Editorial Board

The Educational Justice Journal’s Editorial Board represents a wealth of experience and diversity in disciplines, research focus, and professional expertise.

Willis Walter, PhD

CoEditor-in-Chief

Dr. Willis Walter, Dean of the College of Education and Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning at Virginia State University. As an Educational Justice Advocate, he has served as Vice President of Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness, Vice President of Community Affairs, K-16 Initiatives/Dean of the College of Education, and provided consultation to the Florida State Department of Education, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and currently serves as a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Examiner.

Sean S. Warner, PhD

CoEditor-in-Chief

Sean S. Warner is a tenured Professor of Educational Leadership and Higher Education Policy at Clark Atlanta University. He earned his doctoral degree in education from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in 1998. Since that time Dr. Warner has served on the faculty at Clemson University; chaired the department of Secondary Education and School Leadership at Norfolk State University; and served as the dean of education at both Grambling State and Clark Atlanta Universities, respectively. In addition to providing thought leadership with Georgia education agencies, Warner has an extensive background in accreditation, program redesign, educator preparation, culturally responsive teaching, and leadership, higher education administrative policy, faculty development, and stakeholder engagement.

Chevelle Hall, PhD

CoEditor-in-Chief

Dr. Chevelle Hall is an Associate Professor at Virginia State University. Dr. Hall is a 2017 and 2021 Fulbright-Hays Seminar research fellow. She is also a recipient of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan (2019) research fellowship recipient. Dr. Hall is a former k-12 teacher and principal.

Lisa Richardson, PhD

CoEditor-in-Chief

Founder and CEO of Main Street MarTech, Dr. Lisa Richardson, is a full-stack content strategist and marketing operations geek. Dr. Lisa wields an extensive background in marketing technology bolstered by leadership development and adult learning.

Dr. Lisa brings nearly 30 years of advisory experience to every consultation to help clients navigate healthy transformations of workflows and mindsets. She has translated her background into a 13-year-old agency focused on content strategy, marketing operations, and digital event production. Prioritizing inclusive business storytelling and event experiences, she has established an enviable reputation for positioning growth-focused B2B & nonprofit teams for long-term, progressive success.

Aaron Livingston, PhD

CoEditor-in-Chief

Dr. Aaron Livingston currently serves as the Dr. Eddie G. Robinson, Sr. Endowed Professor and Graduate Coordinator of Sport Administration at Grambling State University. He has over 20 years of service to K-12 and higher education. He is dedicated to continuing the education of both traditional and non-traditional students.

Andre P. Stevenson, PhD

Associate Editor

Andre P. Stevenson is Professor of Social Work and Director of the Office of International Programs at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) in North Carolina. He primarily teaches undergraduate courses in research methods and social policy, as well as oversees study abroad and other international education initiatives at ECSU. Andre is a member of the Editorial Board of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad and was a guest editor for the journal’s Special Section on International Education and HBCUs, published in 2022. His most recent publication is a co-edited volume titled, “The Half Yet to Be Told: Study Abroad and HBCUs,” which was published in March 2023. 

He served as a guest editor of a Special Section of the Journal on Social Work Education in 2016 and a guest editor for the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment in 2017. Both focused on faculty research at HBCUs in the academic area of Social Work Education. 

Andre is a graduate of South Carolina State University, where he completed his undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Counselor Education. He holds a PhD in Social Work (Research), Master of Public Health, and Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Winnifred Namatovu, PhD

Associate Editor

Dr. Winnifred Namatovu is an Associate Professor at the University of North Georgia. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Social Foundations from the University of Toledo. Prior to moving into higher education, Dr. Namatovu was a middle grades math teacher for several years. Currently, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the middle grades, secondary and science education department. Dr. Namatovu’s teaching and research interests focus on developing culturally inclusive curriculum and creating equitable learning spaces for all learners.

Trina Bryant, EdD

Associate Editor

Dr. Trina Bryant, a highly experienced educator with over a decade of expertise in secondary and higher education, specializing in curriculum design and mentoring. As a former public-school Humanities teacher, she initiated Model United Nations programs in two BPS schools. While at Northeastern University, she served as a graduate assistant and project manager, collaborating with Dr. Holly Carter on the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation Professional Development Project.

Her current role is Executive Director of the Center for Student Enrichment at Eastern Nazarene College, overseeing First-Year Writing, Academic Support, Accessibility Services, Career Development, and the Bridge program. Dr. Bryant, a Fulbright-Hays Scholar in Mexico and Taiwan, holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Regis College, focusing her research on mindfulness, resilience training, academic success, and educational leadership.

Mark L'Esperance, PhD

Associate Editor

Dr. Mark L’Esperance was named professor and dean of James Madison University’s College of Education in 2019. L’Esperance previously was professor and chair of the Department of Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education at East Carolina University, where he was also the lead faculty administrator for the East Carolina University Community School. L’Esperance joined the faculty at ECU in 1998 and has presented and published extensively at the state, national and international levels on issues of school reform. L’Esperance has worked with public-school systems in coaching hundreds of administrators related to strategic planning and instructional leadership in low wealth schools.

Michelle Tovar, EdD

Associate Editor

Dr. Michelle Tovar is the Associate Director of Education- Latino Initiatives at Holocaust Museum Houston, where she is responsible for building bridges between the Latino community and the museum. Her initiatives include outreach to bilingual/dual language school programs; creating educational workshops and events for teachers, parents, and community leaders; and working with local and national organizations dedicated to serving Latinos. Michelle earned her EdD at the University of Houston in Curriculum and Instruction in K-12 Social Education with an emphasis on Social Justice Education. She was a Smithsonian Latino Museum Studies Fellow and a 2017 and 2019 Fulbright-Hays Scholar.

Cheyrl Ensley, PhD

Associate Editor

Dr. Cheyrl Mansfield Ensley currently serves as an Associate Professor and the Interim Head of the Departments of Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership at her alma mater – Grambling State University. Dr. Ensley is an advocate for providing access and opportunity for all students with over 30 years of experience in education. She is an experienced educator, dedicated to leveling the playing field for all children. Prior to joining the GRAMFAM in August of 2018, Dr. Ensley has experience teaching at the college level and has served in the Pre K-12 setting as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director, executive director, and assistant superintendent. She is an outcomes-based educator with a laser focus on obtaining results based on data.

Torrance Williams, DHSc

Associate Editor

Dr. Torrance Williams serves as the Rehabilitation Sciences Department Chair, as well as Program Director for the Masters of Athletic Training Program at Bethune-Cookman University. Dr. Williams’ research interests are the Sickle Cell Trait, and Sickle Cell Disease in Athletics, and his work in this area has been published. He currently sits on the National Inter-Association Task Force for Sickle Cell Trait, and serves as the treasurer for the Tri-County Sickle Cell Association located in Orlando, Florida.

John K. Davis, PhD

Associate Editor

John K. Davis, Ph.D. is a professor emeritus and former dean of the College of Education at California State University Dominguez Hills. He served as faculty and dean at the university for 26 years as well as a consultant with WestEd. He has also served as president of the California Professors of Reading/Language Arts, president of the South Bay Area Reading Council, board member of the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities (TECSCU) and currently sits on the board of the California Teachers Corps. His research interests include methods of reading and writing instruction and the impact of culture on teaching and learning. He co-authored the guide for secondary reading and writing instruction commissioned by the CSU Chancellors Office and the 2016 White House white paper on meeting the needs of Latino students nationwide.

Jodi Jensen, PhD

Associate Editor

Dr. Jodi Jensen is an Assistant Professor and Director of Aquatics in the Department of Sports Science and Wellness at Hampton University.  Dr. Jensen has over 30 years of experience in the aquatic industry.  Dr. Jensen currently serves on the Technical Review Committee for the Council for Model Aquatic Health Code. 

Headley White, PhD

Associate Editor

Dr. Headley White is an Associate Professor in Secondary Education in the College of Arts Humanities, School of Education at Bethune-Cookman University. Dr. White taught in both rural and urban secondary schools, before taking his talents to the college level.

 He believes in the continued effort to level the playing field professionally and academically for historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. His personal quote “In an era of blunt instruments, one needs to be a Swiss Army knife!”

Willis Walter, PhD

Dean, College of Education
Virginia State University

Aaron Livingston, PhD

Dr. Eddie G. Robinson, Sr. Endowed Professor
Grambling University

Chevelle Hall, PhD

Associate Professor, College of Education
Virginia State University

Mark L'Esperance, PhD

Dean, College of Education
James Madison University

Michelle Tovar, EdD

Associate Director of Education-Latino Initiatives
Holocaust Museum Houston

Cheyrl Ensley, PhD

Interim Head, Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership
Grambling State University

Torrance Williams, DHSc

Department Chair, Rehabilitation Sciences
Bethune-Cookman University

John K. Davis, PhD

Professor Emeritus, College of Education
California State University, Dominguez Hills

Jodi Jensen, PhD

Assistant Professor & Director of Acquatics
Hampton University

Headley White, PhD

Associate Secondary Education
Bethune-Cookman University

Sean S. Warner, PhD

Professor, Educational Leadership
& Higher Education Policy
Clark Atlanta University