2022 Speakers
Dr. Shatoya Black |
Dr. Black, current president-elect over Illinois TRIO was born and raised on the southside of Chicago. Her education journey started with not having a place to call home and offered a place to stay in Dekalb, Illinois where she completed her degrees at Illinois State University. She currently plays an innovative role in developing initiatives to impact first-generation student’s success both personally and academically. She has over eight years of experience working to assist students with navigating critical transition points in their lives.
As a student alumnus of TRIO and now serving as the program director of a TRIO Student Support Service at Illinois State University, Dr. Black has cultivated spaces that build community, address deficit perspectives and language to change the narrative of first-generation students to an asset-based approach. |
Dr. Black takes a holistic approach to success highlighting the social and cultural capital students bring to the college environment. She has created intentional programming that focuses on cultivating and elevating the voice of first-generation students’ lived experiences.
Dr. Black has developed initiatives such as inaugural campus wide first-generation celebrations, identity and career development internships, professionals and student affinity groups, first-generation triumph podcast, direct touch persistence and completion programs for first-generation students. She has implemented community impact projects that help to cultivate the 5A’s in career development and has created legacy framework to add students in identifying success. She utilizes the impact some of TRIO association leaders had on her journey of growth and development and looks to provide that impact and understanding for others as lifelong learners.
Dr. Black has developed initiatives such as inaugural campus wide first-generation celebrations, identity and career development internships, professionals and student affinity groups, first-generation triumph podcast, direct touch persistence and completion programs for first-generation students. She has implemented community impact projects that help to cultivate the 5A’s in career development and has created legacy framework to add students in identifying success. She utilizes the impact some of TRIO association leaders had on her journey of growth and development and looks to provide that impact and understanding for others as lifelong learners.
Corey Saffold
Corey Saffold was appointed to the UW System Board of Regents in 2019 by Governor Tony Evers, where he is responsible for establishing policies and rules for governing the System to meet state needs for future collegiate education. Saffold is a strong advocate for access to education and is actively mobilizing programs on different UW campuses that reach underrepresented students.
Saffold is also the Director of Crisis Management for the Verona Area School District (VASD) in Verona, Wisconsin. Prior to his role with the VASD, Saffold served as a City of Madison Police Officer for a decade. During that time, he served as a school resource officer, where he successfully created and implemented restorative programs that reduced citations, arrests, and overall police involvement within the school. Concurrently, Saffold served as an advisor for the Black Student Union, where he facilitated multiple initiatives that contributed to the successful matriculation of diverse students through high school and on to higher education.
In 2016, Saffold became a member of the Wisconsin Humanities Council SpeakersBureau. There, he utilized his professional expertise to advise a diverse range ofconstituents throughout the state of Wisconsin on the challenges and opportunities ofpolicing in today’s society. Throughout Saffold’s professional career, he has continuedto be a thought leader in the design, facilitation, and implementation of innovativepolicies and strategies that bridge the gap between community and police.
Saffold is also the Director of Crisis Management for the Verona Area School District (VASD) in Verona, Wisconsin. Prior to his role with the VASD, Saffold served as a City of Madison Police Officer for a decade. During that time, he served as a school resource officer, where he successfully created and implemented restorative programs that reduced citations, arrests, and overall police involvement within the school. Concurrently, Saffold served as an advisor for the Black Student Union, where he facilitated multiple initiatives that contributed to the successful matriculation of diverse students through high school and on to higher education.
In 2016, Saffold became a member of the Wisconsin Humanities Council SpeakersBureau. There, he utilized his professional expertise to advise a diverse range ofconstituents throughout the state of Wisconsin on the challenges and opportunities ofpolicing in today’s society. Throughout Saffold’s professional career, he has continuedto be a thought leader in the design, facilitation, and implementation of innovativepolicies and strategies that bridge the gap between community and police.
Lynne Parrot
Lynne Parrott is a native of Chicago, Il who relocated to Platteville in the spring of 2017 and has been breaking barriers since. In the fall of 2017, Lynne became the first African American female to pastor Bread of Life Church in Platteville. By 2018, she was the first African American female to be on the Board of Directors at Family Advocate. In 2021, Lynne has made a name for herself throughout this small town as the first African American female to wear the title of Alderperson At Large for the City of Platteville.
As a committee member on Platteville’s task force on inclusion, diversity, and equality (TIDE) Lynne is committed to breaking barriers of inclusion, diversity, and equality in city leadership. Lynne has always gone above and beyond when it came to empowering young people. As an inner-city community organizer and Youth pastor, Lynne’s heart for building bridges for the youth was evident. Lynne founded “Open Learning Home School” where she homeschooled her children and several neighborhood youths.
From that venture, 15 high schoolers graduated. She notes that “when there is an opportunity to be a wavemaker, make the wave. Someone else may need that push.” Lynne’s educational journey has awarded her with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, a Master of Science in Theology and she is currently completing her Doctorate in Organizational leadership. Author, Minister, advocate, and leader, are several of the titles Lynne wears, but the ones she loves the most are Wife, Mom, Granny, and Yakemee (a name her great-grandchildren call her). Lynne’s daily goal is to impact others through a kind word or a smile.
As a committee member on Platteville’s task force on inclusion, diversity, and equality (TIDE) Lynne is committed to breaking barriers of inclusion, diversity, and equality in city leadership. Lynne has always gone above and beyond when it came to empowering young people. As an inner-city community organizer and Youth pastor, Lynne’s heart for building bridges for the youth was evident. Lynne founded “Open Learning Home School” where she homeschooled her children and several neighborhood youths.
From that venture, 15 high schoolers graduated. She notes that “when there is an opportunity to be a wavemaker, make the wave. Someone else may need that push.” Lynne’s educational journey has awarded her with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, a Master of Science in Theology and she is currently completing her Doctorate in Organizational leadership. Author, Minister, advocate, and leader, are several of the titles Lynne wears, but the ones she loves the most are Wife, Mom, Granny, and Yakemee (a name her great-grandchildren call her). Lynne’s daily goal is to impact others through a kind word or a smile.