Katie Kiacz

Katie graduated from EMU in 2011 with her Master’s in Sociology. Since graduating, Katie has taught sociology and rock climbing at Mott Community College before accepting a position as an Academic Success Specialist. She has worked as an Title IX advocate and investigator, been involved in a number of basic resource and student success initiatives and is the Mott Feminist League student club advisor mentoring young women in personal and professional growth. Katie’s passions include the empowerment and advancement of girls and women, resource access for immigrant and asylum-seeking peoples, economic and health equity and social justice. She is the recipient of Mott’s Campus and Community Impact Award, two-time recipient of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges Under 40 Leadership Award, and most recently was honored with the Michigan ACE Distinguished Women in Higher Education Leadership Award for her work with the Feminist League, Title IX, and international and immigrant students. She is returning for her graduate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, with hopes of designing programs to make college more inclusive and accessible. In her free time she enjoys being with her family, reading, exercising, cooking, and traveling.

Tara McCutchen

Tara is a first year graduate student and one of the 2020-21 GAs. She is interested in working with youth of color and effective mentoring. She received her bachelor’s degree from EMU in psychology with a minor in social work. She likes to spend her free time painting, drawing, listening to music and watching TV.

Monioluwa Ogunleye

Monioluwa is an international student from Nigeria where she obtained a bachelor degree in law in 2017 at the University of Lagos. She was also called to the Nigerian Bar in 2018. 

Monioluwa is a currently a first year graduate student in the Department of Women and Gender Studies. Her research interest are early child marriage and sex trafficking. She is also interested in recovery process for victims of sexual abuse. Monioluwa is currently working as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Women. In her free time, Monioluwa enjoys reading, watching documentaries and meeting new people.

L Swain

L is a gender queer graduate student in the Gender and Women's Studies Department. L's academic interests lie in the subject matters of sexualized violence prevention, activist movements, and prison abolition. L's married to long-term anarchist prisoner Sean Swain. When they are not in school they are usually working as a prisoner's rights advocate and support worker, yelling at protests, or playing roller derby with Ann Arbor roller derby under the pseudonym "DropDeadAlice" or skating bowls at the skatepark on roller skates! L also caters to their two cats beck and call, Burrito and Minky.

Kari Havenaar

Kari Havenaar graduated from EMU in 2020 with a Bachelor’s in Women’s and Gender Studies with minors in Anthropology and Human Sexuality. Kari is one of our GAs for 2021-2022. Her focus is in Feminist Anthropology, bringing knowledge from Women’s Studies and Anthropology together. Her goal is to create a more inclusive way of identifying non-binary, transgendered, and queer individuals with their proper names and pronouns in death spaces. Kari is very passionate about her studies and loves doing research and advocacy for minority groups. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her dog, Angel, and tending to her garden and houseplants. She is an active believer in self-care and mental health for herself and others. Kari also enjoys reading in her spare time and watching TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Grace and Frankie, and documentaries about current issues in the world. She is from Michigan so going outside or for a hike is very important. Kari works as a Nanny in her spare time because working alongside youth is important to her. Being a positive influence for them is essential to their growth and learning.

Gia Born

Gia Born, CHES, received her BA in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and BS in Public Health Education Community Health Education in Spring 2021 from UNC Greensboro. Additionally, she is a Certified Health Education Specialist and works as a Public Health Intern with the Community Education Group conducting research around HIV, Hep C, and Substance Use in Appalachia. Gia is originally from Greenville, NC and currently lives in Ypsilanti, MI, where she is attending Eastern Michigan University for her Masters in Social Foundations and Community Education: Teaching Diversity and Democracy and graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies. She currently works as a Graduate Hall Director for Downing Hall here at EMU. Gia operates under a Social Justice and Transfeminist lens having research interests in Queer and Trans Health Disparities, Passiability, Trans Medicalization, and  Health Equity.

Angela Leonard

Angela Leonard graduated from Michigan Technological University (MTU) with a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering in 1993.  Since then, she has been employed as an engineer and a practicing licensed Professional Engineering (PE) in 13 other States.  In 2012, she started a consulting engineering firm, BEL Environmental Engineering, LLC (BEL), with two partners.  Currently, she is a Principal Owner and the Managing Partner of BEL.  Angela is pursuing her Master’s degree in Women’s and Gender Studies seeking  a formal education, knowledge and understanding of the social and cultural influences that have molded the reality and roles of women throughout history with a final goal of early retirement from engineering to become an Assault Response Advocate.

Katrina Solomon

Katrina Solomon received a BS and MS in Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising at Eastern Michigan University. Solomon is interested in researching topics related to the process of healing from domestic abuse, the experience of non-binary persons in a gendered society, and queer inclusion in polyamory. Solomon is currently working full time as a line-haul coordinator.