Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives

Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives manages a variety of signature programs - Achieve Atlanta Scholars, Coca-Cola Scholars, REACH Georgia and Thrive-that are in place at KSU to provide resources and services to assist students in their transition into college throughout the way to degree completion.

As part of the Division of Inclusive Excellence and Diversity’s mission of fostering an inclusive and holistic learning environment, the targeted student populations served by these programs are first-generation students, under-served groups and students from rural/urban locations.

The unit's goals for program participants are to improve retention, enhance the opportunities for academic success and promote student engagement by providing academic support services, co-curricular programs, and enrichment workshops throughout their college experience and beyond.

    • Daffany Anglin

      Daffany Anglin

      Graduation Coach Interim Coordinator

      470-578-5108

      danglin2@kennesaw.edu 

      KH 1011

      • Christopher Holloway

        Christopher Holloway

        Graduation Coach

        Thrive Last Name A-K

        Christopher Holloway joined the department of Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives – Office of Diversity and Inclusion in January 2021 as a Graduation Coach.  Prior to becoming a KSU Owl, Mr. Holloway worked for nearly 10 years in higher education in the public and private sectors.  He previously served as a Grant Advisor Coordinator of the Strengthening Institutions Program grant at Columbus State University (CSU).  In this role, Mr. Holloway’s experience included department budgeting, conducting advisor and student employee training, and program implementation.

        Mr. Holloway also served as a member of CSU’s Retention, Progression, and Graduation (RPG) committee. During his tenure, CSU adopted the following key institutional policy changes to better address the unique needs of probation students: applying registration holds for probation students, automating an intake assessment that included smart logic for resource referrals, and pairing probation students with peer mentors.

        Mr. Holloway holds a Master of Science in Adult Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction from Troy University and a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary English Education from Georgia State University.  In his free time, he enjoys attending concerts, writing songs, traveling, and spending time with family.

        470-578-2695

        chollo13@kennesaw.edu

        KH 1009

        • Andreea Johnson

          Andreea Johnson

          Graduation Coach

          Thrive Last Name L-Z

          Andreea Johnson joined the department of Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives – Office of Diversity and Inclusion in January 2021 as a Graduation Coach.  Throughout her career in higher education, Ms. Johnson has served in a myriad of capacities in both public and private universities.  She has worked with students through academic advising, new student orientation, recruitment/promotional events and educational workshop coordination and facilitation.

          Ms. Johnson has also trained new staff and supplemental instruction leaders. In addition, Ms. Johnson has served on various committees to obtain accreditation renewal and distinction of academic excellence in various programs.

          Ms. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Integrative Public Relations and a Master of Arts in Interpersonal and Public Communication from Central Michigan University.  She is passionate about working with students to help them develop academically and professionally.  In her free time, she enjoys connecting with friends at Starbucks over an iced latte, crocheting, and attending concerts.

          470-578-6308

          ajohn733@kennesaw.edu

          KH 1013

          • Anne Kreminski

            Project Manager

            Serves as primary point person for project development for the department of Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives. She brings years of experience in operations management. Responsible for analyzing and developing strategies for new projects, provide recommendations and direction to achieve project goals and ensures that the unit’s goals relate to special projects and outreach operations. She also provides management of grant budgets.

            470-578-3082

            akremins@kennesaw.edu 

            UC 213D

            • Lynda Lyons

              Linda Lyons

              Director

              Dr. Lyons oversees the Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives (SODI) in the Division of Inclusive Excellence and Diversity. The unit’s four signature outreach programs serve first-generation and underrepresented students who are entering Kennesaw State University (KSU) with an academic scholarship and/or are PELL eligible. Linda has worked in higher education performing various administrative roles for over 20 years. She received her doctorate from the University of Georgia in Adult Education with a focus on Organization Behaviors, and has a M.S. in Human Resource Development, and a B.A. in Business Management. Linda also has a faculty role as an Associate Professor in the Interdisciplinary Studies Department within the Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences at KSU.  She has built an academic trajectory with a focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning that is germane to multicultural education. Specifically, her research concentration is building intercultural competence in higher education through a collaborative approach with faculty, campus leaders and other campus stakeholders when developing and executing cultural awareness curriculum and co-curricular initiatives. She teaches courses that are connected to leadership development, strategic planning, implicit bias, cultural interactions and sensitivity, global learning, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has managed and directed education abroad programs to Africa, South America, and Italy as well as traveled with colleagues conducting professional development programs to the Republics of Ghana and Nigeria, Africa, Barcelona, Spain and Otzenhausen, Germany.  

              470-578-7783

              llyons5@kennesaw.edu

              UC 213B

              • Christina Puckett

                Data Analyst

                Christina Puckett joined the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in July 2020 as the Data Analyst for the department of Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives. Prior to joining this unit, she worked as the Data Analyst for University College. Previously, Christina served as the assistant director of the Science and Mathematics Academic Resources and Tutoring (SMART) Center where she grew her passion for student success. Christina earned her Bachelor’s in Mathematics from Kennesaw State University (KSU) in 2016 and her Master’s in Applied Statistics also from KSU in 2018. 

                470-578-2173

                cjone280@kennesaw.edu 

                UC 213E

                • Shae Smith

                  Shae Smith

                  Co-curricular Support Specialist

                  470-578-2926

                  shae.smith@kennesaw.edu 

                  UC 213C

                  • Ashton Tomlin

                    Ashton Tomlin

                    Thrive Program Coordinator

                    Ashton Tomlin joined the department of Strategic Outreach and Diversity Initiatives – Office of Diversity and Inclusion in January 2021 as the Program Coordinator and Thrive Liaison.   Working to recruit and support both Thrive and Achieve Atlanta scholars, Ms. Tomlin desires to see all students succeed. She brings experience in supporting students in the transition from high school to college, coordinating first year university programs, and creating spaces for students to feel at home on campus.

                    Ms. Tomlin has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Geography degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is currently working toward completing her Master of Education in Higher Education Administration degree at Georgia Southern University. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, swimming, baking, volunteering, and playing in a recreational kickball league.

                    470-578-2298

                    atomli13@kennesaw.edu

                    UC 213F

                    • REACH Ga Campus Liaison           

                      Duties in this role include assisting incoming students participating in the REACH Ga. program with their transition to college, working with campus partners to assure resources and programming are available to the program's scholars, as well as assisting in future initiatives, community outreach programming, and training/workshops for students and REACH Ga. stakeholders.

                       

                     

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