Six African Americans Appointed to New Administrative Positions in Higher Education

Teshia Roby is the new associate dean in the College of Education at California State University, Fullerton. She was the interim associate dean in the College of Education at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona.

Dr. Roby is a graduate of Clemson University in South Carolina. She holds a master’s degree in education, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in instructional design, all from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Lisa Wilson was appointed associate vice president for research and sponsored programs at Clark Atlanta University. She was director of research and sponsored programs at Fort Valley State University in Georgia.

Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from what is now Clark Atlanta University. She earned an MBA at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Illinois.

Dowell Taylor was appointed interim director of bands at Jackson State University in Mississippi. He served as director of bands at the university from 1984 to 1992 and from 2012 to 2016.

Taylor holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from Jackson State University.

Michelle Bryan was named associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion for the College of Education at the University of South Carolina. For the past two years, she taught at Augusta University in Georgia. Earlier, she served on the faculty at the University of South Carolina from 2006 to 2015.

Dr. Bryan holds a bachelor’s degree in American history, a master’s degree in education, and a Ph.D. in education, all from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Tami B. Simmons was appointed vice president for institutional advancement at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is currently a member of the university’s board of trustees but will resign from that position. Since 2012, Simmons has been the executive director of Susan G. Koman Charlotte.

Earlier in her career, Simmons was senior vice president and director of corporate philanthropy for Wells Fargo.

Mose Harris IV was promoted to program manager for federal internships for the Center for Defense and Homeland Security at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina. He has been on the career services staff at the university for six years.

Earlier in his career Harris was an environmental scientist for the U.S. Forest Service. He holds a master of social work degree from Fayetteville State University.