The Advising Success Network is excited to introduce the inaugural Holistic Advising Fellows & Ambassadors — a national cohort of professionals advancing equity-centered, holistic advising across higher education. This initiative was developed in collaboration with Rootline Education Consulting, LLC. We look forward to amplifying the insights and impact of this outstanding cohort.
Through June, Fellows will engage in monthly communities of practice, receive coaching, and develop capstone projects addressing emerging advising and student success challenges.
Meet the inaugural Holistic Advising Fellows & Ambassadors
We’re proud to welcome our Fellows, listed below in alphabetical order.
Aaliyah Howard
Aaliyah Howard is a Student Retention Coordinator at Albany State University with a strong commitment to supporting student success and persistence in higher education. She is a proud alumna of Albany State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master of Business Administration. Aaliyah began her career in higher education as an Academic Advisor, where she gained hands-on experience guiding students through academic planning, institutional navigation, and decision-making. In her current role, she focuses on retention initiatives, student engagement and advocacy, and providing targeted support to help students navigate challenges and successfully progress toward degree completion.
Bianca Miller
Bianca Miller serves as the Director of the Center for Student Success and Academic Excellence at Johnson C. Smith University, where she provides strategic leadership for campus-wide retention and student success initiatives. In this role, she oversees student success coaching, early alert systems, tutoring services, first- and second-year experience programs, student-athlete success initiatives, and family engagement efforts. Her work centers on advancing equitable, data-informed practices that support persistence, academic achievement, and holistic student development; particularly for historically underserved student populations at HBCUs.
A scholar-practitioner, Miller is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration, with research interests focused on student retention, success coaching, and institutional support structures that promote a sense of belonging and persistence. She is committed to bridging theory and practice to strengthen institutional effectiveness and prepare students for long-term academic and professional success.
Cas Andrusz-Ho Ching
Cas Andrusz-Ho Ching is an Academic Advisor and Adjunct Instructor at the University at Albany, where she has served since 2015. She holds a PhD in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies from UAlbany, and brings a deeply student-centered, appreciative, and holistic approach to her work. Her advising and teaching emphasize equity, belonging, and empowerment, and her courses explore culture, power, and social justice in the Americas through inclusive, student-led learning practices.
Her professional interests center on building sustainable, people-centered structures that support both students and staff. She develops and leads mentorship and professional development initiatives grounded in well-being, community building, and shared leadership, including innovative project-based communities that enable staff to collaborate, address service gaps, strengthen office infrastructure, and more effectively respond to the needs of diverse student populations. On campus she is engaged in advancing equity-focused initiatives that support cultural student organizations and interdisciplinary Cultural Studies programs and off campus she serves as Board Chair of Capital District LATINOS.
David Demonye Atkins
David Demonye Atkins is an academic advising and education professional with a strong foundation in computer science, technology education, and data analytics. He is a Jackson, MS native who was educated through the Jackson Public Schools district. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Technology Education, along with a data analytics certification that supports his work in evidence-based student support and program assessment. His background enables him to leverage data to monitor academic progress, identify student needs, and support institutional goals related to retention, persistence, and graduation.
David’s professional focus centers on holistic academic advising, student success initiatives, and the integration of technology to enhance educational outcomes. He has a particular interest in using data-informed advising strategies, early-alert systems, and structured support programs to guide students through academic pathways and graduate school preparation. Committed to equity and access in higher education, he works to ensure that advising practices are inclusive, proactive, and aligned with students’ academic, professional, and personal development goals.
Jai’Shon Berry
Jai’Shon Berry (He/Him) is a Student Success Coach at Pierce College, where he supports students in the Applied Business program through holistic, equity-centered academic advising. With a background in student advocacy, program development, and retention-focused support services, Jai’Shon brings a strong commitment to removing barriers for students from historically marginalized and underserved backgrounds. His work centers first-generation college students, low-income learners, parenting students, and others navigating non-traditional educational pathways.
Drawing from his own lived experience as a first-generation student from a low-income background, Jai’Shon uses an asset-based advising approach that meets students where they are, emotionally, academically, and personally. He is passionate about creating culturally affirming environments where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. He has led initiatives ranging from expanding basic needs services and inclusive curriculum review to coordinating leadership development and student engagement programs. Jai’Shon is excited to join the ASN Holistic Advising Fellows Program to deepen his practice, build connections with like-minded practitioners, and advance institutional equity through collaborative learning and change-making.
Michael Huggins
Michael Huggins is a dedicated higher education professional with over a decade of experience in fostering academic excellence and student development. A proud alumnus of Florida A&M University, Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. His Higher Education career began in the FAMU College of Education, serving as the Executive Assistant to the Dean and lead administrative coordinator for administrative support. In this pivotal role, he served as a primary liaison for faculty and staff within the college and campus wide, also acted as the lead recruiter, traveling extensively to identify prospective next generation educators.
Transitioning his expertise to the School of Allied Health Sciences, Michael now serves as Lead Academic Advisor, where he translates his administrative and recruitment background into direct student support. His career is driven by a profound passion for student success, leading him to consistently seek out opportunities to sharpen his advising strategies. This commitment to professional growth is evidenced by his active involvement with NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, where he served as both a committee member and a presenter at their Region 4 and Annual National Conferences in 2025.
Monique Ransom
Dr. Monique Ransom is a dedicated higher education leader with 15+ years of experience in academic advising, enrollment management, student program development, and retention strategies at various institutions. She currently serves as the Associate Director for Academic Advisor Development & Student Transition Programs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she manages the professional team in the Office of Advising with a collaborative and developmental leadership approach. One of her primary responsibilities includes serving as the central manager for instructor-led training and development opportunities for UMBC’s advising community.
She’s passionate about supporting students in achieving their goals to obtain their degrees. Throughout her career, she’s demonstrated her proven ability to design and implement transformative programs that drive student success and institutional retention. She also presents at state, regional, and national higher education conferences on best practices for addressing business challenges in academic advising and employing asset-based language in student communications. Her current areas of interest are academic advising, student success, marginalized students, and equity challenges in higher education. Outside of work, she finds tremendous joy in spending time with her husband and son; listening to reggae, soca, calypso, R&B, and hip-hop; traveling; reading; podcasting, and making cranial prostheses (wigs) for women experiencing medical hair loss.
Pamela Pretell
Pamela Pretell serves as a Success Advisor and Retention Specialist, and Advising Training and Development Lead in Academic Advising Enrichment at the University of California, Davis. In this role, Pamela leads efforts to enhance advisor training and development, including the design and implementation of a competency-based advising training curriculum that promotes equity-oriented, student-centered practice, and advising excellence. Her work contributes to enhancing advising practices across the institution and advancing advising strategies that support student success through collaborative efforts, including participation on the Proactive Retention Support Team and the Advising for Equity Administrative Advisory Committee.
With over 10 years of experience in academic advising, Pamela has served in advising and student service roles across U.C. Davis, including the University Honors Program, Hart Interdisciplinary Programs, Arts Administrative Group, and Native American Retention Initiative. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of New Mexico and a bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies from U.C. Davis. Pamela began her advising work as an undergraduate peer advisor and remains deeply committed to supporting students through culturally responsive, holistic advising while advocating for institutional change that creates conditions for all students to feel supported and able to thrive.
Shirley Anderson
Shirley Anderson earned her PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of North Texas, a master’s degree in Higher Education and Supervision from the University of Houston, and a bachelor’s degree in Economics with minors in Spanish and Business Foundations from The University of Texas at Austin. She began her career as a college advisor at a biomedical sciences high school, where she supported many students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds with college planning, financial aid guidance, and application assistance.
Dr. Anderson joined the Health Professions Advising Center team at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2013. Currently, Dr. Anderson serves as Faculty Director for the Joint Admission Medical Program and coordinates the Certificate in Biomedical Sciences program. She previously served on the Texas Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (TAAHP) board for five years as Secretary and Treasurer, and is now a Member-at-Large on the Southern Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (SAAHP) board. She has presented at state, regional, and national pre-health advising conferences, as well as for the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Educational Research Association, and NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. Additionally, her work is published in The Advisor, International Journal of STEM Education, and the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education.
Tracey Thigpen-Washington
Tracey Thigpen-Washington serves as the Distance Learning Advising Coordinator at Hinds Community College, where she leads remote advising initiatives that support student access, engagement, and success across multiple campuses. She has experience as an academic advisor and as an instructor in sociology and criminal justice, with a strong focus on holistic, equity-minded, and student-centered advising practices.
She holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Sociology from Jackson State University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Community College Leadership at Mississippi State University. Her professional interests include holistic advising, student retention, equity-centered leadership, and improving outcomes for community college students. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys reading, traveling, and community engagement.
Looking Ahead
We are eager to amplify the work of these Holistic Advising Fellows & Ambassadors as they impact holistic advising across the country. Stay tuned for updates as our Fellows share their findings and reflections from their projects.