LGBTQIA+ Staff & Faculty Directory
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Gay
Dr. Nick Anguelov teaches the capstone sequence of courses at the Master of Public Policy Program and directs the Public Management concentration. His research is on social and environmental justice with a focus on international trade and diplomacy. He is best known for his work on sustainable fashion, economic sanctions, and marijuana reform. He is on several national association advisory boards dedicated to creative class and queer place-based cultural needs of faculty and college students. If it's a beach day, you can find him running and swimming at Horseneck beach. Nick lives in New Bedford, MA.
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Deputy Director/Senior Investigator
Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Foster Administration 307
508-999-8618
Lesbian
Mary Beckwith joined the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in 2020 as their Title IX Investigator/Compliance Coordinator after having served as both Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct and Dispute Resolution in the Division of Student Affairs. She is a longtime higher education professional in such areas as housing and residence life, new student orientation, and student conduct/judicial affairs. A first-generation college student and a product of the UMass system, she holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UMass Amherst. Prior to coming to UMass Dartmouth, Ms. Beckwith worked at UMass Amherst, Franklin Pierce College, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Drexel University, Muhlenberg College, and the Marine Biological Laboratory. Born in Worcester, she makes her home in Dartmouth with her wife and son.
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Lesbian
Laura Franz teaches in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Honors College. She has a BFA from Western Michigan University, an MDes from Carnegie Mellon University, and is finishing up an MA in Art History and Visual Culture at Lindenwood University. She writes, presents, and makes art related to typography, how and why people read, identity and representation in art and design, and art/design history. She and her wife Samantha live in RI with a sweet red nose pitbull named Cora, and their younger daughter — when she's home from college or travelling.
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Associate Director of Student Care & Advocacy / Victim Advocate
Center for Women, Gender & Sexuality
MacLean Campus Center 207
508-910-6965
Bisexual
Beth-Anne Guthrie received her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, English, and Women’s Studies from Lehigh University in 1994 and her Master’s Degree in Public Health (MPH) from Boston University in 1996. She worked at the Boston Visiting Nurse Association and Boston HealthNet for several years before joining the UMass Dartmouth community in 2004 as the Health Educator. Her professional areas of interest include: social justice and its relationship to health care access, delivery, quality and outcomes; comprehensive sex education; mental health promotion and suicide prevention; and women’s health. Beth-Anne has been strongly influenced by her volunteer work at various non-profit organizations, including: Health House (a now defunct women’s health resource center). Planned Parenthood, Boston G.L.A.S.S. (Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services), F.I.N.E.X. House (a shelter for women and children escaping abuse), and Fenway Health. Beth-Anne has two children, two cats, and spends many nights browsing Petfinder for her next fur baby and searching the internet for her dream home.
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Associate Vice Chancellor / Dean of Student Belonging
Student Affairs
MacLean Campus Center 224B
508-999-8657
Gay
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee (where the best barbecue in the world is found), Dr. Kevin B. Hamilton (he, him, his) has worked in higher education for over 20 years, holding administrative positions at the DePauw University, University of Central Arkansas, Texas Tech University, and Hendrix College. As a first-generation college student, he aspired to become a television newscaster. Having loved his time as a resident assistant, he took a pivotal step into a career in higher education.
In addition to his Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas, Dr. Hamilton holds a Master of Education in College Student Personnel and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. As part of his doctoral dissertation, Dr. Hamilton examined high-achieving African American male college student success at dominantly white institutions.
He is the father of three beautiful, intelligent, and active daughters. A television enthusiast, his frequently watched shows include 9-1-1, Stranger Things, The Good Doctor, Home Town, Beat Bobby Flay, and The Great British Baking Show. Kevin is a foodie who loves cooking, baking, grilling, and eating! Aside from hiking, listening to podcasts, and traveling, other leisure activities include listening to music and playing card games and board games.
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Bisexual
Dr. Jenny L. Howe (she/her) is an associate teaching professor in the Department of English and Communication. She teaches ENL101, ENL102, ENL200, and creative writing courses. Professor Howe received her PhD in English Literature from Tufts University. Her current research explores representation in children’s media, with specific focuses on Disney, fairy tales, YA literature, and fatphobia. She is also the author of three adult romances. The latest, How to Get a Life in Ten Dates, released in December 2024, and her first young adult romance, Love at Full Tilt, will be available in July 2025.
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Assistant Professor
College of Nursing & Health Sciences / Community
Modular Unit #5 005
508-910-6120
Gay
Dr. Kristopher Jackson is a nurse practitioner and joined UMassD as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Nursing in 2025 after completing his training at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. With over a decade of experience as an acute care nurse practitioner, Dr. Jackson also leads a growing research program focused on HIV prevention, sexual health, and the provision of healthcare services to sexual and gender minority communities. His current projects examine the healthcare needs of marginalized LGBTQIA+ groups, including sex workers, and explores how societal expectations of masculinity, sexual behavior stigma, and other individual factors influence the adoption of HIV prevention methods (such as PrEP) and the use of substances in the context of commercial sexual encounters. Kristopher is a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) and holds national certifications as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP-BC) and as a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE).
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Senior Technical & Training Specialist
CITS / Instructional Development
Claire T. Carney Library 415
508-999-8799
Gay
Rich Legault graduated from UMass Dartmouth (then SMU) in 1991 with highest honors in Electrical Engineering. During graduate school, he started working for CITS on campus. He was hired as a full-time IT staff member in the Summer of 1993, and has been a Senior Technical and Training Specialist since 2005. He has been involved with different campus organizations including the student LGBT Alliance, the Gaming Society, and the Office of Campus Sustainability. He received the staff Sustainability Award in 2008 for his work on the Sustainability Film Series and other initiatives. In his spare time, Rich enjoys gardening, gaming, cycling, reading, music, and dancing. He, his husband, and their furry four-footed children have lived in Dighton since 1994.
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Director of Recruitment, Retention & Student Success
College of Visual & Performing Arts
College of Visual & Performing Arts 155
508-910-6635
Gay
Jason Loete serves as the Director of Recruitment, Retention, and Student Success for the College of Visual and Performing Arts. His background is heavily based in the theatre, where he worked as an actor, director, educator and administrator for 27 years before coming to UMass Dartmouth. He lives in Providence with his two rescued cats, previously sang with the Rhode Island Gay Men’s Chorus, and performed in shows at Ocean State Theatre Company, and the Wilbury Theatre Group.
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Associate Teaching Professor / Program Director
Medical Laboratory Science
Dion 216E
508-999-8944
Gay
Dr. James March Mistler is a Medical Laboratory Scientist and current Program Director in the Medical Laboratory Science Department at UMass Dartmouth. He met his husband, Keith, while attending UMassD as an undergraduate. After 6 years of dating, they married in 2009. James and Keith are still happily married and currently live outside Boston with their dog Phinn. James received his BS in Clinical Laboratory Science and his MS degree in Biomedical Engineering/Biotechnology from UMassD in 2006 and 2014, respectively. He holds national certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist and previously worked at MIT and currently works part-time at Norwood Hospital. James is active in the professional laboratory society, ASCLS, serving on regional and national committees as well as being active in the society’s Diversity Advocacy Council as Scholarship Chair and regional liaison.
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Assistant Director of First-Year and Transfer Admissions
Admissions
Auditorium Annex 010
508-999-9106
Lesbian
Victoria Milhomens (she/her) joined the Admissions Office at UMass Dartmouth as an Admissions Counselor in February of 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Sacred Heart University and is currently working on her master’s degree in Higher Education-Leadership at Bridgewater State University. She has been working in Admissions since 2017 and believes to have found her passion in higher education. She hopes to help prospective (and current) students find their home-away-from-home at UMass Dartmouth. She lives with her partner Kate, and their two dogs, Bristol and McGuire in Rhode Island. Her hobbies include spending time with family and friends, singing, and playing fetch with her dogs.
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Pansexual
Dr. Toniqua Mikell is a Black feminist and intersectional criminologist. She joined UMass Dartmouth in 2019 as an Assistant Professor of Crime & Justice Studies. Her work applies Black feminist criminology to understand the role of interlocking systems of oppression in explaining victimization and social control of Black women. Her other research interests include queer criminology, prisoner reentry, sexual offending and victimization, and social justice implications of carceral state contact. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Mikell earned her PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina in 2019. She also completed her MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice at USC in 2014 and earned her BA from Winthrop University in 2012 in both Political Science and Sociology with a concentration in Criminology. She loves animals and is usually cuddled up with her fur babies, Bailey (dog), Louie (cat), and Luther (cat); her other hobbies include eating, dabbling in landscape photography, and traveling to eat and take pictures.
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Psychologist
Counseling & Student Development Center
Auditorium Annex 108
508-999-8648
Gay
Dr. Michael Murgo is a warm and compassionate psychotherapist who joined the UMass Dartmouth Counseling Center in Fall, 2024. Dr. Murgo earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology from University of Miami in 2023 and has trained in a variety of clinical settings. His clinical interests include anxiety, LGBTQ+ mental health, minority stress, relationship concerns, attachment, stress and coping, self-esteem, masculinities, and life adjustment issues. Dr. Murgo is especially passionate about helping clients navigate concerns related to sexual orientation, gender identity, relationships, and coping with stigma and discrimination. His integrative approach draws upon cognitive behavioral therapy, emotion-focused therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and relational-cultural therapy to facilitate growth and change. Fostering a strong therapeutic relationship in a warm, supportive, non-judgmental environment is a cornerstone of Dr. Murgo’s treatment.
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Human Resources Information Systems Specialist
Human Resources
Foster Administration 313
508-999-8049
Queer
Michelle O’Leary is a member of the Human Resources Department since 2018 handling Time & Labor for the campus. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and Architecture from the New England Institute of Art. Prior to working at UMass Dartmouth, she worked with International High School Students in Rhode Island. Outside of work she enjoys crafting and sewing, performance arts and live concerts, traveling for vegan food with her best friend, as well as hiking, kayaking and camping in warmer weather. She is also involved with Activism in regards to Black Lives Matter, Women’s Rights, and LGBTQA+ rights.
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Assistant Dean of Students / Director
Center for Women, Gender & Sexuality
MacLean Campus Center 207
508-910-4582
Bisexual
Dr. Juli L. Parker, has been at UMass Dartmouth since 1995. She has a BA in Theatre/Dance from the University of Maine, an MA in Women’s Studies from the University of Alabama and her PhD in Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences with a focus in Theatre and Women’s Studies from the Union Institute & University. She lives in Swansea, MA with two rescue dogs, two cats, and her husband of 28 years. She is a founding member of WomensWork Theatre Collaborative in Rhode Island. In her free time, she likes to act and direct at local theatres, re-hab vintage trailers, ski, garden, and golf.
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Program Manager of Student Support & Success
College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Modular Unit #3 110
508-999-8321
Lesbian
Dr. Rekha Rosha serves as Program Manager for the Academic Advising & Support Office in the College of Nursing & Health Sciences. After earning her Ph.D. in Literature, she taught American literature and composition courses, with a focus on capital, class, and gender, for several years before taking systems-change level positions focused on persistence and retention. For the past 5.5 years, she has been honored to be able to evolve this work at UMassD. Dr. Rosha and her wife, Jennifer, live in beautiful Pawtuxet Village, RI with their two rescue cats —Sid Fishes and Macheath! —rescue doggo, Daphne, and their tortoise, Carlotta Valdes. On the rare occasion when she’s not gardening, she is volunteering at the Wildlife Rehab Clinic, RI or at the Providence 48 Film Festival.
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Student Health Resource Clinician for Holistic Health & Wellness
Health Services
Health Services Trailer 104
508-910-6527
Lesbian
Victoria Santos is a UMass Dartmouth Alum who joined the Health Services team in 2020. She received her Bachelors of Nursing in Science from UMass Dartmouth and went on to get her Master's in Healthcare Administration from Fitchburg State University. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her family and miniature dachshund, Nash. She also coaches recreational soccer for the town of Dartmouth. She has a passion for public health and hopes to continue to bring Health and Wellness to our students on this campus.
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Senior Systems Developer / Project Leader
CITS / Information Systems Development & Integration
Claire T. Carney Library 440
508-910-6483
Queer
Steven Splinter was a student at UMass Dartmouth when he took a summer job with the web team back when Internet Explorer was the hot new web browser. He’s since become a programmer for CITS. When he’s not coding, he’s cooking, biking, gaming, playing puzzle hunts, running a book club and drinking copious amounts of tea.
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Associate Director of Athletics / Compliance Officer
Athletics
Tripp Athletic Center 204
508-910-6930
Lesbian
In 2021, Amanda Van Voorhis (she/her) assumed a new role in the UMass Dartmouth Athletic Department as the Associate Director of Athletics for NCAA Compliance. Van Voorhis previously served at the Director of Athletics from 2013-2021. She served as UMass Dartmouth’s head women’s basketball coach for six seasons, and she became the first Corsair mentor to register three consecutive winning seasons in over two decades. Amanda’s 2012-13 squad reached the 20-win plateau for the first time in school history while advancing to the Little East Conference championship game. An active administrative voice on the regional and national levels, Van Voorhis serves as a Little East Conference officer in the role of treasurer. Prior to her arrival on the South Coast, Van Voorhis served for seven seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at Salve Regina University, where her teams compiled a 143-51 mark and won four Commonwealth Coast Conference championships. She also served in assistant coaching roles at Western New England and Ithaca along with a stint at Division I Brown. She is a 1998 graduate of Springfield College.