Advisory Committee
Dr. Sharon “Lizzie” Bowland
Dr. Sharon “Lizzie” Bowland, LCSW, PhD, is an associate professor in the CSW and directs the DSW program. Her current community focus is decreasing health disparities in services to the older LGBT+ community in Knoxville and surrounding areas. Her clinical and research interests include gerontology, spirituality as part of mental health, and recovery from interpersonal trauma for older women.
Latausha Stevenson
“I am proud to serve on our DEI Committee. I am committed to creating an environment that is supportive and equitable for our men and women of color. I am committed to addressing systemic ways that education, housing and pay are discriminatory and unequally distributed.”
Tony Murchison
“I am passionate about leveraging the resources of the university for the betterment of the community.”
Elizabeth Waters
“I am proud to serve on the DEI Advisory Committee, because creating a culture of empathy and a sense of belonging improves all systems within our community. “
DEI Fellows
*DEI Fellows also serve on the DEI Advisory Committee
Jason Davis
“I’m on the DEI Committee because I recognize the importance of an affirming and accommodating environment for marginalized people. Cultivating such an environment is beneficial to the well-being and potential of everyone. I’m enthusiastic and optimistic about serving on a committee committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion for all”.
Dashawna Fussell-Ware
“I am proud to be a Diversity & Inclusion fellow because it allows me to represent voices of color in the CSW community as we ensure a positive and safe experience for ALL students.”
Emily Giacini
“I am a sophomore at the University of Tennessee and I am majoring in Social Work with a minor in Child and Family Studies. Here at UT, there are so many opportunities, and being a DI Fellow is one of the greatest ones I have achieved thus far. I am so happy to be a part of this amazing team and help this campus be the best it can be.”
Christy Hickman
“As a person who embodies both dominant and marginalized identities, I simultaneously long for an inclusive and equitable environment, while recognizing my responsibility to actively engage in creating it.”
Ashley Howdeshell
“I am passionate about fostering an environment in which we engage with, understand, and appreciate perspectives, people and cultures that may be very different from our own. These experiences position us to broaden our perspectives, enrich our knowledge of ourselves and others, examine values, and develop skills to prepare us to make valuable contributions in a diverse community.”