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

Monic Ductan,
Conference Chair

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 &

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

M. Aaron Guest,
Treasurer; Finance Chair

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

Mary Thomas,
Ex-Officio Executive Director

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

Garrett Blaize,
Y'ALL Co-Chair

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

Mo, Wen Juan (Helen),
Y'ALL Co-Chair

Mo, Wen Juan is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Educational Theory and Practice Program at the School of Education, College of Applied Human Sciences, West Virginia University

Stephanie Burdette,
At-large

Dr. Stephanie Burdette is a lifelong resident of West Virginia, where she has worked as an elementary school teacher, middle school administrator, and university

professor. During her time

Annalee Tull,
At-large

Stephen Turner,
Scholarship Chair

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

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

Eliot Parker,
Membership Chair

Meredith McCarroll,
Journal Editor

Meredith McCarroll is a writer and educator from western North Carolina. McCarroll earned her PhD in African-American Literature and Film from University of Tennessee

Justin Ray Dutton,
Diversity and Inclusion Chair

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

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

Katherine Ledford,
International Connections Chair

Ted Olson,
Education Chair

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

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.

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; Communications Chair

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

Monic Ductan, Conference Chair

Ricardo Nazario y Colón, Past President

Sylvia Shurbutt, Secretary

M. Aaron Guest, Treasurer; Finance Chair

Mary Thomas, Ex-Officio Executive Director

Ann E. Bryant, Ex-officio Office Manager

Garrett Blaize, Y'ALL Co-Chair

Mo, Wen Juan (Helen), Y'ALL Co-Chair

Stephanie Burdette, At-large

Annalee Tull, At-large

Stephen Turner, Scholarship Chair

Jed DeBruin, Archivist/Historian/Special Collections Chair

Eliot Parker, Membership Chair

Meredith McCarroll, Journal Editor

Justin Ray Dutton, Diversity and Inclusion Chair

Cicero Fain, Liaison Officer

Katherine Ledford, International Connections Chair

Ted Olson, Education Chair

Darryl L. Parker, Silent Auction Co-Chair

Beth Nardella, Awards Chair

Jordan Lovejoy, Appalink Editor; Communications Chair