Racial Justice in the Academy; Amplifying the voices of Black women S5 E6 (Part I & II)
Dr. Donna J. Nicol is an associate professor and chair of Africana Studies at California State University Dominguez Hills. Dr. Nicol joined the faculty at CSUDH in Fall 2017 after a decade in the Women and Gender Studies Department at California State University Fullerton where she became the first woman of color to be granted tenure and promotion to Associate Professor in 2014.
Before joining the professoriate, Dr. Nicol spent seven years in higher education administration as a Program Coordinator, Program Manager and Director along with three years as a secondary social studies and language arts teacher for Los Angeles Unified School District.
Dr. Nicol is a proud alumna of California State University Fullerton (BA, History and African American Studies, 1995) and California State University Long Beach (MA, History, 1999) and The Ohio State University (MA, Higher Education Administration, 2002 and Ph.D., History and Philosophy of Education with specialization in the history of African American higher education, 2007). Dr. Nicol’s research and teaching centers on history and politics of African American educational access with a focus on philanthropic foundations, university trustee boards and African American women as faculty and university administrators.
Dr. Nicol is a member of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, a life member of the Association of Black Women Historians, member of the California Faculty Association, social action committee chair of the Lambda Rho Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, President/CEO of the Faith, Hope and Trust Foundation, Inc. and a member of the Harbor Area (CA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.
In her spare time, Dr. Nicol enjoys taking hip hop dance classes, cooking, debating politics and traveling with her husband.
Dr. Natalie V. Nagthall is an innovation-focused higher education executive with more than 20 years of cross-sector experience spanning corporate America, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. As Dean of Career Education at Coastline College, she leads a division focused on workforce-aligned programs, high-growth technology pathways, and nationally ranked cybersecurity offerings. A Certified SCRUM Master, Dr. Nagthall brings agile methodology to program design and organizational change, and is a subject-matter expert in ethical and generative AI in education. She writes and speaks nationally on AI policy, equity, and governance in education, expertise sharpened through Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Certificate in AI for Leaders.
Dr. Nagthall is also Founder & CEO of N2V Consulting, Inc., partnering with institutions to advance human-centered AI adoption and digital transformation through coaching, workshops, and professional learning that build AI literacy and strengthen organizational strategy. Her expertise spans guided pathways, shortened academic terms, curriculum and instructional design, and culturally relevant, trauma-informed education, work that builds on her prior role as Guided Pathways Regional Director at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, in partnership with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. She currently serves as a Coach with Achieving the Dream (ATD), guiding institutions nationwide in advancing student success and equity-driven reform. Additionally, Dr. Nagthall has served as adjunct faculty at several colleges and universities, including Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and is a frequent guest lecturer across Southern California.
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Twitter: @iamdrnagthall
LinkedIn: natalienagthall
www.n2vconsulting.com