Our Staff

2026-27 Griot Institute Advisory Board

Faculty, staff and emeriti who help to guide the Griot's narrative:

• Nina Banks, Professor of Economics
• Nicholas Brady, Assistant Professor of Critical Black studies
• Aisha Cort, Assistant Professor of Latin American Studies
• Margaret Cronin, Writing and Teaching Consultant
• Cymone Fourshey, Carmen Gillespie Director of the Griot Institute, Professor of History and International Relations
• Michelle Lauver, Griot Institute Program Manager
• Dustyn Martincich, Associate Professor of Theatre & Dance 
• Leopold Mvuezolo, Assistant Professor of French and Francophone Studies
• Terri Norton, Associate Dean for Student Success and Strategic Initiatives and Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Meenakshi Ponnuswami, Associate Professor of English
• Marcus Scales, Director of Multicultural Student Services
• Ibrahim Sulai, Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy
• Jaruam Xavier, Assistant Professor of Theatre & Dance