Maintaining Wellness for Black Faculty & Professionals in Predominantly White Environments 

Benson George Cooke, Ph.D. is a Professor of Counseling and Psychology at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), in Washington, DC. He is an author and speaker who has addressed diverse audiences at national and international conferences, symposiums, workshops, professional institutes, and local and national radio cable networks and television programs. He is an author of numerous journal articles, magazine articles, and book chapters, including five textbooks.

He is the recipient of the 2022 UDC Dr. Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator’s Award and the 2020 UDC awardee for Faculty Excellence in Teaching presented by the UDC President’s Executive Cabinet. Dr. Cooke is an ABPsi Distinguished Psychologist, acknowledged for career contributions to the discipline and the literature and practice of psychology that has supported culturally salient mental health treatment for the African American community.

Dr. Cooke completed his B.A. degree in Psychology at Morehouse College, his M.S. degree in Clinical Psychology, and his Ed.D. degree in Counseling Psychology and Mental Health Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Dona Gudger, Ed.D. received her Doctoral degree in counseling psychology at Argosy University in 2018. She is currently an adjunct instructor at the University of the People in the areas of child development and adolescent development. Dr. Gudger also serves UoPeople by researching curriculum and assessment for student and program outcomes. She received her certification in cross-cultural studies/multicultural education from Alliant University and is the mental health and wellness coach at Multicultural International Development Company (MIDC). Her extracurricular activities include working with young people in her nation to help maintain mental wellness through coaching and retreats.

David Johns, Ph.D., is the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black LGBTQ+/SGL people, including people living with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Johns was appointed the first executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans by President Barack Obama and served from 2013-2017. Dr. Johns was a senior education policy advisor to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions under the leadership of U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA). Johns was a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Fellow in the office of Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY). Dr. Johns received his Ph.D. in sociology and education policy at Columbia University. Johns obtained a master’s degree in sociology and education policy at Teachers College, Columbia University, graduating summa cum laude. Dr. Johns was named to the Out100 list in 2021, the Root100 in both 2013 and 2014, Ebony’s Power 100 in 2015, and received an early career award from Columbia University, Teachers College in 2016.

Terrance Morris has spent his entire career serving the community. Terrance’s leadership started by serving as a Youth Community Facilitator with the Rainbow Push Coalition under the leadership of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. During his university years Terrance worked with Equality Nation and Great Circle where he worked with LGBTQA homeless youth in the DC metro area. He would travel the US facilitating/consulting conversations about equity, diversity, inclusion. In 2012 Terrance settled down in St. Louis, MO, where he worked with at-risk homeless youth and he provided practical support and guidance to his clients, assisting them with benefits and healthcare and creating support plans. After the death of Michael Brown Terrance and his partner decided to move to Bellingham. He works as an Associate Director Adolescent Services with Northwest Youth Services and is the founder of Bellingham Unity Committee. You can see his work in action with the 5,000+ attending Solidarity Rally, Ascendants of the Movement Black History, Bellingham Juneteenth and the Unity Ball.

Xyanthe Neider, Ph.D. from Washington State University in Higher Education Administration and Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education. She explores antiracism and abolition as they relate to curriculum, pedagogy, classroom assessment, and classroom and community contexts. Dr. Neider has been a college professor for 21 years, teaching thousands of k-12 teachers, principals, superintendents, higher education professionals, and other students across a range of disciplines from prevention science and nursing to sport management and crops and soils science. She directed university writing assessment at Washington State University for 5 years and is now at Whatcom Community College as the director for teaching and learning. Xyanthe has won several awards; the most notable are the Washington State University Woman of Distinction Student Award and the American Educational Research Association – Critical Issues in Curriculum and Cultural Studies Graduate Student Paper Award.

Edwin J. Nichols, Ph.D., is a Clinical/Industrial psychologist, Director, Nichols and Associates, an applied behavioral science firm. He is a founding member of The Association of Black Psychologists. He was the first Black center chief at the National Institute of Mental Health -- Chief, Child, and Family Mental Health. As a Visiting Professor at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, he established the Child’s Clinic for Psychological Assessment and Evaluation. His national and international I/O work is guided by his hallmark paradigm: The Philosophical Aspects of Cultural Difference, first presented in 1976 at the World Psychiatric Conference, held at the University of Ibadan. He was educated at Assumption College, Canada; Tübingen Universität, Germany; and received his PhD in psychology and psychiatry, cum laude, Innsbruck Universität, Austria. Fellow, Austrian Ministry of Education; Visiting Scholar, Rockefeller Foundation, Bellagio. Distinguished Psychologist: Harvard, Toronto, and Piauí Brazil. University of the District of Columbia – Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. US Army Sergeant during Korean War. He has two adult children and two grandchildren.

Devyn is board-certified family and cardiovascular nurse practitioner who has worked in Snohomish, Island, Skagit and Whatcom counties health systems for over 20 years.  Ms. Nixon's work is centered in a vision to close the racial health gap through representation, healthcare education and policy.  In addition to the research presented in this symposium surrounding wellness for Black professional women in predominantly white environments, Devyn has been a speaker/presenter at the North Sound Race and Health Equity conferences as well as Woodring's own Black Lives Matter at School conference.  Devyn enjoys spending time with her family and dogs as well as practicing yoga, biking, hiking, running and riding horses.

Tara Perry, Ph.D. believes that culturally relevant and responsive teaching from a communication perspective prepares both teachers and students to question the structural inequalities, systemic racism, and injustices present in our society. She has taught in the Communication Studies for over 26 years in the areas of Organizational Communication and Development, Identity & Difference, Interpersonal Communication, Research Methods, Communication Conflict, and Cultural Studies. From research writing to case studies, community-based learning to social action projects, she ensures that her students, colleagues, and those around her have opportunities to explore ways of dismantling white supremacy at all levels. She created a social justice movement titled #endhomelessness and continues to share it. She is an active board member of The National Congress of Black Women Foundation in Vancouver, B.C. and the National Communication Association. Dr. Perry has been nominated several times as an outstanding professor through WWU’s Leadership program and Scholarship for Teaching and Learning. Her journey to anti-racism and racial healing continues.

Niyana K.B. Rasayon, Ph.D., received his Master’s at Fisk University & Meharry Medical College joint program in Clinical Psychology, and a Doctoral degree in Psychobiology-Neuropsychology at Howard University. Biomedical Research grants and a Danforth-Compton Scholarship funded his education. As an Adjunct Professor Rasayon maintained class rotations in psychology at the U.S. Pentagon and Henderson Hall – US Marine Corps support site in Virginia. He has authored two books that build on social neuroscience, “Reality Check: A Manual for the Hue-man Octahedron & The Mystery of Melanin, and The Awakening: OMG The President is Black”.  Relatedly, he is completing his 3rd book on ancient African views on death. Rasayon is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Mental Health and Social Behaviour, and a *Board-Certified Fellow & Diplomate in African Centered-Black Psychology. Periodically he presents on Brain Health, Identity, and the “System of Racism and White Supremacy.” His work focuses on culturally informed models of clinical intervention and teaching.

Shari Robinson, Ph.D. is the Assistant Vice-Provost of Student Life at the University of New Hampshire. She received her doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from West Virginia University. She is a licensed psychologist in New Hampshire. Her areas of professional interest include counseling issues related to equity, inclusion and diversity, working with students of color, first-generation college students, and mentoring people of color. Shari co-chairs the Commission of Community, Diversity and Equity and the President’s Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Campus Climate Study Workgroup, MLK Summit Planning committee, and Behavioral Intervention Team, to name a few. She is a member of the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17) of American Psychological Association, and represented APA on the Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA) since 2014, and she is a current board member of the Advisory Council for New Hampshire Endowment for Health.