Betsy Dunn Williams
2024 Conference Chair
Betsy Dunn-Williams has acquired 20 years of experience in higher education, serving students and institutions specifically in service-learning, leadership development, career planning, and academic advising. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Religious Studies from the University of Virginia and a Master of Education degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education from the University of Florida.
Betsy is a 2017 initiate of the Campbell University circle, where she serves as Circle Coordinator and the university’s Director of Academic Advising. She has also served ODK on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Committee since 2019.
Betsy’s own academic and career journey has been full of self-discovery and growth – including a few twists along the way – and is a source of motivation for her work with college students. Betsy enjoys helping students set goals and work to achieve them and she fiercely believes in the value of learning something new every day. In her free time, Betsy enjoys running and spending time with her family. She is currently learning to play the electric guitar alongside her son…the jury is still out whether this will become a hobby!
Aysha Nuhuman
Technology Chair
Aysha Nuhuman is an international student from Sri Lanka who is dedicated to teaching mathematics to students of all ages. She exercises her leadership skills in conjunction with pedagogical training throughout her tutoring sessions. She is most active in encouraging mathematical learning in her career in mathematics, having convinced many students to see the bright – and beautiful! – side of mathematics. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Nova Southeastern University. Additionally, this fall, she began her journey in the doctoral program in Mathematics in Florida Atlantic University, where she will attend as a graduate teaching assistant. Aysha was initiated into the Nova Southeastern University circle in 2021, during her final semester of her undergraduate degree. Since 2023, she has served Omicron Delta Kappa as a Discord moderator and on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee. Aysha’s journey in leadership was eye-opening and – despite her rough start in academia – her story inspires many students to persevere in their journey (academic, career, or otherwise) and reach for the stars. In her spare time, she likes to sew and is now learning how to crochet amigurumi patterns (crocheted plushies).
Jes Davis
Programming Co-Chair
Jes, with one S, Davis (she/her) is a two-time graduate of Indiana University where she earned her Masters and Bachelors of Public Affairs with a concentration in policy analysis and legal studies. Jes is currently working on her PhD in Higher Education part time at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on the impact of land-grant universities and rural community development. She is also currently serving as the Associate Director for VT Engage: The Center for Leadership & Service Learning at Virginia Tech where she and her team work to develop a new generation of civic leaders by equipping them for positive collective action. In this role she leads the departmental programming for civic engagement, leadership education, and service-learning for both curricular and co-curricular experiences. Her work involves helping students develop their civic identity and ethos, growing their understanding of their own leadership identity, and committing to Ut Prosim—That I may serve– as a way of life through community engagement. She is a 2023 initiate of the Alpha Omicron Circle at Virginia Tech where she also serves as the Faculty Advisor. Jes has previously served in several community leadership positions including, a Town Planning Commissioner, Secretary for the League of Women Voters for Virginia and the planning committee for the National IMPACT Conference—the largest annual conference focused on the civic engagement of college students. In her spare time, she loves taking long walks in search of lost tennis balls with her Golden Doodle, Windsor, or curling up with a comfy sweatshirt, coffee, and a good book.
Francis Ding
Marketing Chair
Francis Ding is a Ph.D. candidate in accounting at Virginia Tech. Before joining VT, he earned his degree from the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on corporate leadership teams, including CEOs, CFOs, and members of the board of directors. During his time at VT, he has taught several accounting courses and successfully fostered students’ interest in the field. His goal is to educate the next generation of business leaders with a passion for serving and leading their communities. Francis was inducted into the Virginia Tech ODK circle in 2014.
Randy Roberson
Programming Co-Chair
Randy Roberson is vice president, leadership development, at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) in Washington, D.C., where he is responsible for NACUBO’s educational and leadership development portfolio. Prior to NACUBO, Randy served as an academic unit business officer and as a development officer at the University of Maryland, College Park. He also worked at his alma mater, Atlanta’s Oglethorpe University, in university advancement and the president’s office. He began his career as a press aide to Georgia Governor Zell Miller, creator of the HOPE Scholarship. Randy graduated from Oglethorpe with a bachelor’s degree in history and completed his master’s degree in public management at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. He was initiated into Oglethorpe’s Circle of ODK in 1995 and is a member of the Oglethorpe University Board of Trustees. Randy believes strongly in Oglethorpe’s motto: Make a Life, Make a Living, Make a Difference. He encourages others to make time daily to nurture relationships, to speak regularly about the personal value of education, and to help others fulfill their quest for meaningful work.