Tilford Symposium

Riccardo Harris

Riccardo Harris is an accomplished individual who has dedicated his life to serving and empowering his community. As a writer, educator, and community leader, he has demonstrated exceptional skills in various fields, becoming a visionary and creative executive who can revitalize organizations and inspire transformational change.

One of Riccardo's most notable achievements is his work as an Executive Director at Wichita GEAR UP at Wichita State University. As a former public school educator and coach, he has dedicated his career to advocating for urban youth and promoting character building and education as an alternative to the senseless violence that plagues many urban communities. His dedication to this cause has earned him various community awards and recognitions, as well as the respect and admiration of countless individuals.

Beyond his work with youth, Riccardo is also a published author and a noted public speaker. His writings and speeches often speak to themes of personal growth, self-awareness, and community development, reflecting his deep commitment to creating change in the world around him. Moreover, Riccardo is a pastor at Resurrection Community Church, where he has served for nearly three decades, providing spiritual guidance and support to countless individuals.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Riccardo is also a loving husband and father. He and his wife Rosaland have been married for 30 years, and together they have raised three children and have five grandchildren. His dedication to family, community, and education speaks to his values as a compassionate and empathetic individual who seeks to make the world a better place.

In conclusion, Riccardo Harris is an individual whose multifaceted experiences and exceptional skills have made him a valuable contributor to society. With his passion for education, his commitment to urban youth, and his exceptional leadership skills, he has become a role model for countless individuals seeking to create positive change in their communities. He stands as a testament to the power of compassion, determination, and hard work in transforming the world around us.

Kevin Harrison

Kevin Sylvester Harrison, Ed.D serves in the dual roles of director of DEI and Assistant Teaching Professor for the Cohen Honors College at Wichita State University. In addition to being an educator, Dr. Harrison also works as a consultant, public speaker, and workshop facilitator, and he is the author of the sports biography "One and Done… the Korleone Young Story."

In the spirit of Dr. King’s challenge to dream, Harrison leverages the power of imagination when engaging audiences to take deeper dives into discussions on social justice, diversity, and equality. Through a combination of interactive workshops, public speaking, poetry, musicianship, and storytelling, Harrison goes beyond mere lecturing on diversity related topics, instead challenging audiences to truly engage in the content through sharing personal experiences, robust self-reflection, and creative activities focused on understanding marginalization, implicit bias, and various intersections where oppression and discrimination reside.

Harrison's three decades of experience in Corporate American have prepared him for work with previous clients including Molex Industries (a Koch Industries Corporation), GEAR UP, Georgia School Districts, Engage WSU, The Wichita Ministerial League, Homeland Security, Sedgwick County 911 and others.

Ashley Cavazos

Ashley Cavazos is a Customer Success Manager at Edmentum. Prior to her role at Edmentum, she spent 5 years as a teacher in Wichita Public Schools, teaching kindergarten and third grade. Ashley earned a 200-hour yoga certification from Breathe for Change yoga training for educators, and a 100-hour Rocket Yoga certification with a focus on social and restorative justice. Ashley enjoys sharing practical tips to support family, friends, and colleagues with understanding mindfulness and integrating it into their daily lives.

Rhonda Lewis

Rhonda K. Lewis, Ph.D., MPH. is a professor in the psychology department at Wichita State University. She received her Ph.D. in Developmental and Child Psychology from the University of Kansas and her Master of Public Health from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1996. Dr. Lewis is a Service-Learning Faculty Fellow at WSU. She is on the NSF Advance Team and Co-PI on the President’s Convergence Science Initiative to reduce health disparities. Dr. Lewis is a mental health advocate. She focuses on developing culturally responsive mental health approaches to address mental health needs for people of color. A prevention scientist, she has over 25 years of experience in community organizing, program development, and evaluation. She conducts research with her doctoral students. Recently, she was selected as a Society for Community Research and Action Fellow for Division 27 of APA and inducted into the Black Educators Hall of Fame class of 2023. In 2022, she became a Bender of Twigs at WSU for 25 years of service. In, 2019 she received the Mental Health Professional of the Year award from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Michelle Redmond

Dr. Michelle Redmond holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Fisk University, a Master’s degree in clinical psychology from Emporia State University and received her doctorate in community psychology from Wichita State University. She completed NIH postdoctoral fellowship training at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor- Program for Research on Black Americans and at the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center. In 2013, she joined the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita as a research assistant professor (now assistant professor) and teaches health, society, and culture in the Master of Public Health program.

Dr. Redmond's primary research addresses health and behavioral health disparities specially looking at chronic disease health disparities for Black Americans using digital health interventions. She also works closely with the Kansas Birth Equity Network on maternal health issues and has extensive experience conducting community-based research.

As a health disparities researcher, she is interested in understanding how social determinants adversely affect health outcomes for populations. Currently, she is the principal investigator on a pilot clinical trial: eDECIDE, which examines the use of problem-solving skills for African Americans with type 2 diabetes using novel technology (https://edecide.org/).

Edil Torres Rivera

Edil Torres Rivera has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in multicultural counseling from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. He is a professor of counseling and the Latinx Cluster Coordinator at Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Edil Torres Rivera is native Puerto Rican with a career of over 25 years in mental health counseling. This includes 12 years in the United States Army. He is the president elect of the American Counseling Association (2022-2023).

Dr. Torres Rivera research interests are in multicultural counseling, group work, chaos theory, liberation psychology (decolonial approaches), indigenous counseling, Puerto Rican studies, identity development, and gang/prison-related behavior. Specifically, his primary research focuses on complexity and how indigenous healing techniques are a necessary ingredient when working with ethnic minority populations in the United States. Dr. Torres Rivera has additional interests in studying the implications of social injustice and oppression in counseling and psychotherapy with ethnic minorities in the United States.

James Owens

Dr. James E. Owens III is a native of Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Owens holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, a master's degree from Eastern Illinois University, and a medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. He did his psychiatry training at the University of Florida and the University of South Florida. He has experience working in inpatient and outpatient settings, prison settings, private practice, and community mental health. Presently, Dr. Owens practices child, adult, geriatric, and forensic psychiatry in Salina, Kansas. He is a consultant and speaker for three pharmaceutical companies. He is a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church. In November of this year, Dr. Owens will celebrate his 40th year as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Dr. Owens and his wife reside in Wichita, Kansas. They have three adult children and three grandchildren.

Nyk Robertson

Nyk Robertson has received their Bachelor’s in English from Emporia State University and their Master’s in Gender Cultural Studies from Simmons University in Boston, MA and is working on their PhD in Higher Education from K-State University. They serve as the Senior Diversity Officer at Emporia State University. They have recently finished a chapter titled Liminality and Affect: Knowing and Belonging Among Unscripted Bodies in Gendering Places Placing Gender coming out through Bristol University Press in May 2024. Their current research focuses on dialogue, connection, the power of poetry, and student activism. They enter this work through a lens that centers belonging, humanity, and a pedagogy of hope.