Abby Reiter (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where she teaches a variety of courses, including introduction to sociology, sociological writing and rhetoric, exploring masculinities, and sociological theory. She co-created a course on race and racism and a course devoted to feminist theories. She earned her PhD from George Mason University. Her research typically uses qualitative or mixed methodology to examine experiences with, and manifestations of, various types of interpersonal and institutional oppression, such as racism, heteronormativity, and sexism, and the maintenance of power associated with these systems. She is involved with social justice and inclusion initiatives at the university. She is a member of multiple boards and committees devoted to advancing sociological knowledge.

Robyn Brown is currently a coordinator for a legislatively mandated study on North Carolina's Judicially Managed Accountability and Recovery Courts (JMARCs) and a lecturer of criminology through UNC-Wilmington. Robyn holds a BA in Criminology from North Carolina State University and both an MA in Sociology and Criminology. Previously, she served as a sociology instructor at a community college, where she was actively involved in running the Pride organization and earned nominations for the Award for Excellence in Teaching. While the nature of her work has shifted from teaching the foundations of our field to examining state and local efforts to address substance use disorder, Robyn remains dedicated to community efforts and continues to examine how inequality persists across various systems.

Victoria Kurdyla (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Her research focuses on victimization and criminalization within queer and transgender communities. She has published multiple articles on help-seeking behaviors and barriers for transgender and nonbinary survivors of intimate partner violence. She serves as on the Executive Council and is the editor of NCSA’s open access journal, Sociation.

Julie Krueger (she/her) is a Lecturer in the Gender Studies & Research Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She earned her Bachelor’s in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse before completing her Master’s and Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Krueger plays an active role in advancing the GSRC’s mission of promoting gender justice and equity and works hard to foster student engagement through the GSRC Ambassador program and UPLfT Leadership Institute. Her first line of research examines the relationship between sex work and masculinity; her second line of research highlights patterns and perceptions of gendered violence, namely street harassment and cyberstalking.

Reneè D. Lamphere (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Her areas of academic interest include corrections, mixed-methods research, sexual violence and victimization, family violence, and cyber and digital-media crimes. Dr. Lamphere has a particular interest in teaching and pedagogy. She has published in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education and does research on teachers and school leaders and their role in K-12 school violence. In 2022 she co-edited the book Survivor Criminology, which examines the lived survival experiences of professionals teaching and working in the criminal justice field. Dr. Lamphere is a past president of the North Carolina Sociological Association.

Heather Griffiths (she/her) earned her Bachelor of Arts degrees in sociology and anthropology from Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania. She holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Sociology from the University of Delaware in Newark. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Studies in the Fayetteville State University (FSU) College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS).

She specializes in deviance/criminology; collective behavior; social movements; social psychology; and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She has numerous publications to her credit, including the OpenStax textbook Introduction to Sociology 2e. She is currently researching pedagogy, neurodivergent experiences with disaster preparedness, and the social construction of miscarriage. Dr. Griffiths has served multiple terms on the NCSA Executive Council.

Jacqueline Crowell (she/her) is a data analyst and researcher currently serving as the lead analyst for a SAMHSA-funded initiative focused on substance use prevention in rural Southeastern North Carolina. She also contributes to a research project examining disaster-induced food insecurity in rural communities. Jacqueline holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Sociology and Criminology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is particularly interested in rural contexts and the American South, with a focus on how neighborhood and geographic factors shape individual lives and community outcomes. Jacqueline is passionate about using data to strengthen community resilience and foster long-term self-sufficiency. While her projects have addressed a wide range of topics, her work is united by a commitment to sustainable growth and capacity building—both across rural communities and within her own.

Abe Walker (he/him) is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Fayetteville State University (FSU). His research seeks to bring labor studies into conversation with critical theory via the sociology of organizations. His writing has appeared in The Journal of Labor and Society, Subjectivity, Ephemera: Theory and Politics in Organization, and Distinktion: Journal of Social Theory, among other publications. His forthcoming monograph documents and analyzes the reinvention of the United Auto Workers union. He holds a BA from Wesleyan University and his PhD from the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center. He serves as the Awards Committe Chair of the North Carolina Sociological Association.

Aziza Samieva (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Wake Tech Community College. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, and she holds a master’s degree in Sociology from City University of New York. She specializes in global competency and multicultural fluency, ethnic relations, and cultural diversity. She works with multiple colleagues across different universities to exchange academic practices in the field of Sociology. Aziza Samieva is a part of the Second Chance Initiative by Campbell University in bringing the knowledge of Sociology to felons in total institutions. Aziza Samieva has many areas of interest including globalization and its impact on class inequality and the social facts contributing to the wellbeing and happiness of the world citizens. She serves as a council at North Carolina Sociological Association.  

Dan Rose (he/him) is an Associate Professor of Sociology in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Winston-Salem State University. His primary research interests revolve around housing and health in urban communities. He is a mixed-methods sociologist, using ethnography, statistics, mapping, and archival research to better understand social issues. He does work on inequalities pertaining to aging, social class, race, and gender, as well as studying sociological pedagogy. Dr. Rose is also a community organizer. His work with Housing Justice Now, a grassroots group in Winston-Salem, NC, is directly aimed at combatting evictions, slumlords, and gentrification. He is a native of Detroit, Michigan and earned his bachelor’s in sociology from the University of Florida before earning his doctorate in sociology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He is currently serving his first term as a member of the North Carolina Sociological Association Executive Council.

Stephanie Bertorelli (she/her) is a research sociologist, project manager, and writer with over 20 years of experience across education, public policy, marketing, and entertainment. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2023 with degrees in Sociology and Interdisciplinary Studies and is pursuing a Master’s in Sociology. Stephie co-founded #VirtualJusticeCon, a conference focused on pop culture and social justice and received the URFS Research Fellowship to study LGBTQ+ representation on television. Her current efforts focus on supporting communities impacted by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. As Chair of the Student Issues and Development for the North Carolina Sociological Association, she looks forward to mentoring sociology students and fostering engagement and development across the state.

With over 15 years of teaching experience and a decade in higher education leadership, Cassandra is dedicated to academic excellence, inclusive learning, and student success. She currently serves as Department Head of Social Sciences at Wake Technical Community College, overseeing curriculum development, faculty support, and strategic planning. Cassandra holds dual B.A. degrees in Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies from UNC Greensboro, an M.A. in Sociology from North Carolina Central University, and an Ed.D. in Community Cares Counseling with a focus on Marriage and Family from Liberty University.

Her professional interests include marriage and family, race and ethnicity, education, gender, and intergenerational trauma. Known for her collaborative leadership and passion for equity, she promotes socially conscious, interdisciplinary teaching that prepares students for a diverse world. Cassandra is also an active member of the GNCA Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Miranda Reiter (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where she is the coordinator of the medical sociology minor for the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. She teaches a variety of courses, including social statistics, social research, health and society, and health inequalities. She earned her PhD from Utah State University and worked as a postdoctoral research assistant at Sam Houston State University. As a social epidemiologist, she studies how social processes and factors impact the health of groups and individuals and contribute to health inequalities. Most of her research focuses on health disparities related to race and other social categories. She is a past President of the North Carolina Sociological Association.