Meet ASA's Steering Committee

Travis Rountree,
President

Dr. Travis A. Rountree is an assistant professor in the English Department at Western Carolina University. He earned his PhD from the University of Louisville, his MA in English from

Sophia Enriquez,
Vice President

Sophia M. Enríquez (she/her/ella) works at the intersections of Latinx, Appalachian, and Southern music, migration, and regional culture. She is the Andrew W. Mellon

Rachel Adams,
Conference Chairperson

Rachel Adams is an Instructor at Western Carolina University. She teaches first- and second-year courses in rhetoric and composition and Latin American/Latino/a literature. She calls

Ricardo Nazario y Colón,
Past President

Dr. Ricardo Nazario-Colón is an accomplished Higher Education Administrator with over twenty years of experience in various industries, including the U.S. Military, Colleges &

Liz Harper,
Program Chairperson

Liz Harper is the Special and Digital Collections Librarian and an Associate Professor at Western Carolina University. Prior to coming to WCU in 2014, she was Curator of Collections at

Sylvia Shurbutt,
Secretary

A Ph.D. graduate from the University of Georgia in Linguistics and Nineteenth-Century British Literature, Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt is today Director of the Center for Appalachian

Eliot Parker,
At-large

Eliot Parker teaches writing at the University of Mississippi. A native of Charleston, West Virginia, he earned his B.A. in Journalism from Marshall University, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from

M. Aaron Guest,
Treasurer

Aaron Guest, Ph.D., MPH, MSW, is a socio-environmental gerontologist with training in public health and social work and an Assistant Professor within the Center for Innovation in

Garrett Blaize,
Y'ALL SC

Garrett Blaize is a 24-year-old community organizer and administrator from the Appalachian Mountains. As the staff lead for grantmaking and philanthropic partnerships

Tiffany Arnold,
Past Program Chairperson

Dr. Tiffany Arnold is an assistant professor of instruction in the Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions, Department of Social and Public Health. She coordinates

Jed DeBruin,
Archivist/Historian/Special Collections Chair

Originally from Athens County in southeastern Appalachian Ohio, Jed DeBruin (he/him) is a PhD candidate and graduate instructor in the Department of

Scott Sikes,
At-large

Scott Sikes is the director of the Appalachian Center for Civic Life at Emory & Henry College where he also chairs the Interdisciplinary Program in Civic Innovation and directs the Bonner

Mary Thomas,
Ex-Officio Executive Director

Maxwell Cloe,
Y'ALL SC

Maxwell Cloe is an independent scholar of queer Appalachian art and archives currently based out of Richmond, Virginia. They are also an instructor of Community Studies at the

Stephen Turner,
Scholarship Chairperson

Stephen Turner is a Ph.D. candidate pursuing a Literature and Cultural Studies doctorate at the University of Memphis. He is currently wrapping up his dissertation which explores the utilization of

Rebecca R. Scott,
Journal Editor

Rebecca R. Scott is associate professor of sociology at the University of Missouri, where she teaches classes on environmental justice, gender, and social theory. She is the author of

Carson Benn,
Membership Chairperson

Cicero Fain,
Liaison Officer

Cicero M. Fain, III, Ph.D., is a native of Huntington, WV. He received his B. A. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and his M.Ed. from George Mason University. He is the recipient of the Carter

Justin Ray Dutton,
Diversity and Inclusion Chairperson

Justin-Ray is a neurodiverse Appalachian who has been involved with ASA and the Diversity & Inclusion Committee since 2016.

Ted Olsen,
Education Chairperson

Ted Olson is a professor in the Department of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University and a cultural historian, editor, poet, photographer, and musician. The author or

Katherine Ledford,
International Connections Committee

Ann E. Bryant,
Ex-officio Office Manager

Ann E. Bryant is office manager for Appalachian Studies Association and assistant-managing editor for the Journal of Appalachian Studies. She began her career as an intern at the West Virginia

Darryl L. Parker,
Silent Auction Co-Chair

Darryl Parker, known as Dee is a native of Kentucky. Dee believes in the concept of when you reach one, you teach one and lead by example.

Amanda Page,
Silent Auction Co-Chair

Amanda Page is a Columbus-based writer from southern Ohio whose journalism and essays appear in regional and national publications. She is the Founding Director of

Beth Nardella,
Awards Chair

Dr. Beth Nardella is an Associate Professor in the School of Medicine at West Virginia University. She has been teaching discipline-specific

Jordan Lovejoy,
Appalink Editor

Jordan Lovejoy is an American Council of Learned Societies Emerging Voices Fellow, Southern Futures Assistant Director, and Visiting Assistant Professor of American

Meet ASA's Steering Committee

Travis Rountree, President

Sophia Enriquez, Vice President

Rachel Adams, Conference Chairperson

Ricardo Nazario y Colón, Past President

Liz Harper, Program Chairperson

Sylvia Shurbutt, Secretary

Eliot Parker, At-large

M. Aaron Guest, Treasurer

Garrett Blaize, Y'ALL SC

Tiffany Arnold, Past Program Chairperson

Jed DeBruin, Archivist/Historian/Special Collections Chair

Scott Sikes, At-large

Mary Thomas, Ex-Officio Executive Director

Maxwell Cloe, Y'ALL SC

Stephen Turner, Scholarship Chairperson

Rebecca R. Scott, Journal Editor

Carson Benn, Membership Chairperson

Cicero Fain, Liaison Officer

Justin Ray Dutton, Diversity and Inclusion Chairperson

Ted Olsen, Education Chairperson

Katherine Ledford, International Connections Committee

Ann E. Bryant, Ex-officio Office Manager

Darryl L. Parker, Silent Auction Co-Chair

Amanda Page, Silent Auction Co-Chair

Beth Nardella, Awards Chair

Jordan Lovejoy, Appalink Editor