January 27-31, 2025
ATIXA’s 2025 Winter Symposium

Linda Abbott is a Consultant at TNG whose areas of expertise include behavioral intervention teams, college mental health, case management, and victim advocacy. Abbott has over 15 years’ experience in a variety of roles including administration and student support.

Most recently, Abbott served as Assistant Dean for Health and Wellness at Eckerd College where she had administrative oversight of counseling, case management, advocacy, and health services. Prior to her role as Assistant Dean, she served as Executive Director of Outreach, Counseling and Health Services and Director of Outreach Services, where she chaired the Intervention Team. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Mississippi, and has treated individuals and couples in private practice.

Prior to her tenure at Eckerd College, Abbott served as the inaugural Violence Prevention Coordinator at the University of Mississippi where she developed and implemented the university’s first violence prevention program and launched a campus-wide violence prevention initiative. Abbott holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Mississippi and a M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Aaron Austin (he/him/his) is a father, husband, and educator who has had the opportunity to serve students at multiple colleges and universities.  He has experience with a variety of Student Affairs areas, and throughout his career has presented to numerous students, employees, families, and community partners on topics ranging from policy implementation to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Most recently, Aaron served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.  During his time in this role, he had a supervisory portfolio that included the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Housing & Residence Life, Student Conduct & Community Standards, Student Involvement, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Campus Activities, Campus Recreation, and Student Government.  Aaron was a vital member of the WSU CARE Team (Case Management & Behavior Intervention), Title IX Committee, and the Bias Incident Response Group.   

Aaron is interested in the intersection of race and identity in relationship to Behavior Intervention/Threat Assessment and looks for opportunities to engage in these conversations to ensure practitioners are aware of the biases they bring to the work.  Further, Aaron has spent the last few years as a Student Affairs administrator which allows him to see issues from that perspective. A native Kansan, Aaron earned his Bachelor of Music Education and minor in American Ethnic Studies from Kansas State University; his M.Ed. from Arizona State University – Tempe; and his Ed.D. from Texas Tech University.

Kayleigh Baker is a Consultant with TNG and has extensive experience overseeing Title IX compliance and Civil Rights investigations. Baker has served in interim management roles for both higher education and K-12 institutions and frequently works with clients in need of short-term or long-term crisis management services.

Baker routinely delivers training to Title IX practitioners in the field while also managing her own caseload as an external Investigator and Decision-Maker for TNG clients. Prior to her work in higher education, Baker was an Assistant District Attorney and regularly instructed law enforcement officers on civil rights issues. Baker has continued to collaborate with law enforcement and District Attorneys on the intersection between their obligations and Title IX regulations.

Prior to working with TNG, Baker served as a Title IX Investigator at The University of Alabama and as the University of North Alabama’s first full-time Title IX Coordinator. While there, Baker served on the university’s CARE Team and Clery Committee while also being heavily involved in the institution’s transition to NCAA Division I athletics. In that role, Baker was responsible for primary prevention programming and has facilitated training opportunities for thousands of students and employees on Bystander Intervention, reporting obligations, consent, and more.

Baker holds a B.S. in Political Science and Business Economics from Ball State University in Muncie, IN, and a J.D. from The University of Alabama School of Law.

Amelia Barbadoro brings over 15 years of experience working in the field of civil rights, with extensive knowledge related to Title VII and Title IX investigations, ADA compliance, and alternative dispute resolution in K-12 and postsecondary schools. Her passion for equal rights was sparked by a law school internship at the New York City Commission for Human Rights, followed by a second legal internship at the New York State Division of Human Rights, in their Office of Sexual Harassment Issues. Those experiences laid the foundation of her career.

Prior to joining TNG, Barbadoro served as the Director of Equity and Compliance at SUNY University at Albany, as well as the Title IX Coordinator, Clery Officer, and Domestic Violence Agency Liaison. She has also served as Assistant Legal Counsel at Cambridge College, Assistant Commissioner of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Development, and ADA Coordinator at the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. Before moving to Albany, NY, Barbadoro held several positions within the New York City Department of Education, including Investigator and Training Unit Chief in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management, Assistant Director of the Office of Special Investigations, and Chief of Staff to General Counsel.

Barbadoro has taught graduate and undergraduate-level courses at SUNY University at Albany, Northeastern University, Salve Regina University, and Brooklyn College. Courses have included Higher Education Law; Urban Education; Culture, Equity, Power & Influence; Education Law, Policy & Finance; and labor relations. She has also presented to thousands of students, faculty, and staff on topics related to Title IX and Title VII compliance.

Amelia was raised in Western Massachusetts, spent over a decade living in Brooklyn, NY, and is now settled in Albany, NY, with her husband and two children.

Tim Cason is a passionate professional who has worked in higher education at multiple institutions nationwide, serving high school, college, and adult education populations. He is well-versed in engaging key stakeholders, including executives, faculty, staff, and students, regarding student conduct, behavioral intervention and case management work, Title IX, and other civil rights laws. Cason is committed to proactively cultivating an environment of trust and productivity through actively listening, collaboration, and thinking practically.

Cason is an exceptional presenter who utilizes effective active learning and teaching strategies to deeply and consistently impact his audience. He is experienced in synthesizing information, applying research from promising practices, and pulling from practical experience to meet the situation’s unique needs.

Most recently, Cason served as the Director of Student Conduct & Prevention Education and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Trinity River Campus (7,000+ students) of Tarrant County College, a community college located in Fort Worth, Texas. In this role, he oversaw the student conduct process, served as the co-chair and case manager for the CARE Team, facilitated a student emergency assistance fund, and served as the Deputy Title IX Coordinator. Additionally, Cason fulfilled these roles for the Connect (e-learning) Campus (12,000+ students).

He also previously served in the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at Wichita State University, where he investigated and resolved alleged policy and Title IX violations and provided case management support to the behavioral intervention team. Additionally, Cason previously served in the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity at the University of South Carolina.

He holds a B.S. in communication studies from Texas Christian University and an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Sharon Perry Fantini is a Partner at TNG. She serves on the Advisory Board for ATIXA (The Association for Title IX Administrators). Dr. Perry Fantini is an experienced administrator with more than 20 years of service in higher education, with expertise in the areas of Title IX, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her progressive leadership experience and strategic planning for diversity, equity, and inclusion have aided her in creating campus-wide programs for prevention, awareness, bystander intervention, investigation, and response to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. Additionally, she has worked on initiatives related to Section 504 and ADA compliance and policy development.

Dr. Perry Fantini has experience speaking, training, and consulting with local, regional, and national organizations regarding many diversity and inclusion topics and best practices. She has accepted invited speaking engagements, training, and consulting opportunities in diversity and inclusion, implicit bias, gender-based violence, cultural awareness, and Title IX. She has facilitated education and training aimed at Title IX coordinators, Civil Rights investigators, and educators teaching multicultural students.

In 2023, she presented at the Association of Public Land-grant Universities meeting on connecting and embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and research, and how to establish relationships to build capacity to thrive, not just survive. In 2022, she was selected to serve as a panelist for the Chronicle of Higher Education and University Innovation Alliance (UIA), to discuss socioeconomic burdens that can result in derailed college careers. In 2022, she was an invited speaker at an internal Congressional briefing on Title IX for the Association of Title IX Administrators. She was selected to present at the Ohio Department of Higher Education Statewide Title IX Coordinator Meeting, January 2021, on “Exploratory Look at Balancing the Current Era of Title IX: 34 CFR Part 106.45(b)(5)(vi).” She previously served as a Title IX expert for the College and University Professional Association in Higher Education (CUPA). In this role, higher education professionals can seek advice related to Title IX compliance and the impact on their respective campuses. She was selected by the Ohio Department of Higher Education to serve on the Chancellor’s Special Committee to review RFP proposals as it relates to services around the annual campus climate survey for colleges and universities in the State of Ohio to have the opportunity for campuses to focus in on underrepresented or marginalized communities on their campus. Dr. Perry Fantini served on the public policy committee of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, which is affiliated with the American Council of Education, and in this role submitted a briefing to Congress on the Fisher vs. University of Texas case.

She excelled in collaborating on prevention programming and cultural celebrations efforts with the Office of Athletics, including working with the Student Athletic Association Committee (SAAC), aided in earning an honorable mention during the 2021 Award for Diversity and Inclusion from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) for Creating a Culture of Shared Responsibility with Bringing in the Bystander training; student forums; revising the Peer-to-Peer Ambassador training and programming including Implicit Bias and Understanding Cultural Differences and for Creating a Culture of Shared Respect with Awareness Campaigns including These Hands Don’t Hurt, Spread the Word to End the Word, Black Lives Matter, Safe Zone training, Critical Conversations and Unheard Voices for a Cause Silent March.

Prior to joining TNG, she served as Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Iowa State University. As leader of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, she worked to foster unity and collaboration, modeled the university’s Principles of Community, and prepared students to thrive in a global community. She also served as the liaison between Iowa State and the University Innovation Alliance, the leading national coalition of public research universities committed to increasing the number and diversity of college graduates in the United States. She served as a member and the secretary of the Big 12 Conference Chapter of Diversity Officers, Inc. Prior, to joining Iowa State, she held several faculty and administrative positions at Tiffin University. Following a faculty appointment in the School of Business, she served as Tiffin’s inaugural Chief Diversity Officer and subsequently was named Tiffin’s Vice Provost for Equity, Access, and Opportunity and Title IX and 504 Coordinator. In that position, her primary responsibility included overseeing compliance related to Title IX, Title VI, VAWA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Office for Disability Services. She also provided oversight to Deputy Title IX Coordinators, a team of Civil Rights investigators, the Civil Rights Advisory Council, and the Diversity Celebrations and Prevention Education Committee. In collaboration with the Office for Advancement & Public Affairs, aided in earning several grants which aided in the ability to foster a welcoming and safe environment, including a grant for assistive technology to help students with disabilities in the amount of $37,800.00; a grant in the amount of $116,500.00 to provide trauma-informed counseling, advocacy, and support services to student victims of sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking; and a grant in the amount of $300,000.00 to aid with strategic programming regarding sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

Mandy Hambleton is an educator with over a decade of progressively responsible behavior management experience, including roles in student conduct and academic integrity, behavioral intervention and case management, and Title IX compliance at multiple higher education institutions.

She has extensive experience in policy and process development including both public-facing policies and internal standard operating procedures, templates, and forms. She often teaches courses on informal resolution, DEI, and the intersection of BIT and Title IX, as well as those with an approach based on applied learning.

Hambleton is also frequently sought by her peers for her creativity in training curriculum development, applied learning exercises, and facilitation. She has a breadth of experience in alternative dispute resolution/conflict resolution processes and practices and is a highly skilled informal resolution facilitator and trainer for all types of complaints, including those falling under Title IX. An accomplished writer, content developer, editor, and facilitator, she serves as the TNG Director of Content Development responsible for managing and contributing to the development and refinement of print publications, training materials, new course development, and member resources for TNG, ATIXA, and NABITA.

Prior to joining TNG, Hambleton served as the Title IX Director at Florida State University where she managed Title IX compliance strategies and programs for three domestic and four international higher education sites, as well as a K-12 charter school district. Hambleton has a proven capacity for developing new and restructuring existing staff teams and offices for building trust in people and processes, increasing effectiveness, and establishing brand recognition.

She holds a B.A. in English – Professional Communication from Winthrop University and an M.S. in Higher Education from Florida State University.

Alisha Carter Harris is a Senior Consultant with TNG and has extensive experience in civil rights/equal opportunity compliance and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives. Her experience is based primarily in higher education but Carter Harris is also well-versed in the financial services industry.

Prior to her arrival at TNG, Carter Harris served as an Employee Relations Partner at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. where she investigated employment-related complaints made by employees of all levels across the firm. She has also served as Associate Director of Equal Opportunity/Deputy Title IX Coordinator at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, Texas. As Associate Director, Carter Harris assisted with the administration of the nondiscrimination program for UNT, most notably by conducting workplace and education investigations of alleged discrimination and harassment. As Deputy Title IX Coordinator, she assisted with Title IX compliance through policy development, oversight of student investigations, training, and advising faculty, staff, and administrators on matters related to sexual misconduct. Carter Harris has held similar administrative positions at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania.

Carter Harris holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.S. in Legal Studies from the California University of Pennsylvania. She also holds a certificate in alternative dispute resolution from the University of North Texas.

W. Scott Lewis, J.D. is a Managing Partner with TNG, LLC. (“TNG”), a national multidisciplinary risk management consulting and law firm with more than 5,000 education-sector clients, 35 executive and support employees, and a roster of 25 attorneys and consultants who are at the forefront of the field in their areas of expertise. He is a co-founder and advisory board member of the Association of Title IX Administrators (“ATIXA”) the leading industry association for Title IX compliance, with over 5,000 active school and college members. In 2009, Lewis co-founded The National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (“NABITA”), an organization of 1,200 members dedicated to school and campus violence prevention, intervention, and mental health resources. and was president of ASCA.

Lewis has worked with the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women and the Department of Education’s Offices of Civil Rights as a trainer and consultant, training staff and investigators. He was a consultant to the Office of the Vice President and the White House Task Force on issues of Sexual Misconduct, as well as a core member of the United States Olympic Committee’s Task Force that proposed and created the United States Center for SafeSport, both of which he consults with and trains. He also consults with and trains numerous sports organizations and governing bodies at all levels from High Schools to Olympic Level athletes, trainers, coaches, and staff, including working with the NCAA and NJCAA.

Mikiba W. Morehead is a consultant with TNG and has extensive experience in Student Affairs as a Student Conduct practitioner specialized in the areas of Title IX, crisis management, and student advocacy.

Her expertise centers on cyber sexual abuse, informal resolution processes, specifically mediation and restorative justice, policy revision, and ADA/504 compliance. Morehead has developed and delivered numerous trainings for investigators, decision-makers, hearing boards, appeal officers, and support persons across public, private, and health science/medical education institutions. She provides effective and sustainable solutions for colleges, universities, and schools to care for the needs of students and campus communities with an eye towards social justice. She has served as an interim Title IX Coordinator for a college client.

Prior to joining TNG, Morehead served as Title IX Coordinator and Director of Student Disability Services at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, Director of Community Standards at the University of Texas at Arlington, and Program Coordinator for Student Conduct at Texas A& M University.

Morehead holds a B.A. in Communication and an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville, and an Ed.D. in Education, Ethical Leadership from the University of St. Thomas – Houston.

Kim Pacelli is a Partner with TNG who possesses substantial experience with the day-to-day challenges facing colleges, universities, and schools. She provides practical advice that empowers institutions to confidently manage high-risk issues on their campuses. Her practice includes:

• Policy and procedure development and consultation;
• Program review, assessment, and compliance consultations; and
• Tailored on-site training programs, among others.

She regularly trains and advises on Title IX policy and procedures, Clery Act reporting and compliance, student mental health interventions and policies, FERPA and student privacy issues, free speech issues for both public and private institutions, and student conduct issues, among others. She has also served as an invited speaker at regional and national conferences.

Ms. Pacelli’s solution-oriented approach to her work stems from her extensive experience as a student affairs practitioner. Kim served as Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Bowdoin College, where she provided leadership, operational, budget, and personnel oversight to many central offices of the college, including the Dean’s office, Health Services, Counseling Services, Residential Life, and other student support offices. She also served as Associate Dean of Student Life for Harvard University.

Makenzie Schiemann is the President of NABITA and a Partner at TNG. Her areas of expertise include policy and program development for behavioral intervention teams, case management, and victim advocacy, strategies for chairing behavioral intervention teams, research and assessment, and strategic planning for comprehensive educational and awareness programming.

Schiemann has previously served as the Director for Student Outreach and Support, the Director for the Center for Victim Advocacy, and the Chair of the Students of Concern Assistance Team for three years at the University of South Florida. In these roles, she developed comprehensive protocol manuals for both the case management program and the victim advocacy department which aligned with best practice standards and served as a model for other institutions in the development of their policies. In this role, she also developed and implemented a comprehensive violence prevention campaign. Prior to working at the University of South Florida, Schiemann served for six years as the Director of Outreach Services and Health Promotion at Eckerd College where she oversaw the case management program and chaired the Intervention Team.

Prior to her ten years spent in higher education, Schiemann taught 8^th grade in the Kentucky K-12 public education system. In this role, she also served on the school’s Crisis Response Committee, developing strategies for preventing and responding to crisis incidents including school-wide behavioral trends, acts of physical aggression, and active shooter scenarios.

Schiemann holds a B.S. in education from Ashland University, an M.S. in education psychology, community counseling from Southern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, higher education administration at the University of South Florida.

Ms. Schuster is a recognized expert in preventive and civil rights law for education, notably in the fields of harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct and violence, ADA and disability issues and the First Amendment. 

Ms. Schuster has extensive experience and expertise in, and routinely advises clients on, the First Amendment and campus access issues; risk management and liability; behavior intervention and threat assessment; student discipline and campus conduct; intellectual property and employment issues. Ms. Schuster provides assistance nationally to both public and private educational schools and colleges in policy development, faculty handbooks and employee manuals, and training for state and federal compliance. She has provided extensive consultation to and training for the U.S. Justice Department, Office of Violence Against Women, the White House Task Force on Sexual Assault and the Futures Without Violence organization. She also provides litigation consultation, expert witness support, and conducts civil rights-based investigation for educational institutions. She provided contraceptive support and rape crisis counseling and served on the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood of Butler County.

Brett Sokolow is the Chair of TNG, LLC (“TNG”), a national multidisciplinary risk management consulting and law firm with more than 5,000 education-sector clients, 50 executive and support employees, and a roster of 25 attorneys and consultants who are at the forefront of the field in their areas of expertise. Sokolow founded TNG, then known as The National Center for Higher Education Risk Management, in 2000.

Sokolow is recognized for his national leadership on systems-level solutions for safer schools and campuses, and is widely considered to be one of the foremost Title IX experts in the nation. He has served as an Expert Witness in more than 75 significant lawsuits affecting college, university, and school liability.

In addition to his role with TNG, Sokolow served as Executive Director of the Association of Title IX Administrators (“ATIXA”) from 2012-2017 and now serves as Chair of the Advisory Board of ATIXA (www.atixa.org), the leading industry association for Title IX compliance, with over 9,900 active school and college members. TNG provides consulting services to more than 400 campuses and schools each year. TNG has provided services to over 5,000 school, college and university clients, including training programs for campus and school district administrators, faculty and staff training, sexual assault and Title IX case management, risk management for fraternities and sororities, workshops and seminars. TNG also provides expert witness services, and lobbying efforts for campus crime and sexual assault-related legislation.

Lauren is a consultant with TNG who is passionate about solving problems and supporting clients. She has experience with Title IX and Civil Rights investigations and compliance. Lauren’s experience is wide-ranging, but primarily based in Title IX compliance in higher education, including in dual enrollment, nursing and allied health programs, and pregnant and parenting. Lauren also has experience with Section 504/ADA and Clery Act compliance.

Lauren enjoys training at every level. She has experience creating and presenting custom trainings on Title IX compliance, mandatory reporting, and Section 504/ADA compliance.

Prior to joining TNG, Lauren served as the Director of Institutional Equity at South Texas College, as well as the college’s Title IX Coordinator and Section 504/ADA Coordinator. During her tenure at South Texas College, Lauren served on the college’s Clery Committee, participated in Behavioral Intervention Team meetings as the Title IX and 504/ADA Coordinator, and served as a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Negotiated Rulemaking Committee.

Before joining the higher education world, Lauren practiced law as a commercial litigation associate at Husch Blackwell, LLP. At Husch Blackwell, Lauren litigated a variety of cases ranging from breach of contract, trade secret disputes, and class action defense. Lauren also had a significant pro bono practice, representing clients in adoptions, post-conviction relief, and victims of human-trafficking. Before pursuing a legal career, Lauren taught middle school English at a private K-12 school.

Lauren holds a B.A. in English from Washington and Lee University. At W&L, Lauren was also a college-athlete all four years of her undergrad, competing as member of the women’s swim team. Lauren has a J.D. from the Tulane University Law School where she was an active member of the school’s moot court team and the domestic violence clinic. 

Daniel Swinton is Chief Consulting Officer and Partner with TNG. Daniel consults frequently with colleges, universities and K-12 on issues of Title IX, the Violence Against Women Act and sexual violence, alcohol and other drugs, behavioral intervention, bystander intervention, student conduct policies and procedures, hearing board training, mediation and legal issues in education. Daniel often serves institutions as an external investigation support provider for issues of sexual misconduct and other complex student conduct matters as well as employment concerns, retaliation and harassment. He also serves as an expert witness in cases of sexual assault, Title IX, negligence, academic integrity and civil rights. He has authored a number of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on topics ranging from student conduct to civil rights investigations. Daniel is also a frequent presenter and invited speaker at national and regional conferences.

Prior to his work with TNG, he served as Assistant Dean and Director of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity at Vanderbilt University.

Daniel serves on the Advisory Board of NABITA (National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment). He has also served on the Board for the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA), having served as its President in 2011-2012.

He has also been interviewed and/or featured by The Chronicle of Higher Education, The New York Times, USA Today, Inside Higher Ed, Student Affairs Today, and the Washington Post, as well as other publications and sources.

Joseph Vincent is a Partner at TNG, LLC (“TNG”), a national multidisciplinary risk management consulting and law firm with more than 5,000 education-sector clients, 35 executive and support employees, and a roster of 25 attorneys and consultants who are at the forefront of the field in their areas of expertise. TNG was founded in 2000.

Joe rose to prominence as a civil rights trainer, investigator, and educator began when he served as a Title IX Coordinator for a graduate healthcare professions university system.  In 2018, TNG recruited Joe as a consultant because of his track record as an effective leader, trainer, and administrator. He contributes unique insight and valuable experience that is rooted in his “boots on the ground” work as a Title IX Coordinator and civil rights investigator.  His expertise includes employment matters, broad policy development and implementation, and specialized experience in the dynamics that bear on healthcare education and power differentials.

In 2019, Joe developed and launched TNG’s Mentorship in Professionalism and Appropriate Conduct (MPAC) program to help support schools’ efforts to educate and train employees subject to school sanctions for discriminatory and/or harassing misconduct. Consistent with his prior campus-based experience, Joe continues to serve as an external investigator and adjudicator and an advisor for policy development and implementation. He frequently contributes as an expert witness in lawsuits affecting college, university, and school liability.