Meet the Inclusive Excellence Team
The Gillings School of Global Public Health’s Office of Inclusive Excellence works on developing a climate in which everyone feels welcomed, wanted and supported. To accomplish this goal, we work to:
- provide inclusive excellence training to students, faculty, and staff at Gillings;
- integrate social justice and racial equity into curricula at all levels of education;
- improve methods for communicating about difference, inclusion, and equity throughout Gillings;
- advocate on behalf of students for fairness and transparency regarding employment opportunities and supports across the School; and
- support the recruitment and retention of a diverse community of faculty, students and staff.
Dr. Kim Ramsey-White
Kim Ramsey-White, PhD, MPH
Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence
whitek22@unc.edu
Kim Ramsey-White, PhD, MPH, serves as Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence at the Gillings School of Global Public Health and an Associate Professor for the Public Health Leadership Program. Her research focuses on education reform initiatives, health disparities and social capital. She has also worked extensively in the area of strategic diversity planning in the higher education arena.
Dr. Yesenia Merino
Yesenia Merino, PhD, MPH
Associate Director for Education and Training
ymerino@email.unc.edu
Yesenia Merino, PhD, MPH, serves as Associate Director for Inclusive Excellence Education and Training at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. With more than 20 years of public health experience, Yesenia specializes in structural racism in the health and professional development of health professionals and focuses on using curriculum and academic health to improve health equity. Prior to transitioning to academia, Yesenia worked in community engagement around sexual health and infectious diseases. Originally from Washington DC, she has worked for health departments, multiple federal agencies, and both nonprofit and private-public health agencies.
Gemma Herrera
Gemma Herrera, MEd
Coordinator of Diversity Programs and Recruitment
ggherrer@unc.edu
Gemma Herrera, MEd, serves the IE team at the Gillings School of Global Public Health as the Coordinator of Diversity Programs and Recruitment. She earned her BA in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her master’s degree in higher education from UNC Greensboro. As a proud Latina/first-generation college student, she aims to provide support and resources for all students as they navigate their own educational journey. Gemma will also be pursuing her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership in Cultural Foundations at UNC-Greensboro this fall.
Dr. Adrial Bryan
Adrial Bryan, PhD
Inclusive Excellence Program Coordinator
adbryan@email.unc.edu
Adrial Bryan, PhD, serves the IE team and the Gillings School of Global Public Health as Program Coordinator. In this role, she coordinates training, curriculum and program development efforts to help faculty, staff and students co-create learning spaces that center on equity and social justice. She also liaises between students and the Inclusive Excellence team to advocate for the prioritization of student needs in the School’s Inclusive Excellence efforts.
Jess Roe
Jess Roe, MPH
Inclusive Excellence Consultantjroe@unc.edu
Jess Roe, MPH (she/her), recently graduated from the Gillings School of Global Public Health with a concentration in Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights. She is passionate about health equity, specifically regarding access to appropriate mental health resources and health care for low-income populations. Jess has experience in education as a former high school science teacher and environmental testing and research as a field investigator and lab analyst.
Kristine Thorne
Kristine Thorne
Executive Assistant for the Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence
kthorne@unc.edu
Maya Chevalier
Graduate Assistant
2nd year MPH student; Maternal, Child and Family Health Concentration
chevma@unc.edu
Dana Thompson
Graduate Assistant
1st year MPH student; Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights Concentration
thomps@unc.edu
Brandon Tweedy
Graduate Assistant
1st year MPH student; Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights Concentrationbetweedy@unc.edu
