Dr. Jason K. Wallace (he/him) serves as assistant professor of higher education leadership in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (CHEF) at Mississippi State University. As a former TRiO Student Support Services and McNair scholar, Dr. Wallace is a proud first-generation college graduate, an accomplishment he credits to his mother, Shellice Wallace-Vaughn. Prior to joining the professoriate, Dr. Wallace worked for nearly a decade in student affairs, primarily in multicultural services. His scholarship identifies and addresses issues of equity and inclusion in higher education, with emphasis on Black and first-generation college students. Dr. Wallace holds a Ph.D. in Education (College Student Affairs Administration) from the University of Georgia, and a master’s and bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University. For more information, visit www.drjkwallace.com.
Holli Seitz is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at Mississippi State University (MSU). She also directs The Message Laboratory, a communication research laboratory at the MSU Social Science Research Center. Dr. Seitz holds a BA in Communication from MSU, a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a PhD in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. Her primary research areas are health communication, science communication, and message effects.
Dr. C. LaShan Simpson Hendrix is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Mississippi State University. Before joining the faculty at Mississippi State University in 2013, she trained as a postdoctoral research associate at Rice University in the Department of Bioengineering. Dr. Hendrix received all her educational training at Clemson University with a B.S. in Biochemistry, M.S. and Ph.D. In Bioengineering. Dr. Hendrix’s research interests include vascular calcification, smooth muscle cells, cell and gene therapy, and mechanotransduction. Her work has been funded by NSF, NIH, USDA, and Mississippi State University Office of Research and Economic Development.
In addition to her passion for vascular research, Dr. Hendrix is a student advocate and a champion for diversity and inclusion. She has worked to create inclusive spaces for trainee development and success. She has received numerous awards for her efforts including Teacher of the Year, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2018; Academy of Distinguished Teachers, Bagley College of Engineering, 2019; and Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award, Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning, 2020.
Her pride and joy are the diversity of her research lab and the outstanding accomplishments of her trainees. Dr. Hendrix is the founder of BlackWomenInBME and has hosted sessions for her group at the Biomedical Engineering Society Annual meeting since 2018. She is the recipient of the 2021 Biomedical Engineering Society Diversity Award Lecture.
Dr. Brittany Moore-Henderson is a native of Pickens, MS. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Jackson State University, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Mississippi State University, and Master of Science in Veterinary Medical Science. Dr. Henderson is currently the director for the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in MSU Animal Health Center which she provides veterinary clinical service while teaching veterinary and veterinary technology students.