gold Medals, USA Today’s One of the Best 10 Commercials of All Time.

Her notable film work includes the 90’s Adweek’s The Commercial of the Decade—Michael Bay’s Aaron Burr’s Got Milk?, Wayne Wang’s feature The Joy Luck Club, and TV shows like CSI and Davis Guggenheim’s and David Mamet’s The Unit.

Her design work has been featured in the NY Times, LA Times and multiple design publications.

As part of founding a national award-winning youth theatre program in Culver City, CA, national winner of the Glee Give-A-Note grant, she spear-headed the sixteen-million dollar renovation of the historic Frost Auditorium.

Diana began her career in marketing, developing design content, copy and corporate identity before moving to the film and design business.  As a copy editor, she has helped two fiction books come to publication in addition to providing writing consultation for scripts, advertising and college essays. She currently has a tv show in development with her husband, director/cinematographer, Jim Frohna.

Diana was awarded a full fellowship in Fine Art for her MFA from Stanford University. She also worked in the product design lab and as lecturer and teacher of art classes. Diana is a conceptual artist; her art is in several notable collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She has been a visiting lecturer at Film Independent, Scripps, Cal Poly Pomona, LACMA, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, UCLA, and more.

Amy is on the Investigator, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions.

Since 2014, Amy has worked in various roles conducting and overseeing campus investigations at institutions of higher education across the Western United States. Before joining the team at Grand River Solutions, Amy served as the dual-campus Deputy Title IX and DHR Coordinator for University of Colorado, Denver and Anschutz Medical Campus. Amy has investigated complaints of academic and non-academic conduct, workplace violence, pay equity, sexual misconduct, stalking, retaliation, and identity-based discrimination and harassment. Amy’s professional portfolio includes experiences as a Student Conduct Officer, Deputy DHR Administrator, Senior Deputy Title IX Officer, and Interim Title IX Coordinator.

Amy is versed in matters involving campus culture, compliance, policy change, and equity and inclusion. Amy has played a key role in the development and implementation of bystander intervention, implicit bias, and sexual assault prevention training programs.

Amy obtained a master’s degree in education from California State University, Fullerton and credits her passion for higher education to her early experiences as a student assistant in multicultural programs. Amy is committed to assisting organizations with addressing and resolving complaints in a thoughtful, thorough, and empathetic manner.

Kate Legee is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team and facilitates Title IX and Equity training at Grand River Solutions. Kate serves as a Title IX and EEO Coordinator for large and small public and private institutions across the country. As Title IX Coordinator, she oversees institutional Title IX compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX process, supervises and mentors Title IX staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach, and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal Title IX grievance process.  

With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Kate has previously served as the Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Deputy Title IX Coordinator, and Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) coordinator at University of Massachusetts Lowell, as well as the Program Coordinator for Interpersonal Violence, Alcohol & Other Drugs, and Mental Health and the Residential Life Student Conduct Coordinator at Temple University. Kate also currently teaches courses at Temple University within the Fox Business School related to human resources and business management and has previously taught in the College of Public Health. 

Kate is currently ABD for her PhD in Criminology and Justice Studies through University of Massachusetts Lowell. She has an MS in Human Resources Management from Temple University, an MA in Counseling Psychology from Immaculata University, and a BA in Psychology from Millersville University. Kate is also a certified Mental Health First Aid and QPR suicide intervention training facilitator. As a trained mental health professional, Kate also has special training to work with persons struggling with substance use issues and those who have autism spectrum diagnosis (ASD). Kate has had articles published related to academic dishonesty and supporting students who have experienced dating violence and issues related to substance use. Kate has been honored to attend The Briefings at Columbine and other professional conferences and trainings related to school and community responses after a mass casualty tragedy. 

Kate lives in woodsy New Hampshire with her spouse and their two feisty dogs, Maelyn and Logan P. In her free time, Kate is sewing her way to a full wardrobe, baking with her sourdough starter “Bruce Dern,” and eating every cheese in existence. 

Ericka is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to her role as a Title IX and civil rights Investigator, Ericka serves as a hearing advisor.  

Ericka previously served as an investigator at Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she led investigations and investigated complaints involving discrimination and harassment based on protected class involving students, faculty, and staff. While at Duke University, in addition to her investigative responsibilities, she conducted informal resolutions, reviewed and edited discrimination and harassment policies and procedures, drafted consensual relationships policies, and created content for compliance-related communications such as videos and infographics. 

Ericka earned her B.A. in political science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law. She previously practiced labor and employment law for a federal-sector union, investigated complaints, and drafted administrative decisions for federal agencies, and served as a North Carolina court-appointed Guardian ad Litem where she conducted investigations to determine facts, needs, and appropriate resources for abused and neglected children.

Pari Le Golchehreh is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to providing these client services, Pari also manages an internal Grand River Solutions team of investigators. Since joining Grand River Solutions, Pari has played a key role in facilitating and developing a wide range of training offerings, including sessions on Title VI and IX investigations, report writing, and hearings. Pari has also served in delegated positions with institutions across the country, supporting departments in developing and implementing standard operating practices and process templates, while ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures.  

Before becoming a trusted higher education practitioner, Pari received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a Jurisprudence Doctorate. Her legal training has given her a deep understanding of the regulatory frameworks and nuances surrounding discrimination and harassment issues in educational and workplace settings. After graduating Law School, Pari became a certified mediator, adding the unique skill set of facilitating productive dialogues with parties and witnesses, ensuring that participants feel heard and respected throughout the investigative process.  

As a distinguished professional with a wealth of expertise in Title VI, Title IX, and Civil Rights investigations, Pari has become a trusted authority in the field for her unwavering commitment to fairness and dedication to helping other practitioners navigate investigations efficiently and effectively. Pari brings a commitment to excellence and a passion for promoting objective, equitable processes. Her work continues to drive meaningful impact and inspires practitioners across the field. 

Brigit Lencioni is the Director of Operations and Chief of Staff at Grand River Solutions. She has been with the Grand River Solutions team since inception, from her initial role as a product manager to her current position. In her role as Director of Operations, Brigit oversees the daily operations of Grand River Solutions, including strategic planning, cost management, quality management, and information technology. In her role as Chief of Staff, Brigit is responsible for staff management, business management, and communications. She interfaces across departments to foster collaboration, optimize processes and workflows, and ensure efficient achievement of company objectives.

Brigit brings a unique and diverse skill set to Grand River Solutions, combining business and legal expertise. Her experience spans various areas and Title IX and Clery Act compliance, contracting, communications, and business development. She has managed staff of various sizes throughout her career. She worked at both IHE and private companies and served on the board for several associations. Brigit holds a Master of Arts in multiple subjects, a Paralegal certificate, and is in slow pursuit of her MBA.

Kevin Lineberger is a member of the Operations Team at Grand River Solutions, focusing on internal data collection and analysis. Kevin also leads Grand River Solutions’ Annual Security Report software offering, helping institutions across the country meet their compliance requirements. Additionally, Kevin provides reconciliation services of Clery crime data, manages Campus Security Authority training tracking services, and does research into emerging trends and best practices. 

Kevin has been on the Editorial Board for Campus Legal Advisor since 2020, a journal which focuses on emerging legal issues in higher education. Kevin has also published articles in the areas of Title IX, the Clery Act and Stop Campus Hazing Act, and Constitutional Policy.

Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Kevin graduated from Stetson University College of Law with a concentration in social justice advocacy, and where he served on the editorial boards of Stetson’s Law Review and Journal of Advocacy and the Law. In his final semester, Kevin was chosen to be the sole Research Assistant for Stetson’s Diversity Initiative where he evaluated various schools’ DEI pipeline programming.

Lori Makin-Byrd is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions.  Lori serves as an interim and permanent Title IX and EEO Coordinator, and Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (DHR) Administrator for large and small public and private institutions. In her role, she also manages a team of interim and permanent coordinators and directors and serves as a member of the Quality Assurance team.  Lori is effective in a variety of contexts, including overseeing complex offices and the supervision of both internal staff and external contractors; staffing small, one-person offices; and serving as deputy or background support for existing coordinators or directors.   

Lori previously served as the Senior Advisor to the President for Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator at the College of Wooster. In this role, she oversaw college-wide Title IX compliance and served as the main contact point for students, faculty, and staff who experienced or had been accused of engaging in gender-based discrimination, harassment, or violence. Lori was the college’s highest-ranked equity officer and partnered with various campus constituencies to create and revise policies while centering both equity and compliance. At the College of Wooster, Lori also served as the Interim Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and assisted in restructuring and retraining Dean of Students staff. 

In former roles, Lori oversaw all student conduct processes and policies, served as primary investigator on employee misconduct investigations, and was a full-time psychology faculty member. With a background in clinical psychology, Lori has also chaired multiple Behavioral Intervention (BIT) and Care Teams, led risk assessment efforts on multiple campuses, and served as the primary point of contact for students in crisis. 

She received her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and her master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Arkansas. 

Robin Maras is on the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions. In her role, Robin conducts investigations and serves as a hearing panelist. In addition to these roles, Robin serves as a Resolution Services Manager, where she supervises an internal team of investigators.  

Robin has more than 20 years of experience in higher education. Robin previously served as a Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Title IX Investigator at Utah Valley University, serving over 43,000 students. Robin also served as a Gender Equity Investigator in the Office of Institutional Equity at the University of Iowa. In these roles, Robin conducted Title IX, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation investigations involving students, staff, and faculty. 

Robin has led training for students, faculty, and staff on various Title IX topics. She also has extensive experience conducting workplace investigations. Prior to her work in Title IX, Robin conducted fraud investigations and audits for the University of Utah and the University of California, Riverside. 

Robin earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah, a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from California Baptist University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Utah. 

Isabel Mathews is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to her role as an investigator, hearing advisor, and decision-maker, she has facilitated public training for Grand River Solutions.  

Isabel previously served as a Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Civil Rights Investigator for Georgetown University, and as a Title IX Investigator for Grand Canyon University. Isabel has developed and facilitated campus-wide Title IX and diversity-related trainings and climate surveys. Isabel’s workshops have included topics such as bystander intervention, consent, incapacitation, gathering technological data within investigations, and diversity and inclusion. In her roles at Grand Canyon University and Georgetown University, she managed campus programming and compliance policies. 

Prior to her work in in equal opportunity and academic compliance, Isabel worked as a case manager for inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities specializing in mental illness and substance abuse where she gained experience in crisis intervention and trauma-informed care.

Isabel received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Berry College in 2017 and her master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in forensic psychology from Grand Canyon University in 2020. 

LaShun McGhee is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. LaShun serves as Deputy and Title IX Coordinator and provides single matter services and consulting for Title IX and EEO issues. LaShun provides guidance for small, mid-size, and large higher education institutions, where she coordinates compliance and initiates response for sex and gender-based discrimination and all other forms of protected characteristics discrimination. She creates and facilitates institutional training for students and employees, including athletics and other specialized groups. She provides guidance for and assists institutions with survey administration from implementation and monitoring to evaluation.  

LaShun has expertise in various educational settings spanning fifteen years in higher education for several small and medium-sized four-year residential public and private, and two-year nonresidential public colleges and universities, along with working in partnership with K-12 schools. Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, LaShun served as Title IX Coordinator for a small liberal arts institution, where she led Title IX compliance, served as mentor to response and resolution personnel, led campus-wide training and prevention initiatives, authored policies and best practices protocols, and established community partnerships. Additionally, through those roles, she informed students, employees, and third parties of their rights and provided responses for all acts of misconduct, harassment, and discrimination. She has often served in inaugural roles in Student Conduct, Compliance and Title IX Administration, Clery Act and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and behavioral intervention teams (B.I.T.), including establishing crisis intervention plans. She has provided guidance for institutions on Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Voluntary Resolution monitoring and response, authored or co-authored various policies and protocol development for Title IX and intersecting statutes, and led training programs for students, employees, community, and nonprofits, and college and university decision-makers, administrators. 

Prior to higher education, LaShun provided direct care for co-occurring populations with certifications as an addiction and mental health counselor, life coach, civil rights investigator, diversity and inclusion, and certified affirmative action professional. She also serves on the Executive Advisory Board for a professional Consortium of Title IX Professionals and engages in her community. 

LaShun holds degrees in psychology with a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree from National Louis University.  

LaShun has often lived the mantra of “Do what you have to do, until you can do what you want to do.”  Working with Grand River Solutions allows her to do what she wants to do by assisting campuses, technical programs, and schools from an expert level on EEO and Title IX Coordinator Services, equity compliance, and discrimination, and providing work through seamless support that has intent, purpose, and impact. 

Kellie Moan is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to providing investigation services to clients, Kellie is a Team Manager and supervises an internal team. 

Kellie joined Grand River Solutions with nearly a decade of experience performing investigative work in various capacities. Kellie previously worked for the University of Wyoming, the University of Colorado-Denver, and Anschutz Medical Campus as an Equal Opportunity Specialist, Civil Rights Investigator, and Manager of Investigations. While serving in these roles, Kellie conducted complex investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation involving students, faculty and staff. She also conducted investigations of Title IX complaints and participated in live hearings. 

In addition to her work in higher education, Kellie is certified as an EEO investigator and has experience conducting workplace investigations. As a workplace investigator, Kellie utilized her extensive knowledge of Title VII by investigating alleged misconduct including harassment, bullying, and retaliation in the workplaces of governmental employees.  

Kellie received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Wyoming College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Colorado State University-Pueblo. 

Dr. Jill Moffitt is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Jill also serves as a team lead for Grand River Solutions, where she supports and aids four members of the Coordinator & Director Services unit. 

Jill’s career in Higher Education spans 25 years, and she has served in a variety of roles across a span of functional units in student affairs and athletics during that time. She has had functional work responsibilities in athletics, campus recreation, fraternity and sorority life, student activities and involvement, multicultural student programs, diversity, education and inclusion, bias incident response, student union and sports complex oversight, orientation, residential life, student conduct, service learning, and served as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. She has served medium and small sized institutions and has worked collaboratively as part of the University of North Carolina College System doing policy development, training, procedural efficiency, and advocacy for Title IX Coordinators’ work across 16 institutions.  In Jill’s last campus leadership role, she led projects for the campus community including NCAA reaccreditation, university wide quality enhancement plan for academic accreditation, master planning for the physical campus footprint, and served as a member of central command for emergency management during safety threats, including the COVID-19 Pandemic.  

Jill began working in the realm of Title IX in 2010, Title VI and Title VII since 2014, and in ADA/504 spaces since 2019. She was responsible for the development and implementation of policies, procedures, investigations, adjudication methods, and training professional employees working in these spaces. She has developed comprehensive prevention and awareness campaigns on campus to educate faculty, staff, administrators, and students. Jill has experience developing partnerships and agreements with local family justice centers, domestic violence shelters, and rape crisis centers.  

Jill is a published author who has written a textbook and published research in academic journals. She also served as an article reviewer for the Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education. Jill served on the Domestic Violence Task Force in her home state and has worked with local government in her area to address the economic and racial disparity that exists in her community regarding sexual violence statistics. She received her bachelor’s degree from New Mexico State University, her master’s degree from Ball State University, and her doctorate from the University of Vermont.

Amber Morgan is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to providing these services to clients, Amber is a Team Manager and supervises an internal team. 

Amber previously served as the Title IX/ADA Coordinator for seven years at Transylvania University, overseeing ADA compliance, the university’s equal opportunity policy, investigations, and the adjudication processes. Amber prepared and led annual training sessions for students, faculty, staff, and investigators. In addition to these responsibilities, Amber worked for several years overseeing the Transylvania University Accessibility Services Office, providing direct support to students with disabilities and guidance to faculty for best practices in the higher education classroom setting. While working full-time at Transylvania University, Amber also worked independently serving as an investigator and a decision maker for other higher education institutions in Central Kentucky. 

Prior to her work in higher education, Amber worked as a K-12 educator in both the public and private sectors. Amber served as a general classroom teacher, specific area resource teacher, and director of student support services for elementary and middle school students. 

Amber has a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina, with an emphasis on equity and policy writing, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Old Dominion University.  

Amber currently resides in her home state of Kentucky with her spouse, two children, and their family pets. 

Jessica Nagle is the Director of Coordinator & Director Services at Grand River Solutions.

Before joining Grand River Solutions, Jessica served as the Title IX Coordinator at Boston University. Prior to that role, she investigated allegations of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation involving staff and faculty. She also investigated similar allegations involving students at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Before her career in higher education, Jessica conducted investigations for the Massachusetts Trial Court and mediated disputes. Additionally, she served as a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem for the Massachusetts Trial Court, representing K-12 students in matters related to special education and disability law.

Jessica has a robust background in civil rights, Title VI, Title IX, equal employment opportunity (EEO), student conduct, employment law, special education, investigations, and behavioral intervention protocols. Jessica has experience collaborating with faculty, staff, and students in both public and private higher education institutions. Jessica has extensive experience in developing and implementing sexual assault prevention initiatives and training programs, including topics related to equity matters, field programs or study abroad, and safeguarding minors on campus.

Jessica earned her Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Public Policy from Suffolk University.

Karen Nutter is a Quality Assurance & Editorial Specialist in the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Prior to holding this position, she served as an investigator and hearing officer.  

Karen began her legal career as a litigator with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, then worked as a writer and editor for a non-profit legal publishing company. Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, she worked in the equity office of a large research university, as an investigator and report reviewer, on matters related to protected class discrimination and harassment, sexual misconduct, bullying, and workplace violence.  

Karen holds a J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, and a B.A. from Grinnell College. She is admitted to practice law in California.

Alison Nygard is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In her current role, she primarily serves as a Hearing Officer. In addition to providing hearing, investigation, written determination, and appeal services to clients, Alison is a Team Manager and supervises an internal team.  She also presents training for Grand River Solutions on conducting effective investigations, report writing, and decision-making (with a focus on Title IX hearings).

Alison joined the Grand River Solutions team with over 10 years of experience in higher education and served as an Associate Director of Equal Opportunity at her previous University in the California State University (CSU) system. She fulfilled the functions of both Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Deputy Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (DHR) Administrator for her campus, conducting hundreds of investigations and inquiries along the way. 

Alison is accustomed to providing calm and efficient consultations in response to complex issues as well as to working with diverse groups of staff, faculty, students, administrators, and even third parties, in an ever-changing legal landscape. She played a vital role in organizing her former campus’s training and outreach efforts. 

Alison takes seriously the charge of serving as a neutral arbitrator and aims to build trust in any adjudication process. While not everyone will agree with outcome on any given case, she can assure all parties and witnesses that the statements and evidence they provide will be reviewed fairly and in an unbiased manner. Alison earned her bachelor’s degree from Rice University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Davis – King Hall. 

Sarah Olejniczak is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Sarah also serves as a Team Manager for the Coordinator & Director Services team. In her work with Grand River Solutions, Sarah supports Title IX, Title VII, Title VI, and other related equal opportunity work on college campuses.  

Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Sarah served as the Title IX Coordinator and in senior student affairs leadership at St. Norbert College and Mount Mary University. Sarah also has extensive experience working at faith-based and public institutions, including work in residence life and as a student conduct officer. Sarah has worked broadly in student affairs and coordinated institutional retention efforts. Additionally, Sarah has professional experience overseeing behavioral intervention teams, including emergency removal and threat assessment processes for college campuses. 

Sarah received a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership, with a dissertation focused on trauma exposure for resident assistants, from Marquette University, her Master of Education from Marquette University in Educational Policy and Leadership (college student personnel administration), and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Luther College. 

Sarah’s work has been recognized professionally in a variety of ways. In 2023, Sarah was recognized as a Future 15 award finalist. In 2022, Sarah graduated from the Forward 48 leadership development program and was recognized with both the 2022 Golden House Golden Strength Award and the Wisconsin Women in Higher Education Leadership Representative of the Year Award. 

Molly O’Malley is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Molly serves as a Title IX Coordinator/EEO Coordinator and Intake Coordinator at both large and small, public and private institutions across the US. As a Title IX Coordinator, Molly oversees the policies, procedures, and overall compliance of Title IX at each institution. Molly also facilitates trainings for students, faculty, and staff, and provides support to all parties involved in resolution options. Molly also facilitates the Level I Title IX Coordinator training offered by Grand River Solutions.

Molly previously worked in many areas of higher education including housing and residence life, student conduct, and policy development. Most recently, Molly worked at Northeast Ohio Medical University where she oversaw Title IX compliance, developed and implemented a learning and development series for students, faculty, and staff, implemented a case management system, and developed hiring procedures for staff and faculty. Molly has over 10 years of experience in higher education and 2 years of experience in primary and secondary education.

Molly obtained a Master of Higher Education Leadership from Walden University and a Bachelor of Education from Youngstown State University.

Outside of work, you will find Molly in a bowling alley running tournaments, on her favorite 9-hole golf course, or on a softball field playing second base. Molly and her partner James have one son, Keegan, and two dogs, Kali (a Boarder Collie/Blue Heeler) and Marshall (a Shepherd mix).

Kate Palumbo is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In her current role, Kate supports universities and colleges with ADA/504 compliance efforts.  

Kate brings over two decades of ADA/504 compliance work with private and public universities, community college, state service, and non-profit sectors. She is an accomplished leader in accessibility services with extensive expertise in program and policy development, grant writing, education and training, promoting pedagogical best practice, and fostering institutional change.

Kate’s passion for education extends to the classroom, where she enjoys serving as adjunct faculty. In her professional roles, Kate has been a trusted advisor to faculty, staff and administrators, offering training on equitable access and barrier removal for students with disabilities, developing curricula, ensuring compliance with legal standards, and enhancing opportunities for students.

Kate holds a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling, Administration & Postsecondary Education from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Marist College. She enjoys volunteering in therapeutic recreation activities including teaching swim lessons and coaching adaptive sports for youth with disabilities. When not working, Kate enjoys watching her kids play hockey, play baseball, dance, and swim. She also enjoys spending time in the garden and at the beach.

Karen Pettus is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services team at Grand River Solutions. Karen provides expert consulting services to support the ADA/504 team in her work with institutions of higher education and K-12 environments. Her work includes providing ADA/504 consultation and coordination services across higher education and K–12 environments, facilitating staff development and training, providing guidance on recent policy and procedure development, assessing offices for compliance, continuing improvement efforts, and using data in decision making. 

Karen brings over 30 years of experience and expertise in compliance and best practices in creating more inclusive student life environments. She served as the director of student disability resource centers at public and private four-year institutions and the technical college system. During Karen’s teaching career she focused on integrating students with disabilities into all aspects of a school’s curriculum rather than segregating students into separate classrooms and programs. Her desire to see students included in all aspects of life led her to disability services at the University of South Carolina, where she provided education and training for faculty and staff on the importance of providing appropriate accommodations that promote inclusion for college students in all aspects of university life. Karen focused on program assessment, continuous improvement efforts, and use of data in decision making to lead schools’ more inclusive student life environments.     

Karen served on numerous campus committees geared toward student success and retention, including a strategic planning committee, CARE teams, the South Carolina Technical College Disability Services Committee, and the SACS accreditation committee on diversity and inclusion. She chaired the Student Veteran’s Committee and the Disability Affairs Committee. She served on the advisory board for the rehabilitation counseling master’s degree program and the advisory board for the South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Exceptional Children for 10 years. Karen was a member of the South Carolina Department of Education External Review Team for seven years. She conducted several external reviews for colleges and universities in the southeast United States.  

Karen was the co-principal investigator for a grant to begin the Carolina LIFE program for students with intellectual disabilities on campus and a career training grant for students with disabilities from the South Carolina Governor’s office.  She won the Student Affairs Diversity Award at the University of South Carolina in 2020. Karen served as an Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) mentor, providing leadership and support to new professionals in the field. She was named an AHEAD Research Fellow and was selected for an AHEAD Evidence Based Practice Award (2020). 

Karen has conducted numerous presentations, pre-conference workshops, and webinars for AHEAD and other organizations. She also co-authored “Accessible tailgating: An examination of ADA requirements and implications associated with tailgating activities” (Gillentine, Grady, Miller, Pettus, 2016) in the Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport. 

Karen is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a B. S. in Special Education. She completed a master’s degree in adult education and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research from the University of South Carolina.

Lisa Recore is part of the Investigation, Hearing & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions.   

Lisa previously served as the Compliance Coordinator at the University of Albany. In that role she conducted Title IX investigations related to dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation. Lisa also conducted investigations into protected class discrimination, harassment, hostile environment, and retaliation claims. Additionally, Lisa was responsible for policy development, policy implementation, and staff and student training.

Lisa has extensive experience investigating sexual violence cases and is certified in the FETI technique of trauma interviewing. Lisa has conducted comprehensive investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment, hostile environment, and retaliation based on protected categories —including age, race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and national origin. 

Before transitioning into higher education, Lisa served as a Senior Professional Conduct Investigator for the New York State (NYS) Education Department, conducting investigations into allegations of misconduct by NYS teaching certificate holders in the K-12 setting, with a focus on sexual and physical violence. She also worked as a Senior Caseworker for the Albany County Department of Children, Youth, and Families, conducting investigations into allegations of child sexual and severe physical abuse, including fatality investigations, and assisted in the creation of the Albany County Child Advocacy Center.  

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Art in Psychology from Siena College. 

Judith Risch, J.D., Ph.D., is the Title IX & Equity/Access Services Special Advisor at Grand River Solutions. Judy brings over two decades of invaluable experience from her tenure at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education. Judy’s role at Grand River Solutions involves partnering with senior leadership in business, healthcare, government, and educational systems in areas of disability discrimination related to equity, access, and technology, ensuring best practices and compliance with federal civil rights laws, including Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Judy Risch is nationally recognized as a foremost expert in digital accessibility, having served as a senior attorney at the Department of Education, where she co-led the Office for Civil Rights National Digital Accessibility Team. Her role involved overseeing a team of attorneys and investigators across 12 regional offices, enforcing digital accessibility policies and advising educational institutions and business leaders on compliance with federal disability discrimination laws.

While at OCR, Judy provided expert technical guidance during the development of the new ADA Title II amendments that cover digital accessibility. She also contributed her expertise to updating the 2024 Section 504 Regulations regarding digital accessibility for the Department of Health and Human Services, OCR. Judy regularly advises and presents to educational institutions and business leaders throughout the country about how to effectively comply with federal civil rights laws, especially those that relate to disability discrimination, access, and technology.

Judy has advised senior leadership in businesses and state and local educational systems to ensure compliance and provide them with forward-looking guidance. Judy is in high demand as an expert speaker and educator on civil rights laws, presenting to organizations such as the national and state chapters of AHEAD, NACUA, EDUCAUSE, major university and community college systems, and CIO’s (Chief Information Officers) across the country.

Judy graduated from Miami University with a bachelor’s in special education and earned a law degree (JD) and a doctorate in educational administration (PhD) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Cherie Scricca has served institutions of higher education in leadership positions for more than 20 years. She is recognized for her entrepreneurial approach to program development and management, having created programs and academic initiatives drawing on the strengths of public and private partnerships. A passionate advocate for meaningful, effective solutions to interpersonal violence, her intimate understanding of the needs of students, faculty, and staff enables her to address highly sensitive issues among and across the diverse communities found on campuses.

In July 2014, Cherie co-founded Project IX, a nonprofit company dedicated to helping smaller secondary schools, colleges and universities effectively address issues of Title IX policies, response, education, and compliance. Project IX provided small, under-resourced institutions with customized, hands-on, assistance crafting Title IX sexual assault response procedures that reflected each institution’s values and unique culture.

Cherie has held leadership positions at both public and private universities giving her unparalleled insight into the organizational structure and operations of higher education institutions. These include University of Maryland, University of California at Berkeley; Occidental College; University of California, Hastings College of the Law; and Minnesota State University,

Cherie received her Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Education in the management of higher education programs, where her research focused on “University-Industry Research Partnerships” in higher education. She received her M.S. in women’s studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and her B.A. in political science from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Sam Sears is a Quality Assurance & Editorial Specialist in the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Sam provides quality assurance and conducts training on topics related to her work.  

Sam has practiced law for over 20 years, devoting the majority of her practice to the representation of higher education institutions, including serving as in-house counsel for three large public research institutions. In her role as in-house counsel, Sam provided legal support and guidance on the full range of legal issues affecting higher education institutions, including providing legal review of institutional responses to Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504, and ADA claims involving faculty, staff, and students. In addition to her work in higher education, Sam served as a General Attorney for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). As an OCR attorney, she coordinated responses to complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the educational setting. She also worked as an Associate Attorney for Alston & Bird, LLP, where she was a member of the Litigation and Trial Practice Group. 

Sam frequently led training programs on Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504, the ADA, and related topics for faculty and staff and for her higher education peers at workshops hosted by the National Association of College and University Attorneys and the Association of Student Conduct Administration. 

Sam received her J.D.  from Tulane University School of Law, her M.A. in Canadian politics from the University of British Columbia, and her B.A. in German and political science from the University of Alabama. 

Roma Shah is a Data & Analysis Solutions Specialist at Grand River Solutions.

Roma was previously the Research and Assessment Program Coordinator at The State University of New York where she served as the Coordinator for the Sexual Violence Prevention Climate Survey. In this role, she led the development of the survey instrument, assisted in survey implementation, completed IRB applications, and conducted data analysis and report writing. Roma was also the development lead for the online violence prevention trainings SPARC and RAPID, which are used by hundreds of colleges across the country.

Roma has a background in violence prevention policy and biostatistics and has co-authored several peer-reviewed journal articles. Her research has focused on the mental health impacts of sexual and interpersonal violence and the experiences of survivors in the criminal justice and health care systems. She also has experience working as a case manager and survivor advocate.

Roma received a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, and a B.S. from Rutgers University. She is currently a Doctor of Public Health student at the University at Albany.

Jody Shipper, J.D., serves as a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Grand River Solutions. A nationally-recognized subject-matter expert with more than 25 years of experience in Title IX and related fields, she is known for her insight into best-in-class programming, policies, and community outreach aimed at addressing sexual misconduct on campus. She lectures extensively at universities and conferences throughout the U.S. on Title IX, VAWA, harassment, and implementation of best and emerging practices.

Prior to founding Grand River Solutions, Jody co-founded Project IX, a nonprofit focused on Title IX-related services to schools with a mission to provide effective solutions for preventing and responding to sexual violence.  Previously, Jody served as the systemwide director for Title IX/VAWA/Clery and sexual assault/sexual violence compliance for the University of California system. Prior to that, she served for 11 years as executive director of the Office of Equity and Diversity at a large, NCAA Division 1 research university where she also held the post of Title IX Coordinator, as well as Chief Diversity Officer, Director of Investigations, and Affirmative Action officer. In these roles, she provided direct, hands-on experience in the fields of Title IX, civil rights, employment law, and workplace and academic investigations. Her responsibilities included focusing on diversity efforts, sexual assault prevention and training, threat assessment, affirmative action, and protecting minors on campus.

Before working in higher education, Jody served as outside counsel to businesses and nonprofits in California, litigating employment and education matters before state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies.

Jody received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She is FETI certified and is the author of the comprehensive reference manual Workplace Investigations: The HR Manager’s Step-by-Step Guide. Jody was also a founding board member of the California Association of Workplace Investigations (now AWI).

Jody also lives with two dogs, two pigs, a varying number of chickens, and has yet to meet an animal with whom she did not hope to have a conversation.

A member of the Navajo (Diné) Nation, LaNell Shirley is a Title IX & civil rights investigator at Grand River Solutions with extensive experience.

LaNell has served as a senior investigator at multiple California universities. She was responsible for investigating university complaints involving discrimination and harassment based on protected classes for faculty and staff. LaNell also served as the complaint resolution officer at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of Southern California (USC) where she conducted Title IX investigations for student and faculty populations. In addition to her investigation responsibilities and heavy caseload, LaNell helped establish the procedural framework and report writing standards governing investigation for UCLA and assisted with outreach, training, and programming for the broader campus community. Her investigation reports have been used as model templates for the UC system.

LaNell served as an attorney with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Legal Services Office where she focused primarily in the area of family law in both state and tribal courts. She also served as the communications coordinator for The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.

LaNell received her bachelor’s degree in political science and English from Arizona State University (ASU) in 2006 and received her Juris Doctorate and Indian law certificate from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU in 2012. She also is admitted to the state bar of Arizona and admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

Erin Slater-Wu is an Operations Specialist at Grand River Solutions.

Erin has extensive experience working in higher education, namely in student conduct and Title IX adjudication. Prior to her time at Grand River Solutions, Erin worked at UC Berkeley where she was instrumental in creating transparency in the hearing process for Title IX adjudication, building robust internal processes for the student conduct and Title IX adjudication processes, and overhauling the recruitment and training process for members of the Committee on Student Conduct.

Erin is passionate about making campus adjudication processes equitable, transparent, and fair to the greatest extent possible. She believes that this starts with supporting the success of those conducting investigations, hearing cases, and reviewing appeals so they can perform their jobs as effectively as possible.

Erin received her Master of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Courtney Snow is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions.  

Before joining Grand River Solutions, Courtney served as the Director of Compliance at Emmanuel University and Piedmont University in Georgia, where she managed each university’s compliance initiatives across campus. Courtney was responsible for writing and developing campus policies and procedures for disability services, employee grievance processes, non-discrimination complaints, minors on campus, and sexual misconduct. She provided direct support and training to students, faculty, and staff related to ADA, Title VI, VII, and IX, along with Clery Act and workplace violence policies. 

Courtney has served in the roles of Title IX Coordinator, ADA Coordinator, and Clery Coordinator. Courtney brings over a decade of experience resolving EEO and Title IX university complaints. She has served as a hearing panel member, informal resolution officer, advisor, and investigator. In addition, Courtney spent seven years serving as Director of Student Conduct. Courtney worked in conjunction with campus constituencies to develop programmatic initiatives related to the prevention of sexual violence and workplace harassment. Courtney has also served on several sexual assault task forces within her local community and previously served as a peer reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). 

Courtney earned a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Georgia, and a B.S. in Psychology from Emmanuel University. She currently resides in Georgia with her husband and two boys. Go Dawgs! 

Dr. Darren Snyder is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions.  

Darren previously served as a team member on Moravian University’s Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator and Threat Assessment team. He also worked as a Title IX and EEO investigator for Lafayette College and a decision maker for Rider University. Darren additionally served as a faculty chair for the Criminal Justice Program for Lehigh Carbon Community College, teaching for over ten years. Darren has conducted numerous in-depth Title VI, Title VII and Title IX investigations for several colleges and universities. He has also presented training on the Clery Act, professional interviewing, criminal and civil investigations, and sex-based crimes. While in his role at Moravian University, Darren assisted with the development of new investigator, sex crime prevention, consent, and mandatory reporting training. He also developed new and revised existing EEO policies. As a professor at Lehigh Carbon Community College, he served as a mentor and worked closely with the faculty union as an advisor and member. 

Prior to his work in academia and civil rights investigations, Darren served as a detective for the Easton Police Department. During this time, he was responsible for a wide range of criminal investigations ranging from sex-based crimes to homicide. Part of this role included an extensive number of interviews and training with trauma-informed processes. He also participated in numerous criminal and civil trials, thus gaining a wide range of experience in litigation. Darren also proudly served his country in the United States Army with over ten years of active duty, including tours in both Europe and the Middle East. While serving, he obtained a B.S. in Business Management and later obtained a M.S. in Justice Administration and PhD in Public Safety. 

Andrea Stagg is the Director of Consulting Services at Grand River Solutions. Andrea also serves as a training facilitator.

Andrea has served in various legal and compliance roles at public and private colleges prior to joining Grand River Solutions. As Deputy General Counsel and Director of Government Relations & Compliance at Barnard College she oversaw all legal and compliance matters. Before joining Barnard, Andrea was counsel to three colleges within the State University of New York and provided SUNY-wide Title IX compliance advice. At SUNY, Andrea co-coordinated a working group that created the policies that evolved into New York Education Law Article 129B, a groundbreaking state law providing fair and transparent practices to prevent and respond to sexual and interpersonal violence on campus. Andrea worked in federal higher education lobbying for Rutgers University before attending law school.

Andrea is an active member of the University Risk Managers and Insurance Association and the National Association of College of University Attorneys, through which she has authored several peer-reviewed publications and facilitated education sessions during conferences and webinars. Most recently, she co-wrote a chapter on the Clery Act and Title IX for  Convergence of Litigation, Policy, and Standards: Building the Informed Practitioner in Education Abroad Risk Management  (Pollard & Priebe, 2024).

In 2014, Andrea was awarded the Commissioner’s Award from the State University Police, and in 2019 she received the First Decade Award from the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She graduated from Rutgers University and The George Washington University Law School.

Jui Steffen is a Product Manager at Grand River Solutions. Jui is responsible for developing and executing strategy for products and offerings, ensuring alignment with the overall business objectives at Grand River Solutions. She also works closely with various teams across the organization to shape portfolio direction and support go to market strategy development.

Jui graduated from Boston College in 2023 and received a B.A. in Elementary Education and Applied Psychology and Human Development.

Kerri Sterowski is a Client Success & Business Development Operations Specialist at Grand River Solutions. Kerri has been a part of the Business Development team since August 2022. In her role, Kerri leads Case Tracker sales efforts, manages company-wide contract renewals, and plays a key role in forecasting and strategic planning for the company’s growth. She connects Regional Directors with their clients, streamlining collaboration and enhancing the overall customer journey for a smooth and seamless customer experience.

Kerri’s higher education experience has focused on working within residence life and housing, student conduct, and event services. At the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Kerri served as a Residence Director where she oversaw paraprofessional student staff members and served in an on-call emergency rotation enforcing student conduct policies and ensuring compliance with FERPA, HIPAA and Title IX. During her time as both a graduate and undergraduate student, Kerri served as a university hearing board officer with Ohio University’s Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility. Kerri also sat on the university appeal board and reviewed appeals adjudicated through the OU community standards process.

Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Kerri served as a crisis counselor with Crisis Link in northern Virginia. In this role, Kerri worked on both the regional crisis hotline and the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, supporting callers, assessing suicide risk, and facilitating intervention when requested or mandated.

Kerri is a proud double alumna of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication (with minors in Retail Fashion/Product Development and Theater/Dance Performing Arts) and her Master of Education in College Student Personnel. Kerri is incredibly passionate about serving others and ensuring everyone has not only equal but equitable access to care and safety. She currently resides in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with her family.

Joseph Storch is the Special Advisor for Grand River Solutions. In that role he advises clients on best practices in Clery Act and Title IX compliance, and works to develop new products, trainings, and resources to assist our clients in their compliance, response, and prevention efforts. Joe has provided live training to tens of thousands of higher education professionals in 30 U.S. states, furnishes technical guidance to numerous education institutions, organizations, and associations, and has twice served as an expert witness before the United States Senate (Armed Services, 2019; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, 2016).

He previously served as Associate Counsel in the SUNY Office of General Counsel and Chair of the Student Affairs Practice Group. He founded the Center for Advanced Research in Reducing the Impact of Violence in Education (ARRIVE Center) and served as Principal Investigator on more than $20 million in grants and external funding. He founded and oversaw the SUNY Student Conduct Institute, which offers compliance and best practice training annually to thousands of higher education professionals engaged in response to violence and conduct violations. In 2014, Joe received the Commissioner’s Award from the State University Police for contributions to safety on campus. In 2015, he served as a technical adviser to the Office of the Governor, developing comprehensive legislation enacted in July 2015 as Article 129-B of the Education Law (also called “Enough is Enough”) and has since served as principal author on guidance issued to implement that law. That same year, the National Association of College & University Attorneys awarded him its First Decade Award. Beginning in 2016, Joe founded and oversaw the SUNY’s Got Your Back program which has provided over 125,000 comfort bags to victims and survivors of violence, while educating tens of thousands of students and community members. In 2017, the One Love Foundation recognized his work in relationship violence prevention with its Unsung Hero Award and in 2018 the Pride Center of the Capital Region awarded him its Straight But Not Narrow award. In 2020, City and State selected him as one of its 40 Under 40. Joe served as Principal Investigator of the Biennial SUNY Uniform Campus Climate Survey, one of the largest such surveys in the nation, and of the SPECTRUM conference, the nation’s largest gathering addressing violence against members of the LGBTQI+ community.

Joe is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of SUNY Oswego where he served as Vice President of the Student Association, of the University at Albany with a Masters of Public Policy, and of Cornell Law School where he served as Moot Court Board Chancellor. After graduating, he clerked for the New York State Appellate Division, 3rd Department and he currently serves as a member of that Court’s Committee on Character and Fitness. Joe served four years as Executive Editor of the Student Affairs Compliance Report & Analysis, is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of College and University Law, and is the author of more than 75 articles and book chapters in law reviews, practitioner journals, and popular media, most centering around campus safety or copyright law.

Aniya Sutton Ward is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services team at Grand River Solutions. Aniya supports the team by providing strategic guidance and compliance support in ADA/504 services, helping institutions navigate the complexities of accessibility laws and implement inclusive practices. In her current role, she delivers ADA/504 consultation and coordination services across both higher education and K–12 environments, focusing on equitable access, policy development, and the implementation of individualized accommodations. Her work promotes institution-wide alignment with federal disability regulations while centering on the needs of diverse student populations. 

Aniya previously served as the Title IX Coordinator and EEO/Title IX Investigator at Winston-Salem State University, where she oversaw day-to-day operations of the compliance office and conducted investigations involving faculty, staff, and students. She was instrumental in transitioning the Title IX function from Student Affairs and Human Resources to a standalone unit under Institutional Equity, where she led efforts to create a more robust and transparent policy infrastructure. Prior to that, she served as ADA Counselor and Title IX Investigator at Lenoir Community College and as an adjunct instructor in liberal arts. 

Aniya brings over a decade of experience in compliance and student services, with specialized knowledge in ADA/504 policy implementation, accessibility planning, and civil rights investigations. She has served on policy development committees, coordinated campus-wide training programs, and successfully led university initiatives recognized by the National HEED Award for Diversity Excellence. Aniya also partnered with community agencies, such as Forsyth County Family Services, and secured the North Carolina Against Sexual Assault (NCASA) HBCU Grant to enhance campus prevention programming. 

She holds a Master of Counseling from Liberty University, a Master of Adult Education from Walden University, and graduate certifications in women’s and gender studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and English from Winston-Salem State University. Aniya is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education in higher education leadership at Clark Atlanta University. 

Outside of her professional life, Aniya is a committed wife, mother and active community volunteer, engaged in scholarship, service, and leadership development programs for youth and families. 

Dr. Omar Torres is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Omar serves as a coordinator for both large and small public and private institutions across the country. He oversees institutional compliance, ensures a fair and equitable process, supervises and mentors professional staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach, and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal grievance process. Additionally, Omar coordinates and facilitates Title VI and student conduct training. As a facilitator, he leads sessions including Title VI Fundamental and Intermediate training.

A fluent Spanish speaker and published scholar and educator, Omar has held senior leadership roles at Clark Atlanta University and SUNY Old Westbury, with a proven record of advancing student success initiatives and institutional resilience.  

As a subject matter expert in student conduct, hazing prevention, and Title VI compliance, Omar brings extensive knowledge and strategic insight to navigating complex campus issues. In addition to expertise in student conduct and Title VI, Omar has significant experience providing support and technical guidance on Title IX and Clery Act compliance. Omar’s comprehensive approach to equal opportunity and campus safety ensures that institutions receive practical solutions tailored to their unique needs. Committed to fostering inclusive and safe campus environments, Omar is dedicated to helping colleges and universities navigate evolving regulatory landscapes with integrity and confidence. 

Omar obtained his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Northeastern University (Boston, MA), and his Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) from SUNY Albany (NY). Omar resides in the Atlanta metropolitan area with his beautiful wife, two children, and three fur babies. 

Myra Waddell is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services team with over 30 years of experience in higher education.

Myra served as the Director of Disability Services at Winston-Salem State University, and a Special Education Resource Teacher in Franklin County Schools, Virginia. She also served as an itinerant teacher to Greensboro City Schools and Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, in North Carolina.

At Winston-Salem State University, Myra was responsible for providing accommodations to faculty, staff, and students, providing educational opportunities to the university ,and assisting with maintaining ADA compliance. Myra facilitated trainings and led presentations for faculty, staff, students, academic departments, and residence life. Her trainings and presentations were also implemented during open house events and orientation sessions for new and transfer students, as well as bi-weekly new hire sessions.

Myra received her Master of Science Degree in Adult Education and Distance Learning from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science from Winston-Salem State University in Special Education.

Donna Wagner is a member of the Investigations, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions.

Donna has 20 years of experience as an investigator and in human resources (HR) management positions in a variety of industries including higher education, non-profit, health care, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical devices, and insurance. Donna has conducted approximately 1000 workplace investigations encompassing all matters related to employment law and corporate compliance, including Title IX ,Title VII, Title 20 of the US Education Code and have included: sexual assault and sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, discrimination, harassment (all protected classes) retaliation, workplace violence, conflicts of interest and ethics, disability and accommodation, retaliation and whistleblowers, defamation, leave of absence, wage and hour, and health and safety. Donna has investigated numerous matters with significant legal and/or public relations exposure which have been in local and national headlines. Donna has testified in depositions and trials regarding her investigations in state court and for the Medical Board of California. She has also been retained as an expert witness in federal court and has testified at deposition.

Donna has deep expertise and experience leading the mediation and resolution of single-issue and multi-issue conflicts involving two people or multi-party conflicts outside of the court system. Donna has successfully helped parties reach transformative resolutions involving interpersonal disputes, manager and staff difficulties, faculty and student conflicts, breakdowns in working relationships, allegations of harassment, sexual misconduct and bullying, and issues arising from a grievance or disciplinary procedure. Additionally, Donna has provided HR advice and counsel to senior leadership, faculty, students and staff in higher education and for global and domestic business segments in Fortune 50 companies. In this capacity, she has led organizations in the development of annual reviews, succession planning, organization structure development, job design, staffing, compensation, and organization change. Donna has also researched, developed, and conducted nation-wide in-house training sessions for managers, HR professionals, students and employees on conducting effective workplace investigations, writing effective performance evaluations and discipline and documentation and conflict resolution.

Donna has a master’s degree in human resources and labor relations, a graduate certificate in mediation and negotiation, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She also held one-year internship as a Field Examiner with the National Labor Relations Board.

Jessica Ward is a member of the Coordinator & Director Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Jessica provides Title IX and EEO coordination to schools across the country ranging from small private religious-affiliated to large public R-1 institutions. As Title IX Coordinator, she oversees institutional Title IX Compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX Process, supervises and mentors Title IX staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach, and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal Title IX grievance process. Jessica provides advising services to parties that are engaged in a Title IX and EEO formal adjudication process. Jessica also serves on the training facilitation team, which allows her to connect with colleagues across the country while educating them on Title IX process best practices. 

Prior to joining Grand River Solutions, Jessica was the Associate Vice President/Dean of Students/Title IX Coordinator at a mid-sized private university in the Midwest. In this role, Jessica was responsible for all Title IX training and compliance for students, faculty, and staff; led the Behavioral Intervention Team as the Chief Conduct Officer; facilitated student conduct and Title IX hearings; was responsible for all aspects of the residence life program; and worked closely on retention efforts. Before entering this role, Jessica served as the Assistant Director for the Office of Student Standards at a mid-sized Midwestern public university where she was responsible for training hearing panel members, conducting organizational, hazing, and Title IX investigations, and providing alcohol, drug, and bystander education. While in this role, she also served as the Coordinator for Gender and Sexual Diversity where she overhauled the Safe Zone training program and crafted a trans and differing abilities inclusive Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity. 

Although she loves the work she does daily in compliance, one of her favorite things to do is teach, which she has done since 2010. This love of educating informs her practice daily. Jess has been teaching since 2010. Jessica’s favorite course to teach is student development theory to master’s students in higher education, which she teaches at two different mid-sized Midwestern public universities. Jessica’s passion to assist students has also informed her research and publications. While a PhD student, she studied food insecurity and cultural resistance to oppression in South Africa and in the United States. She presented this research at the national conferences for ACPA and NASPA. Jessica has work published in two books, Unleashing Suppressed Voices on College Campuses: Diversity Issues on College Campuses. Vol. 2 (2021) and Fraternities and Sororities in the Contemporary Era: A Pendulum of Tolerance (2019). 

Jessica earned her Doctor of Philosophy from Indiana State University in Leadership in Higher Education. Her dissertation title was “The Lived Experiences of Transgender Higher Education Professionals.” Jessica earned a Master of Higher Education Administration from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s in rhetoric and political science from Georgia College and State University.   

In her free time, Jessica loves attending baseball games. She travels to new baseball stadiums each year either watching an MLB team or the Savannah Bananas with her spouse. They are avid dog lovers, and their pups boss them around daily, but they would not have it any other way. Jessica loves theater and is often listening to the music from the last musical she saw.

Han is a leader with over 20 years of experience in Finance and Accounting across life science, data science and technology companies.  She has worked at companies of various stages from start-up, pre and post IPO.  Prior to GRS, she served as the VP, Controller at Tierra Biosciences, a life science company that has pioneered a novel high-throughput protein production platform that produces hundreds of custom proteins on-demand.  Han played a pivotal role in the company’s financial management and strategic decision-making processes.

She served in several finance and accounting leadership roles at global and divisional levels including Graybug Vision as the VP, Controller where she had been instrumental in preparing and executing Graybug’s IPO, Bio-Techne Corporation, a leading life sciences and diagnostics technology manufacturer, Ocera Therapeutics (acquired by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals), Amyris, Inc, a sustainable product company and Symyx Technologies (acquired).  Han earned her B.S in Business with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Phoenix, California.

Kelly Whitney is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to providing these services to clients, Kelly facilitates trainings on conducting effective investigations and report writing. She also manages an internal team.    

Kelly works as part of the Grand River Solutions team since 2019, after running her own successful investigations firm for 20 years.  Before becoming a neutral investigator, she conducted investigations on behalf of both complainants and respondents, which shaped her balanced approach. She has designed and delivered trainings to investigators in many areas, including higher education. 

Kelly has conducted workplace, civil, criminal, juvenile, higher education, and other investigations. She served as an independent outside investigator for over 50 institutions of higher education and K-12 schools throughout the country. She conducted thousands of trauma-informed interviews relating to violent incidents, including, high-profile “gang rape” cases, sexual assault, incapacitation, and other non-consensual contact, in addition to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and hostile environment claims based on protected class status. She investigated more than 100 homicide and sexual assault cases throughout the Bay Area. Due to her extensive experience in investigations, Kelly has been called on to testify about her cases in criminal and civil state and federal courts, as well as in higher education hearings. 

Kelly was trained in child forensic interviewing and Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) techniques. She also served as Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), writer’s coach to middle schoolers, and is a foster parent. She has extensive experience working with high-risk youth and participated in the restorative justice process in her juvenile cases. Kelly maintains a communicative atmosphere of respect, trust, and empathy while attending to the rigorous task of gathering and interpreting information. 

Kelly has a B.S. in Social Ecology, with an emphasis in criminal justice. She has been licensed with the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services in California for 30 years, has worked at the highest levels in criminal investigations, and participated in the Bryan R. Shechmeister Death Penalty College at Santa Clara Law School for her work on capital murder cases.

Bobby Whitehead is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. Bobby serves as an investigator for Title IX and civil rights matters and as an Advisor for parties through campus processes.   

Bobby most recently served as Assistant Director of Community Standards and Student Accountability at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and previously served as Lead Investigator in their Title IX Office. Bobby is also a certified mediator and has used those skills to develop and implement an informal voluntary resolution process as an alternative option to a formalized investigative process in resolving Title IX complaints.  

Bobby has a proven track record of effectuating thorough and efficient investigations into complaints involving complex allegations of sexual misconduct, dating violence, relationship violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, gender discrimination, and stalking. Bobby also has expertise in student conduct investigations involving hazing and organizational misconduct.  

Bobby earned a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, a B.A. in History, and a B.A. in Public Administration from Auburn University. 

Brandi Williams is a part of the Coordinator & Director Services team at Grand River Solutions. Brandi also serves as a team manager. Brandi serves as a Title IX and EEO Coordinator for large and small public and private institutions across the country.  As Title IX Coordinator, she oversees institutional Title IX Compliance, ensures a fair and equitable Title IX Process, supervises and mentors Title IX staff, conducts trainings, revises policies and other relevant documentation, conducts outreach, and provides support to all parties engaging in the formal and informal Title IX grievance process. In addition, as a team manager, Brandi supervises and mentors a team of coordinators who are also responsible for serving as Title IX Coordinators for both large and small public and private institutions across the country. 

Brandi has over 23 years of experience in Title IX and equity work. Brandi previously served as the Director of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator at Kennesaw State University. In that role, Brandi was responsible for supervising staff that investigated Title IX, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims involving students, faculty, and staff. Brandi ensured compliance with applicable university policies and served as an independent resource for parties in the Title IX and discrimination investigative process. 

Brandi has an extensive background in student conduct. She has conducted investigations, led training for students, faculty, and staff, and participated on hearing panels for student conduct and Title IX hearings. Brandi also has an extensive background in prevention education, policy revision, behavioral intervention teams, crisis response, and protocol development.  

Brandi received a Master of Arts in College Student Personnel and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Slippery Rock University. She is also a certified general/civil mediator for the state of Georgia and a certified life coach. 

Brandi resides in Winder, Georgia with her husband, son, and daughter, as well as their Rottweiler and two Yorkies. 

Taylor Winston is the Human Resources & Employee Experience Generalist at Grand River Solutions.

With over six years of professional experience, and five of those years in human resources, Taylor has worked in various industries, including non-profit, community development, healthcare, customer service, and entrepreneurship. In Taylor’s previous role as the People & Talent Generalist at the Toledo Museum of Art, she was responsible for providing an exceptional experience for staff members and candidates, along with strategy planning and agile leadership. Taylor is versed in start-up/mid-size organizational development, talent acquisition, talent management, onboarding, off-boarding, FMLA, FLSA, employee engagement, employee and community relations, strategy, agility, and mindful event planning for 200+ employees.

Taylor’s passion stems from everything people, and she enjoys finding solutions to problems, collaboration, and helping create a culture in which employees can thrive. Taylor earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo.

Taylor is the owner and founder of Ann Nichole’s Vending, whose mission is to create a space where beauty and haircare products are affordable, accessible, and convenient to all with a primary focus on people of color. Taylor loves cooking, thrifting, going to the gym, watching wildlife documentaries, and spending time with her family; especially her daughter Milani.

Dr. Adam J. Wolkoff is part of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services Team at Grand River Solutions. In addition to providing these services to clients, Adam is Assistant Director of Resolution Services, where he supervises internal teams and provides quality assurance and training. 

Adam previously served as Assistant Director of the Student Conduct Institute and Special Assistant Counsel to the State University of New York’s Office of General Counsel. He has designed and delivered live and virtual training programs for thousands of higher education professionals on how to conduct investigations and adjudications that meet and exceed the requirements of due process, Title IX and the Clery Act. Adam developed a first-of-its-kind casebook of student conduct and Title IX decisions, drafted model policies, templates, and guidance documents, and was co-editor of the Joint Guidance on Federal Title IX Regulations in 2020.

Adam’s areas of focus also include academic misconduct, disability rights law, and campus First Amendment issues. His research on defamation law in higher education was published in the Journal of College and University Law. 

Adam earned a Ph.D. in U.S. and African American History from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, a J.D. from the University of Connecticut, and a B.A. from Columbia University. He has previously practiced labor and employment law, taught as an adjunct professor of history at Rutgers University-Newark and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and served as a judicial clerk to the Connecticut Superior Court. Adam has had numerous peer-reviewed articles on law, policy, and history published.

DeAnn Yocum is a member of the Investigation, Hearing, & Appeal Services team at Grand River Solutions.

DeAnn has over 25 years of experience in higher education administration and student affairs. Prior to her appointment at Grand River Solutions, she was Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Senior Associate Dean of Students/Lead Title IX Coordinator at Chapman University in Southern California.

During her tenure at Chapman University, DeAnn oversaw Title IX and ADA/504 compliance, behavioral intervention and student care teams, threat assessment, college student mental health services and case management, fraternity and sorority life, new student orientation and first year programs, and housing and residence life. DeAnn has a demonstrated ability to effectively support students dealing with mental health challenges, illness, and injury, educational access concerns, and harassment and discrimination complaints. She chaired Chapman University’s Student Concerns Intervention Team for over 15 years. She facilitated hundreds of Title IX and civil rights concerns intake processes and investigated over 100 complaints. She worked closely with key campus constituencies on matters of student safety and well-being, such as student counseling, public safety, student conduct, student health, academic units and faculty, human resources, risk management, and legal affairs. She also worked closely with parents and families, as appropriate, to partner with them in supporting their student’s success. She provided training to students, faculty, and staff on Title IX compliance and Title IX related matters.

DeAnn received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Huntington University, and a master’s degree in college student affairs from Azusa Pacific University. She earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from California State University, Fullerton. Her dissertation focused on college student mental health and researching the best practices and strategies for supporting students with mental health challenges to succeed academically and personally. She was a contributor for New Directions for Student Services, Fall 2010, Undocumented Students; Sharing their secrets: Undocumented students’ personal stories of fear, drive, and survival.

DeAnn grew up in Ohio and Michigan and then moved to Southern California after college. She resided there for over 25 years and then relocated to central New York where she resides with her family.