SWCHRS Executive Committee

Robert Con Davis-Undiano is a playwright exploring the Mexican-American experience and serves as Executive Director of World Literature Today and the Latinx Studies Program at the University of Oklahoma.Known for his transformative impact on students, he has received multiple teaching and faculty awards, including the International Latino Book Award for Mestizos Come Home! in 2018.

Inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 2017, he continues to shape discussions on identity and culture through his writing and leadership.

Dr. Kalenda Eaton is an Associate Professor in The Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma and Director of Oklahoma Research for the Black Homesteader Project.

A humanities scholar, her work focuses on African American western studies, Black literature, feminist criticism, and cultural history.

She is the author of Womanism, Literature, and the Transformation of the Black Community, 1965-1980 and a Fulbright scholar.

With over two decades of academic leadership, she explores how African American regional experiences shape broader cultural and political conversations.

Dr. Mashhad Fahes is an Associate Professor at the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on flow in porous media, with applications in both renewable and fossil fuel geoenergy resources.

She has served as chair of the SPE Education and Accreditation Committee and is Associate Director for OU ELEVATE, an NSF-funded project promoting equity in STEM faculty workload and evaluations.

She holds a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from Imperial College London and a B.Sc. in Physics from Lebanese University.

Dr. Eugenia Fuenzalida is the Director of the Behavioral Neuroscience and Performance Center, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Intelligence and National Security, and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Oklahoma.

Her research explores stress, resilience, and cognition, examining how personality traits influence stress responses and recovery. With over 25 years of experience, she utilizes neurocognitive assessments to study performance under stress.

Recently, her work has expanded to enhancing learning and resilience in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, focusing on confidence, problem-solving, and social independence.

Dr. Jeffery L. Hale is the President of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO), where he has championed Native American education by partnering with local tribes to establish the American Indian Center for Excellence. With over 30 years in public higher education, he has held leadership roles at Miami University, the University of Oklahoma, Southeastern Oklahoma State, and NEO.

Recognized for his contributions to education and community service, Hale remains committed to closing inequality gaps through affordable, high-quality education. A leader in student success, he has driven initiatives to improve retention, graduation rates, and campus development.

Mr. Hall is a distinguished attorney with a career dedicated to diversity, equality, and justice. He has served in the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office and as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission.

An “AV rated” attorney, he has received numerous honors, including the A.C. Hamlin Tribute and the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Diversity Award. Scholarships in his name at the University of Oklahoma and Langston University support future legal leaders. Committed to advocacy in law, business, and education, Hall continues to champion equal access and opportunity for all.

Dr. Thomas L. Hill, Senior Vice President Emeritus of Iowa State University, served the university for 20 years, including 18 as Senior Vice President for Student Affairs. Previously, he held leadership roles at the University of Florida, Tulane University, and the University of Oklahoma.

A champion for diversity, he founded the NCORE/ISCORE Project, later renamed in his honor. An Olympic bronze medalist in the 110-meter hurdles, he is also a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Now based in Dallas, he remains active in higher education, athletics, and community initiatives.

Dr. Wesley Long is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Human Relations at the University of Oklahoma. With extensive experience in higher education leadership, his work focuses on organizational dynamics, diversity, and social equity.

He has led initiatives to support student success and professional development, ensuring inclusive learning environments. Long holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, a Master’s in Human Relations, and a Bachelor’s in Social Sciences from OU. Committed to mentorship and equity, he strives to empower students and foster meaningful change.

Dr. Teri Mora is an educator specializing in Latino student issues and an educational consultant in Oklahoma. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from West Texas A&M University and has received honors such as the OK Governor's Arts Award in Education and Oklahoma Multi-Cultural Teacher of the Year.

With over 16 years as Director of Hispanic Student Services at Oklahoma’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, she has been a strong advocate for diversity in education. She has served on state and national advisory boards, including the Governor’s Advisory Council for Latin American and Hispanic Affairs, and continues her work in cultural and educational leadership.

Dr. Wayne Riggs is a Professor of Philosophy and affiliate faculty in Women’s & Gender Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Specializing in epistemology, his recent work explores intellectual virtues and social epistemology, emphasizing the role of trust in knowledge.

His edited volume, Open-Mindedness, is set for release by Oxford University Press in 2024. Riggs holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina and a B.A. from Texas A&M. A dedicated academic leader, he chaired the philosophy department for a decade and served on the OU Faculty Senate Executive Committee for six years.

Dr. Heather Shotton, a citizen of the Wichita & Affiliated Tribes with Kiowa and Cheyenne descent, is the Vice President of Diversity Affairs at Fort Lewis College, where she also leads reconciliation efforts with Indigenous communities.

A scholar of higher education, her work focuses on Indigenous visibility and transforming higher education as a site of reclamation. She has co-edited four influential books on Indigenous higher education and received national recognition, including awards from the Association for the Study of Higher Education and the National Indian Education Association.

Dr. Tan is a Professor in the Department of Higher Education and Learning Technologies at Texas A&M University-Commerce and Professor Emeritus at the University of Oklahoma. He led the first competency-based baccalaureate program at a public Texas institution, expanding access to adult learners.

With 27 years at OU, he developed nationally recognized programs and mentored leaders in higher education. A longtime member of the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies Executive Committee, he also serves as a peer evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission. His work includes community collaborations on workforce development, diversity, and organizational strategy.

Dr. Man-Fung Yip is Chair and Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of Oklahoma. His research explores Chinese-language and East Asian cinema, mass culture, modernity, and the cinematic Cold War.

Currently, he is working on projects examining Chinese American cinema and global, non-American representations of Vietnam during the Cold War.