2023-2024 Committee
Dr. Sharon “Lizzie” Bowland
Dr. Sharon “Lizzie” Bowland, LCSW, PhD, is an associate professor in the UTCSW 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 A&E 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 A&E Advisory Committee because creating a culture of empathy and a sense of belonging improves all systems within our community. “
Access & Engagement Fellows
The A&E Fellows work in collaboration with the Associate Dean of Access, Belonging, and Global Engagement to create and enhance a culture of inclusive excellence among students, faculty, and staff within the College of Social Work by engaging in activities and initiatives related to fostering a welcoming environment.
*A&E Fellows also serve on the A&E Advisory Committee
2023-2024 Fellows
Jason Davis
“I’m on the A&E 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”.
Cecily Edmonds
Cecily is passionate about creating a space where all people feel welcomed and seen on our campus and in the Knoxville community. She loves the partnership between faculty and students in this program to shape our environment to become one where all people, regardless of anything, feel that they can call the University of Tennessee “home” and mean it.
Dashawna Fussell-Ware
“I am proud to be a n A&E Fellow because it allows me to represent voices of color in the UTCSW community as we ensure a positive and safe experience for ALL students.”
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 Hiatt
“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.”
Kamil Portis
“As an A&E Student Fellow, I am passionate about fostering inclusive dialogue and exploring diverse perspectives, believing that our communities thrive when all voices are heard. By embracing diversity, we can collaboratively navigate societal challenges and build stronger, healthier, and more vibrant environments for everyone.”