Miles Basehart

Assistant Dean of Students - Pellissippi State Community College

Photo & bio. coming soon!

Levy Brown

Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs - Halifax Community College

Dr. Levy Brown is a strategic, intentional, highly collaborative, visionary, and inclusive leader with nearly 24 years of experience in higher education. He has worked diligently to impact student experiences within the community college and university environments. Brown believes in creating an environment that supports equitable outcomes for students from various backgrounds.  Furthermore, he believes that higher education institutions are designed to help students experience social and economic mobility. Dr. Brown is a leader who has a proven track record of partnering with students, faculty, staff, senior administration, business and industry partners, local and state government officials to ensure positive outcomes for students, institutions, and communities.

Brown has served in multiple senior executive roles and is the current Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Halifax Community College, a member institution of the North Carolina Community College System. Recently, he served as Vice President of Student Access and Success at Nash CC. Prior to that time, Dr. Brown provided leadership as the Inaugural Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Workforce Innovations at Connecticut State Community College, a large multi-campus statewide community college. Dr. Brown has also served as Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer for the North Carolina Community College System. During his time at the NCCCS Office, he partnered with a myriad of stakeholders to ensure a keen focus on providing students with quality academic programs, college transfer options, student support services, and short-term workforce training opportunities. Brown also spent nearly 5 years at Vance-Granville Community College as a Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement and Success (Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officer) shaping teaching and learning, equitable outcomes, student success, and strategic enrollment management.

Dr. Brown has been actively engaged on boards, commissions, and organizations focused on making a positive impact on communities and higher education. He has engaged as either a board member or commissioner with organizations such as Teach for America ENC (Fall 2021-Spring 2023 and Fall 2024-present), the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina (past board member), the American Association of College and University Educators (past board member Spring 2022- Spring 2024), and the American Association of Community Colleges Commission on Student Success (past board member – July 1, 2020-June 30, 2023).

Dr. Brown holds two degrees from East Carolina University, a doctorate in education with a concentration in higher education leadership and a bachelor’s in communication. He also holds a master’s in library science from North Carolina Central University and a certificate in Diversity in the Workplace from the University of South Florida. He enjoys community work, music, the beach, the mountains, attending athletics events, travel, and family time.

Richard Diaz

Senior Director, Student Success - Salt Lake Community College

Richard A. Díaz is an award-winning student affairs professional serving as the Senior Director of the Office of Student Success at Salt Lake Community College. Since stepping into this role in 2025, he has led a dynamic team of more than 50 staff members in advancing key institutional priorities such as new student orientation, summer bridge experiences, student support programs, and the college’s student success platform used to track and support student progress.

With over 17 years of experience in higher education, Richard brings a comprehensive background in student success and engagement. His professional journey includes leadership roles in First-Year Experience, Orientation, and Student Success, as well as experience as an admissions counselor, student organization advisor for Latinx/a/o student groups, and adjunct faculty member in the College of Social Sciences and Education. He has also served in interim leadership capacities within the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and as Associate Vice President for the Student Success unit.

Richard holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Justice Education and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy, with an emphasis in Student Affairs, both from the University of Utah. He is deeply committed to the mission of community colleges and is dedicated to advancing equitable student success and completion.

Paula Chrin Dibley

Chief Officer of Student Success & Strategic Innovation - Forsyth Technical Community College

Dr. Paula Dibley is the Chief Student Success Officer and Chief of Staff at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she leads strategy and operations across student success, enrollment, K–12 partnerships, and institutional effectiveness.

Paula is passionate about reimagining the community college experience to better serve today’s learners, especially those who are first-generation, low-income, or balancing school with work and family. Her work focuses on designing more personalized, proactive systems of support that help students persist, graduate, and secure family-sustaining careers.

Paula began her career in Washington, D.C. working in media relations and communications with nonprofit clients, including the Save Darfur Coalition and The Pew Charitable Trusts. After relocating to North Carolina, she transitioned into higher education, serving in leadership roles at both Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and Forsyth Tech.

She holds degrees from American University, the University of North Carolina, and New York University, where her doctoral research focused on expanding equitable access to dual enrollment.

Paula has been married to her partner, Troy, for more than fifteen years, and they have two children, Brielle (12) and Cole (9). Paula is passionate about her community, an advocate for social justice, and a believer that education can be the great equalizer. When she’s not working or volunteering on local nonprofit boards in the community, she loves to read, drink copious amounts of tea and water, exercise, and spend time relaxing with family and friends.

Catherine Hartman

Assistant Teaching Professor and Faculty Scholar at the Belk Center - NC State University/Belk Center

Catherine Hartman is an Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership and Faculty Scholar at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. Catherine’s research focuses on community college student persistence and engagement, community college student transfer to four-year schools, and community college leadership. Prior to coming to NC State, Catherine served in various positions at the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, the Center for Community College Student Engagement, the Charles A. Dana Center, and William & Mary.

Silvia Patricia Rios-Husain

Associate Vice President for Student Success – University of South Carolina

Dr. Silvia Patricia Rios Husain serves as Associate Vice President for Student Success within the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support at the University of South Carolina. A nationally recognized higher education leader with more than 20 years of experience, she is known for advancing student success through strategic vision, innovation, and collaborative leadership.

Dr. Rios Husain provides executive leadership for a comprehensive portfolio that includes the University Career Center, the Student Success Center, the University 101 Programs, the Carolina Experience Office, an Assessment and Quality Improvement team, and the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. Through these units, she leads coordinated efforts that strengthen retention, timely graduation, career readiness, and student success.

Under her leadership, multiple programs have earned and maintained national distinction. University 101 Programs have maintained the number one ranking among public institutions. The Student Success Center has received national recognition for financial wellness initiatives, first generation student support, and graduate student services. She also led the development of the Carolina Experience, a signature university initiative designed to expand structured support beyond the first year and strengthen belonging, engagement, and persistence.

Dr. Rios Husain has championed data informed decision making. During her tenure, the university launched Gamecock GradStats, providing career outcomes insights into more than 209,000 alumni and helping students and families make informed academic and career decisions. The work of her Assessment and Quality Improvement team has become a model within the Division of Student Affairs for translating complex data into clear, actionable insights. She has also advanced the responsible integration of artificial intelligence across student success functions, including academic support, career readiness, and first year learning.

Her leadership has been recognized nationally through the NASPA Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community’s Mena Valdez Award for Outstanding Senior Student Affairs Officer, honoring exceptional leadership and service in higher education.

Before joining the University of South Carolina, Dr. Rios Husain served as Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Gaston College, where she led enrollment growth, student success initiatives, and institution wide transformation efforts. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership roles at Broward College.

Dr. Rios Husain earned her doctoral degree from the University of Texas at Austin, her education specialist, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Florida, and her associate degree from Miami Dade College.