Directory

Christia Spears Brown has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on children’s and adolescents’ understanding of discrimination, stereotypes, and social identity and the implications of these processes for academic and developmental outcomes. She is the author of three books, including Discrimination in Childhood and Adolescence, and her research spans gender, race and ethnicity, immigration status, and economic inequality. Her work has been supported by federal and foundation funding and is widely cited across psychology and education.

A committed educator and public-facing scholar, she is known for translating developmental science to broader audiences. She regularly engages with educators, families, and organizations, is frequently featured in national media, and has served as an expert witness on cases involving discrimination in schools. She is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, president of Society for the Study of Human Development and secretary of Society for Research in Child Development, and has served in editorial leadership roles for several scholarly journals.

She joined UMBC from the University of Kentucky where she served as professor of developmental psychology and associate dean of student engagement and success in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her administrative work has focused on building inclusive, student-centered systems that promote engagement, belonging, and academic success across diverse disciplines and communities. She earned her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and began her career as an assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Chard joined the UMBC faculty as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health (SAPH) in 2002, transitioning to the tenure track in 2005. In 2024, she joined the Dean’s office as associate dean. Previously, Dr. Chard served as professor and department chair in SAPH for four years as well as associate chair for seven years. She also has served as undergraduate program director of Anthropology and holds an affiliate faculty appointment in the Doctoral Program in Gerontology.

A medical anthropologist, Dr. Chard’s research focuses on chronic illness care as a social process, utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that integrates anthropology and gerontology. Her recent publications, which emphasize self-care in the context of diabetes, have significantly contributed to critical discussions on health equity among older adults. Dr. Chard has secured over $3 million in federally funded grant awards and was honored as a distinguished fellow of the Gerontological Society of America in 2022.

Dr. Chard’s teaching portfolio includes undergraduate courses in anthropological theory, medical anthropology, globalization, urban anthropology, and introductory cultural anthropology. These courses represent core and elective offerings for majors, as well as GEP and WI opportunities for UMBC undergraduates more broadly.  At the graduate level, Dr. Chard provides a course in qualitative research methods, which serves students in Sociology, Gerontology, LLC, Public Policy, GES, and IS.

Dr. Chard earned her BA in Anthropology from Bryn Mawr College and her MA and PhD in Medical Anthropology from Case Western Reserve University.

Timothy Nohe is an artist, composer, and university educator engaging traditional and electronic media in civic life and public places. His work has focused on sustainability and place, as well as musical and video works for dance and performance. Nohe has presented his work in a range of venues, including the Louvre Museum, Centre Pompidou; The Smithsonian Institution; The Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow; the Irish Museum of Modern Art; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney; The Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York; the EXPERIMENT dance festival presented in multiple cities in Russia; and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In July of 2025, he is screening at Festival ECRÃ, at the Musée d’art moderne, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He currently serves as Professor of Visual Arts and Associate Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at UMBC. He holds an MFA in Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego, and an MFA in Photography from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Eric Stokan is an associate professor of Political Science, affiliate in the School of Public Policy, and served as director of the Center for Social Science Scholarship. His research examines the equitability and impacts of local government resource allocations of environmental sustainability, economic development, and community development policies.

His research foci and analytic methodologies are interdisciplinary, and his scholarship makes use of advances in computational social science and data science. Stokan serves on the editorial board of the Urban Affairs Review and has had faculty affiliations with the MGMT Lab at Indiana University Bloomington and the Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University. Stokan holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Administration at George Washington University and has a B.A. and M.A. in political science from Wayne State University.

Jamie Jung started at UMBC in 2011 as a Grant Accountant in the Office of Contract and Grant Accounting. She then moved to her next venture at UMBC, assisting the Associate Provost for Financial Management in the Provost Office and the Office of Vice President for Research as an Accountant. In 2018, she joined the Dean’s Office as Business Manager, working closely with the Assistant Dean and the Associate Deans, the CAHSS Financial Team, and the administrative staff within the college.

Cael Mulcahy joined the UMBC Community in 2012 to coordinate the opening and operation of UMBC’s Performing Arts & Humanities Building.  In 2019 they expanded their role in the CAHSS Dean’s Office to provide operational support for facilities use through all areas of CAHSS by working closely with UMBC service and planning departments. 

Previously they worked in venue planning and management at Emerson College and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. They have been working to facilitate the professional and student uses of performance and educational spaces since they began working in academia in 2004. Cael holds a B.A. in Theatre from The College of Wooster and an M.A. in Theatre from Ohio University.

Tamara Brown has been in the University of Maryland System since 1984. She joined UMBC in 1999 as the Department of Public Policy Administrative Assistant. In 2007, she joined the Dean’s Office, College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences. She is the Executive Assistant to the Dean and the Office Manager for the Dean’s Office.

Lisa Thomas started working at UMBC in 2012 when she joined the Education Department as an Administrative Assistant.  She joined the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences in 2017 as an Executive Administrative Assistant. She is responsible for faculty recruitment, faculty searches, CAHSS Controlled Spaces Coordinator, and the Event Coordinator.

James Hamilton started at UMBC in 2017. He is a Washington, D.C., native and has served in the field of higher education for over seven years. James worked as a Senior Research Assistant in the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs at Coppin State University for three years. After leaving Academic Affairs, he transitioned into the College of Business and worked as an Academic Advisor before being promoted to Transfer Coordinator. He brings knowledge in the areas of academic advisement, recruitment, and other key student support services. James received his B.S. in Sport Management from Coppin State University and earned his M.S. in Management from UMUC.

Jayla Godfrey, a York, PA native, is a new 2024 addition to UMBC. Jayla has three years of experience working in the field of higher education with a concentration in disability, inclusion, student success, and academic advising. Prior to UMBC, Jayla served as a Program Coordinator for University of Delaware’s Career and Life Studies Certificate (CLSC), a 2-4 year inclusive higher education program for students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Jayla earned her B.A. in Psychology, with minors in Business Management and Gerontology and Aging Studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. She has also earned her M.S. in Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Debbie joined UMBC in 2018 as the psychology academic advisor. She has over 6 years of experience in higher education. Debbie received her B.A. in Psychology and her M.Ed. in Counseling and College Student Affairs, both from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

A Maryland native, Robert has enjoyed a varied and successful career in media and film production. While living in Washington, DC, Robert worked as both writer and director of photography for entities like the Department of Defense, The Library of Congress, and National Geographic Television. He relocated to Los Angeles in the late 1990s and worked as a story editor for film studios and producers. Robert returned to Maryland in 2011. For the past 10 years, Robert has served as both faculty and staff at UMBC. He has taught courses in the Visual Arts Department, including media writing, film history, and history of animation, while maintaining a freelance career as an award-winning writer. Robert also held a staff position as an advisor in The Office for Academic and Pre-Professional Advising, where he advised students and produced content for the office’s social media campaigns.

Robert is now an academic advisor for UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, where he specializes in the Department of Economics. He holds his B.A. in Visual Arts; Film-Video as a proud alumnus of UMBC.

Helen Schatz joined UMBC in 2025 as a CAHSS Academic Advisor. She has over 10 years experience assisting students on their education journey and ensuring their success. Prior to UMBC she worked as a Student Success Advisor at Walden University, specialist in students earning their B.S. in Elementary Education. She earned her B.S. in Family Studies at Towson University and her M.Ed. in School Counseling at Loyola University Maryland.

Molly Timko joined UMBC in 2022 as the pre-law academic advisor. Molly worked for over 10 years in the fields of law, healthcare compliance, and research administration, and she is licensed to practice law in Maryland, New York, and the District of Columbia. Prior to attending law school, Molly served as an undergraduate admissions counselor for international and transfer students in Buffalo, New York. Molly earned her B.A. in Anthropology and Art History from the State University of New York at Buffalo, M.S. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from Canisius College, and J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law.

Jenae Wilson started at UMBC in 2006. A Maryland native, she has served in the higher education field for ten years. After graduating from UMBC, Jenae began working in the Registrar’s Office as a Transfer Evaluator. After two years, she transferred her skills to St. Bernardine’s Head Start where she served as a Family Services Coordinator for three years. Upon the center’s closure, she was employed at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) for four years as a veteran & online academic advisor. She rejoined UMBC’s Transfer Services in 2017 and was promoted to the role of CAHSS academic advisor in May 2020. Jenae earned her B.A. in English with a journalism minor from UMBC in 2003.

Shelly graduated from Frostburg State University and after gaining years of experience in finance, she began service with the state as a fiscal technician with the Maryland Insurance Administration in 2015 and came to UMBC in 2018 as an Accounting Associate with The Shriver Center. She then became the Business Services Specialist for Payroll in The Shriver Center. As the Manager of Payroll for the Shared Services Center for CAHSS she works with the Assistant Dean, the CAHSS team and the administrative staff within the college.

Pam Doppler started at UMBC in 1998 as an Administrative Assistant with the Human Resources department. In 2006, she joined the School of Public Policy and continued as an Administrative Assistant. In 2022, she joined the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences as a Business Services Specialist working for the CAHSS Shared Services Center. She works closely with the Business Manager of the Shared Services Center and the CAHSS Administrative Staff.

Dan Dubyoski joined the Dean’s office in 2019 from T. Rowe Price. He works closely with the Assistant Dean, Business Managers, and the Shared Service Center. Dan assists in overseeing the Dean’s office finances, facilitating transactions, and serves as a resource for the college’s administrative personnel.

Kelly Hodges began working at UMBC in 2000 as a Contingent I employee in the Department of Economics. In 2004 she became a full-time Administrative Assistant in the Department until 2008, when she became the Office Supervisor. In 2020 she joined the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences as a Business Services Specialist working for the CAHSS Shared Services Center. She works closely with the Business Manager of the Shared Services Center and the CAHSS Administrative Staff.

Jennie joined the Dean’s Office in 2025 as a Business Services Specialist. She has previously worked in the York and Anne Arundel County Public School systems. Jennie works in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Shared Services Center processing payroll and she works closely with the Business Manager of the Shared Services Center and the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Administrative Staff.

Jason Duncan joined UMBC in 2019 to build and manage a technology services team to support CAHSS and its constituent departments.

Prior to joining UMBC, Jason served at the University of Baltimore, providing governance and stewardship of the institution’s digital presence. Previously, he served in the College of Education at Frostburg State University, where he supported a faculty-led technology outreach program designed to promote the adoption of educational technology and to address digital divide challenges by connecting the University with the local K-12 and business communities. He also served in FSU’s Office of Information Technology where he supported the launch of the University’s first online learning management system.

Jason holds a B.S. in Philosophy from Frostburg State University and an M.S. in Information Systems from UMBC.

Bonnie Lander joined UMBC in 2023 to coordinate event services at the PAHB, and assist with campus wide facilities upgrades. Previously she worked as the Arts and Culture Events Coordinator at 2640 Space in Charles Village and continues to volunteer for the High Zero Foundation, which has been curating experimental music in Baltimore since 1996. Bonnie is also a freelance soprano and composer, with a B.M. from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, a M.M. from the Peabody Conservatory, and a D.M.A. from UC San Diego.

Candace Lunn is Guest Services Coordinator for the Performing Arts & Humanities Building.

Nicholas Beckwith is a new and upcoming Digital Media Specialist for UMBC. He is a southern Maryland native and has lived there for the past seven years. He started working at UMBC in late March 2022. Nick initially started his UMBC academic journey in 2016 and graduated with a B.A. in Media and Communication Studies and a double minor in Cinematic Arts and Entrepreneurship in May 2020. During his time as a student, Nick interned for the UMBC recreation department as a Social Media Designer. He is currently pursuing an M.F.A. in Game Development at the Academy of Art University

Aimee joined UMBC in 2023 just in time for the new fall semester. She has spent most of the last 25 years enabling people to have a better technology experience. She took a break from this work to achieve two undergraduate degrees. She has a B.S. in Geology and a B.S. in Chemistry, both from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Hailed by the Gramophone Magazine as “brilliant and intrepid”, violinist Airi Yoshioka has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Canada as a recitalist, soloist and chamber musician.  Deeply committed to chamber music, she is the founding member of the Damocles Trio and Modigliani Quartet and has performed and recorded with the members of the Emerson, Brentano and Arditti Quartets.  Damocles Trio’s debut disc of complete Piano Trios and Piano Quartet of Joquín Turina has won a four-star rating from the BBC Music Magazine, Le Monde de la Musique and Diapason.

Educational outreach has been a vital aspect of Ms. Yoshioka’s professional life through her work as a teaching artist for the New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center Institute. In addition, she has taught music at New York City public schools through the Morse Fellowship program and has performed in hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes as a recipient of the Community Service Fellowship. In October, 2004, she organized Art Reach!, a three-day symposium on effectiveness of arts outreach. The highly successful occasion brought together teachers, teaching artists, administrators, and community leaders from Maryland. Currently, she is Professor of Violin at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.