Division of Student Affairs | Senior Staff

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Kenyon R. Bonner, EdD
Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Dr. Kenyon Bonner plays a pivotal role in helping the University of Pittsburgh achieve one of its fundamental missions—educating the whole student. In addition to leading the Division of Student Affairs and over 200 professional staff members, Dr. Bonner serves as the liaison to Student Affairs for Pitt’s regional campuses and sits on the Chancellor’s senior leadership team.

 

Dr. Bonner joined Pitt in 2004 as Assistant Director of Residence Life and subsequently served 11 years as Director of Student Life, seven of which were also as an Associate Dean of Students. In January 2015, he was appointed Interim Vice Provost and Dean of Students, earning permanent appointment in March 2016 after a competitive national search.

 

Dr. Bonner earned his EdD in Higher Education Management at the University of Pennsylvania, his MEd in Rehabilitation Counseling at Kent State University, and his BA in Psychology and Philosophy at Washington and Jefferson College. His research interests include Black male student success, retention and graduation, college student mental health, and diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion. He is the recipient of Washington and Jefferson College’s Waltersdorf Award for Innovation Leadership (2017) and the University of Pittsburgh’s Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence in Service to the University (2013).

 

In his free time, Kenyon likes to spend time with his family, attend his children’s basketball and football games, watch Marvel movies, play videogames, and run. He also serves as the co-chair of the United Way Impact Cabinet, and he sits on the Board of Directors for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross and Family House Pittsburgh.

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Carla M. Panzella
Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Students

Dr. Carla Panzella has served as the Dean of Students since August 2021 and as Associate Vice Provost since December 2022. As Dean of Students, Dr. Panzella provides leadership for innovative co-curricular programs, activities, and services that promote student well-being, sense of belonging, engagement, and diverse learning experiences. She is also responsible for the strategic direction and management of the Student Experience, Student Community and Belonging, Student Wellness, and Student Engagement and Professional Leadership Teams. 

 

Prior to joining Pitt, Dr. Panzella served as the associate vice president for student life and dean of students at Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts. She holds a PhD in higher education from Seton Hall University, where she completed her dissertation research on “Postsecondary Pathways: A Study of Low-income Black and Latino Students,” an MA in organizational psychology and leadership from the Teachers College of Columbia University, and a BS in psychology from Saint Peter’s University. 

 

Carla believes that it is vitally important for public universities to advance and promote inclusive excellence and to be student-ready institutions that anticipate and meet students’ needs. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her Bernadoodles, Finn and Beau, and exploring Pittsburgh’s many great restaurants.

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Steven L. Anderson
Associate Dean for Student Experience

Steve Anderson began serving in his role as the Associate Dean of Students in 2013. He is responsible for managing, directing, and working with the Student Experience Team to implement engaging programs and events to create an impactful and positive living-learning experience for students, both on and off campus. He supervises the departments of Residence Life, New Student Programs and the Office of Off-Campus Outreach. Anderson is passionate about creating opportunities for the growth and education of students, and he serves as the liaison to the Student Government Board (SGB).

 

Before joining Pitt, he served as the Associate Dean of Student Life at Washington & Jefferson College. His work experiences also include serving as the Director of Housing at Idaho State University, as well as six years of experience at Elon University. Anderson graduated with his BA from Kent State University (Go Flashes!) and completed his MA in Higher Education at the University of Akron. He later earned his MBA at Elon University and a certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University. 

 

Outside of work, Steve and his wife, Amy, have two children who keep them busy. Steve enjoys sports, reading, the outdoors, traveling, photography and trying to do good on his journey and in the world.

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Jay Darr, PhD

Associate Dean for Student Wellness

Jay E. Darr, Ph.D., NCC, LPC, BC-TMH, PMP serves as the inaugural Associate Dean of Students for Wellness, supervising Campus Recreation, the Student Health Service (SHS), the University Counseling Center (UCC), and the Care and Resource Support Team, providing coordinated leadership on high-level crisis interventions, management of students of concern and student wellness-related issues across campus. Prior to this role, Dr. Darr served as the Director of the University Counseling Center for three years.

 

Dr. Darr earned his PhD in Executive Counseling Education and Supervision, with a specialization in Crisis Intervention and Management, and an MSEd in School Counseling from Duquesne University. He completed his undergraduate and initial graduate work in Sociology, with an Applied Social Research focus, at West Virginia University.

 

Dr. Darr’s passion is to assist students in becoming aware of their strengths, with the goal of using this awareness as a tool to find healthy solutions to life challenges. His professional interests include crisis intervention and management, identity development, sports counseling/psychology, veteran concerns, stress reduction, racial/transgenerational trauma, supervision and training, and addictive and substance concerns.

 

He enjoys spending time with his family, participating in outdoor activities, and is an avid Marvel Universe and sports fan.

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Karin M. Asher, EdD
Assistant Dean for Student Engagement
and Professional Development

Dr. Karin Asher has served as the inaugural Assistant Dean for Student Engagement and Professional Development since July 2022.

 

Prior to this role, Dr. Asher served as interim director of Pitt’s Career Center, after spending nearly ten years as the associate director. During that time, she helped to grow the programs and services of the Career Center to assist Pitt students by forming collaborative partnerships across campus. In the Career Center, she oversaw major changes to Pitt’s First Destination data collection process by aligning it with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) guidelines, and she has worked to create access across campus to more comprehensive data about where Pitt graduates go on to work and continue their educations. She has also worked to create and grow programs, including the Career Champions program, which offers training to faculty and advisors on career advising issues for students and improved partnerships with academic schools and advising staff.  

 

Dr. Asher received her BA from Wittenberg University, her MA from the Pennsylvania State University, and her EdD from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research and practitioner interests are in enhancing the use of data to understand patterns in student engagement with resources and services and ensuring access to these services across all populations of students.  

 

Karin began her Student Affairs career in the fields of Residence Life and New Student Programs. She is committed to strengthening partnerships throughout and beyond the Division of Student Affairs and enjoys using those relationships to enhance student opportunities for success at Pitt. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, exploring Pittsburgh’s nooks and crannies, spending time with her partner and kids, and hiking with their dog, Frannie.

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Janine Fisher was appointed Director of Marketing and Communications in 2018. As director, Janine leads a comprehensive, division-wide communications and marketing plan that enables the Division to meet its strategic goals and continue to improve the Student Affairs brand.

 

Fisher has worked in a variety of capacities at Pitt since 2003. She began her Pitt career as an editorial assistant, specializing in Russian and Eastern European Studies, at the University Center for International Studies (UCIS). She transitioned to Student Affairs in 2005 as a communications specialist, and later served as assistant director for public relations and new student programs in the Office of International Services (OIS). In 2009, Fisher assumed the role of Communications Manager within the Division of Student Affairs, and in 2016 she was appointed Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications.

 

Prior to joining Pitt as a staff member, she worked in the marketing industry in a promotions and event capacity. Janine is a proud Pitt Panther graduate and earned her BA in Communications and Rhetoric, with a minor in English Writing in 2000. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and experiencing Pittsburgh’s many restaurants and specialty grocery stores.

Dr. Ahmed Ghuman has served as the Executive Director of the University Counseling Center (UCC) since August 2022. As a proud Pakistani-American and first-generation college student, Dr. Ghuman eventually earned his PsyD in clinical psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and an MBA in general business administration from La Salle University.  

 

As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Ghuman uses an integrative approach of humanistic and cognitive behavioral therapy. He also specializes in positive psychology and uses a strengths-based approach rooted in positive psychotherapy. His areas of interest include self-esteem, happiness, motivation, resilience, meaning and purpose, religious and spiritual identity, and multicultural concerns. Dr. Ghuman’s leadership style focuses on inclusive leadership principles that promote cultural humility, curiosity, and collaboration among staff. 

 

Dr. Ghuman joined the UCC as a staff clinician in January 2019 and has assumed several roles over the years, most recently serving as the Interim Director. In his various roles, Dr. Ghuman has contributed to the development of several campus-wide programming efforts designed to promote student well-being, including Student Self-Care Day, Becoming a Sexual Citizen, the Wellness Concierge Program, and the Mental Health Champion Certificate program. Additionally, he led these initiatives: the development of a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program that aims to provide a wide range of services to students experiencing emotional dysregulation and skills deficits resulting in maladaptive behaviors that impacts their academic success and overall collegiate experience; a multidisciplinary step-treatment program for students transitioning to and from intensive outpatient programs to increase access to care for students who are frequently placed on waitlists; and a psychological assessment program that aims to provide psychological testing services for students seeking medication and/or academic accommodations. 

 

Dr. Ghuman also founded the inaugural Muslim Affinity Group through Pitt’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and serves as the group’s President. At the UCC, Dr. Ghuman helped develop a BIPOC Post-Masters Licensure Track Program that is focused on enhancing diversity in the mental health profession and culturally informed care. Dr. Ghuman’s commitment to creating inclusive spaces has earned him several professional awards, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Creating Community Award and the Meritorious Award for Diversity and Inclusion. 

Shenay Jeffrey has served as the Director of PittServes since July 2022, where she oversees the Pitt Votes, Jumpstart, and Civic Action Week programs, among others. In her previous role as the Outreach Coordinator in PittServes, Jeffrey was responsible for establishing and maintaining university partnerships with various neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh.

Jeffrey was born in Georgetown, Guyana, and attended secondary school in Nassau, Bahamas. She obtained her BA in Health Information Management from Pitt and an MPM in Public Management from the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University. She is also currently a doctoral candidate in the School of Education at Pitt, with a focus on student civic engagement experiences.

As an active member of the Pittsburgh community, Jeffrey has held various leadership positions in regional organizations such as the Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Pittsburgh (Chapter President), PUMP (Public Policy & Advocacy Board Chair) and New Voices for Reproductive Justice (Board Chair). She is a 2016 One Young World US Ambassador, an alumna of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, and a 2015 Health Innovator’s Fellowship and the Fast Track Social Justice Fellow with Get Involved Inc!

 

Shenay has also received several awards, including the Iris Marion Young award for Social Justice, the Incline Magazine Who’s Next: Community Activist, a Western PA Rising Star award and the Otto A. Davis award for a commitment to racial and social justice. She was also featured in the American Dream series from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a feature that highlights the immigrant contributions to the City of Pittsburgh.

Matthew Landy has served as the Director of Student Conduct since August 2021. Landy joined the Pitt community in 2008 as a Resident Director in the Office of Residence Life. During his time as Resident Director, he reconstructed the student conduct processes to provide consistency in their implementation. In 2015, Landy accepted the role of Assistant Director of Student Conduct and later became the Associate Director of Student Conduct, which included overseeing general operations for student conduct cases, playing an integral part in educating students, faculty and staff about behavioral expectations, assisting the university community with resolving behavioral challenges, keeping the university in compliance with various requirements, and editing, developing and integrating policies and processes.

 

Landy earned a BA in Elementary Education from California University of Pennsylvania and an MA in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

 

Throughout his career at Pitt, Matt has aimed to help create a conduct process at Pitt that is inclusive, equitable and developmentally appropriate—conducive for all students to learn and grow from their experiences. He also participates in the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA), including the Gehring Academy—professional organizations that inform, lead and advance the work of the Office of Student Conduct.

Hailing originally from Nigeria, Dr. Emiola Oriola serves as the inaugural Director for the new Office of Inclusion and Belonging. Prior to this role, he was the founding Program Manager for the new Office of Interfaith Dialogue and Engagement. In that role, he created the framework for the office, managed its day-to-day operations, developed, implemented, and executed the vision and mission of the office, and represented the office and University both on and off campus regarding DEI & interfaith matters. During his time in that position, he helped students, campus, and community members create spaces, share perspectives, restore justice, and build bridges across various backgrounds

 

Dr. Oriola received his BA from the University of Pittsburgh, his MA from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and his EdD from Pitt. His research focuses on experiential learning, global perspectives, and building significant learning skills in students through intentional exposure, communal dialogue, and creative expression. 

 

Dr. Oriola is the recipient of the Black Prestige Community Leader Award (2014), Who’s Who in Black Pittsburgh honoree (2015), a One Young World US Ambassador (2016), Pittsburgh Magazine and PUMP’s 40 Under 40 awardee (2016), a recipient of the New Pittsburgh Courier Men of Excellence award (2017), a recipient of the University of Pittsburgh Leadership Award for exceptional leadership to INVESTING NOW students and families (2018), a recipient of the Rising African American Leader Award from the African American Alumni Council of the University of Pittsburgh (2019), and an awardee of Interfaith Youth Core We Are Each Other’s Harvest (2020). 

 

Emiola ultimately sees himself as a lover of people who strives to build unity-in-diversity proactively and intentionally wherever he goes.

Since July 2023, Amanda Ries has served as the Director of Residence Life. Prior to this role, Ries served as Assistant Director for Academic Initiatives in Residence Life at Pitt for four years, working closely with the Living Learning Communities and key academic partnerships, such as advising centers, academic departments and programs, and the Hillman Library. She has also heavily engaged in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work through her role as chair of the Residence Life DEI committee and as a member the Student Affairs DEI committee. Ries has also worked significantly in assessment and data (both through departmental assessment initiatives and with COVID compliance), and she served as the chair of the division’s United Way campaign for AY22. 

 

Additionally, Ries has served in various capacities in professional organizations, including President of the Pennsylvania College Personnel Association, the ACUHO-I Academic Initiatives Conference committee and the ACUHO-I Annual Conference & Expo committee. She has previously served as a national officer for Sigma Kappa sorority and is currently an active volunteer for Cancer Bridges and Lasagna Love here in Pittsburgh. 

 

Amanda holds a BA in Psychology from Westminster College (PA) and an MA in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She began her journey in residence life at Robert Morris University as a Resident Director and has also worked in residence life along with fraternity/sorority life, student conduct, and orientation at Seton Hill University and Westminster College (PA). 

 

As Executive Director, Williams-Moore is developing a division-wide equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice training and development plan to improve the overall cultural competence and ethos of the division and its staff. She also develops curricula and pedagogy that includes the perspectives and experiences of diverse groups of people, analyzes structures of inequality and their impact, celebrates difference as a means to inclusive excellence, and prepares Student Affairs staff to participate effectively in diverse communities and workplaces that support student success and belonging. The Executive Director serves as a resource for hiring managers and search committee chairpersons by ensuring compliance with equitable hiring and training requirements for Student Affairs search processes.

 

Williams-Moore first joined Pitt in 2007 as the Director of Cross Cultural and Leadership Development and was appointed interim Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Life in February 2015. As director of Student Life, Williams-Moore oversaw the First Year Experience, Commuter and Transfer Student Programs, Parent and Family Resources, Pitt Program Council, and the RISE mentoring program. And as Associate Dean, she provided oversight to the areas of Student Life, Cross Cultural and Leadership Development, Campus Recreation, and PITT ARTS.

 

An ordained minister with the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Linda earned a BS in communications at Southern Connecticut States University and an MA in higher education administration at Iowa State University. She is a member of NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).