Professional Staff

As Associate Dean of Students and Director of Multicultural Student Services, Vicki (she/her) advises the Division of Student Affairs on diversity and inclusion matters related to the student experience, leads initiatives that promote belonging and success for historically marginalized students, and coordinates cross-cultural engagement opportunities for the broader student body.  Her role also includes oversight of four identity student centers -- the Multicultural Student Center, LGBTQ Center, Latinx Student Center, and the Interfaith Student Center.  

Born and raised in Union, South Carolina, Vicki is a graduate of the University of South Carolina – Columbia, where she earned a B.S. in Mathematics and a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration.  Vicki came to UVA in 2002 and previously held positions in Housing and Residence Life, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the Dean-on-Call crisis response team.  Prior to joining UVA, she worked in the Office of Residential Life at Dartmouth College.   

Vicki is a straightforward, laid-back introvert (INTJ) who has mastered the art of Tsundoku ; loves real soul food, barbeque, and sweet tea; adores her two teenage children; and can switch between Hip Hop and Gospel music seamlessly.

Jannatul (she/her) currently serves as an Assistant Director for Multicultural Student Services. Her primary role includes support, services, & programming centering the APISA (Asian/Pacific Islander/South Asian American) & MENA (Middle Eastern/North African) student communities on grounds. She also coordinates the office based social justice education efforts and the operations/programming of the Multicultural Student Center & Interfaith Student Center.

Jannatul was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh and has lived in various parts of Virginia (Arlington, Woodbridge, Richmond, and now Charlottesville) since her family immigrated to the U.S. in 1997.  She graduated from UVA, earning her B.A. in Spanish Literature & Culture in 2016 and a MPH (Master of Public Health) with a concentration in Health Policy, Law & Ethics in 2017. Jannatul joined the MSS team in 2018 as a Program Coordinator and became an Assistant Director in 2022. Prior to working in MSS, she was a medical scribe for UVA's Family Medicine Clinic.

Jannatul is an avid hiker, foodie, traveler and photographer - she is ready to enjoy any and all adventures! She also enjoys spending time with her pets - Senna (her cat) & Maru (her husky pup).

Alex (they/them) joined the Multicultural Student Services team as a Program Coordinator in 2019 and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2021.  Prior to joining the Multicultural Student Services team, Alex earned their Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University.  During their time at Ohio State, Alex served as a Graduate Associate for Social Justice Engagement in the Multicultural Center, as well as a Graduate Advisor in Sorority & Fraternity Life. Alex graduated from The College of William and Mary in 2017, where they received degrees in Public Policy and Environmental Science. Alex loves spending time outdoors and enjoying nature. Be sure to ask them about their four guinea pigs: Charlie, Gigi, Phoebe, and Brandi.

Alex is responsible for the development and administration of LGBTQ-related programs and services and manages all aspects of the LGBTQ Center, with emphases on providing resources, support, and programming for LGBTQ students and student organizations.

Carissa (she/her) is a 2020 graduate of the University of Chicago with a degree in Political Science, Spanish, and Human Rights. She joined Multicultural Student Services as a Program Coordinator in July 2022.  Prior to joining UVA, she in worked in Admissions at a small liberal arts college in Virginia recruiting first generation and Latinx students. She loves to cook, do all kinds of puzzles (crosswords, jigsaw, escape rooms, puzzle boxes, etc.), play board games, and cuddle her three cats.

In her role as Program Coordinator, Carissa serves as the primary liaison to Hispanic/Latinx and Native/Indigenous students, providing resources and support to individual students as well as student organizations.  She is also responsible for the programming and management of the Latinx Student Center.