School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy
Current PhD Students
Emmanuel Owusu Agyei
Email: eoagyei@memphis.edu 
Emmanuel Owusu Agyei is a doctoral student in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy whose work focuses on collaborative governance and the political participation of nonprofits within state and central government systems. His research examines how cross-sector partnerships can strengthen public institutions, improve service delivery, and advance inclusive development. Emmanuel brings a blend of professional and academic experience to his work. He previously served as a Partnership Officer at Hollard Insurance Group and as an Associate Banker at First Horizon Bank in Tennessee. He has experience and practical insight into public–private collaboration and community-centered projects and policy.
In the policy and nonprofit sector, he was a Black Organizing Program Fellow at Planned Parenthood Tennessee & North Mississippi, working with Black barbers and community leaders across the Greater Memphis area to expand outreach and access to resources. He also collaborated with senior faculty in the School of Urban Affairs to support the Kemmons Wilson research initiative on South Memphis, contributing to policy proposals aimed at community development. Emmanuel is a 2024 PPNV Fellow (Globally) in Washington, DC, and a Student Summer Fellow at Cato University and a member of the African Leadership Network. He has served as a research assistant for both the School of Public Policy and the Department of Public and Nonprofit Administration, integrating industry knowledge with academic research. He has presented at conferences, including SECoPA (Memphis) and Coral Springs, Florida. Emmanuel is a columnist and contributed to Ghana's 2024 Youth Development Policy, reflecting his commitment to governance innovation across local and international contexts.
Gordon Amankwaa
Email: gmankwaa@memphis.edu
Gordon Amankwaa is an Environmental Engineer and a Research Assistant at the Department of City and Regional Planning. He holds degrees in Geography, Environmental Science and Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) and Jiangsu University (China). His primary research interests are urban water resource management, the environmental behavior of urban populations, and urban environmental monitoring (water, soil, and waste). He has worked in Ghana, China, and Germany as a research scientist. His scholarly interests led to the publishing of numerous academic works in peer-reviewed journals, including the Water Environment Research Journal, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, and the Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences to name a few.
He is a member of the International Water Association (UK), and the American Water Association (AWA). He serves as a peer reviewer for several SCI journals, including Environment, Sustainability and Development (ENVI), Water Science and Technology (WST), and the Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development. View his publications >>>
Kenya Anderson
Email: Kenya.Anderson@memphis.edu
Kenya Anderson is a social work educator providing academic advisement, coaching, and mentorship for first-generation college students in the School of Social Work at the University of Memphis. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor and holds a professional license as a Licensed Masters Level Social Worker (LMSW) with a concentration in Management and Evidence-Based Community Practice in Tennessee. Her professional affiliations include the National Association of Social Workers, the Council on Social Work Education, the Coalition of Black Social Workers, and Phi Alpha Honor Society. She serves a second term as an appointed regulatory board member with the Tennessee Department of Health-Related Boards for Social Work Licensure. Through her service as a regulator, she has been appointed to various service committees and elected to the Nominating Committee with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). She has also been recognized for her dedication in enhancing the Path to Licensure for social work professionals.
Currently, Kenya Anderson serves as faculty advisor for the University of Memphis’ Chapter of the Coalition of Black Social Workers. For the past six years, her professional appointment with the University of Memphis has included service as the BA Field Director and academic advisor in the School of Social Work. She is a member of the North American Network of Field Educators and Directors (NANFED) and a member of the Tennessee Statewide Field Consortium.
Kenya’s research interests include exploring intergenerational and social aspects of housing stability in urban communities. Her area of study emphasizes the intersectionality of issues of housing instability and poverty to develop interventions that reduce the impact of social and economic disparities. She seeks to identify the environmental conditions that cultivate prosocial community responses to strengthen individuals, families, and communities.
Emmanuel "Sky" Boadi
Email: eboadi@memphis.edu
ORCID: https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0000-0002-4290-4177
Emmanuel Bosompem ‘Sky’ Boadi's research interests in residential stability, (im)mobility, and quality of life among marginalized and vulnerable populations. He studies how place-based forces—poverty, housing markets, and development projects—shape well-being, with a particular focus on involuntary displacement and constrained choice. His work spans development project–affected communities in Ghana and China and vulnerable groups in the United States, including seniors, low-income households, and people with disabilities. He uses GIS and quantitative methods to translate evidence into actionable insights for policy and practice.
His current PhD research focuses on identifying scalable, evidence-based strategies to reduce housing instability for older and low-income residents by analyzing housing affordability/quality pressures, neighborhood disinvestment, and the capacity of community-based repair and support systems—using Memphis as a policy-relevant case that offers broader lessons for equitable reinvestment and healthy aging in U.S. cities.
He served as a Research Assistant at the National Research Center for Resettlement (Hohai University), where he conducted research on development-induced displacement and resettlement governance and produced peer-reviewed publication record on residential satisfaction and quality-of-life outcomes. He holds a Master of Public Administration. He has teaching experience as a Teaching Assistant at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and previously served as an Economics Tutor at Dormaa Senor High School. At the University of Memphis, he also works as a Graduate Research Assistant, supporting spatial analysis and data products for housing and community development research.
Milton Bonds Jr.
Email: mbonds1@memphis.edu 
Milton Bonds Jr is a Lieutenant with the Memphis Police Department. He is currently assigned as a supervisor of the Memphis Police Department's Sex Crimes Bureau and has been a Sex Crimes investigator since 2016. His duties include managing the Digital Forensic Unit (DFU), the Sex Offender Registry, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, and the Human Trafficking Task Force. Milton has been with the Department since June of 1997. He joined the Police Service as a Police Service Technician and was commissioned on June 21, 1999. He has worked in Uniform Patrol, Precinct Task Force, Community Policing, C.O.P. Unit, and as an investigator in the Sex Crimes Bureau. He is a graduate of the University of Memphis, holding B.A. and M.A. degrees in Criminology and Criminal Justice. In the Fall of 2025, Milton will begin the University of Memphis Urban Affairs Doctoral Cohort.
In 2019, Milton received his Certified Computer Forensic Examiner certification from the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists, and in 2021, he completed the IACIS Certified Mobile Device Examiner Certification. Currently, Milton is responsible for overseeing ICAC Criminal Investigations and managing the Sex Offender Registry. He is the only Certified Digital Forensic Examiner supervisor for the Memphis Police Department.
Milton is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, the Afro-American Police Association, and the Memphis Police Association. He is a past elected member of the Board of Directors, who represented Police Investigators, Community Policing, and the South Precinct with the Memphis Police Association. He is also the current Vice-Polemarch for the Memphis Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Milton is a husband and father of two adult girls and the grandfather of one beautiful eight-year-old girl.
Elizabeth Cawein
Email: pecawein@memphis.edu
Elizabeth Cawein is a music advocate and strategist. After 10 years in music publicity – with her firm Signal Flow, serving roots and Americana musicians primarily in Memphis – she now helms Music Export Memphis, a nonprofit she founded in 2016 that leverages public and private support to function as an export office for Memphis music, creating opportunities for musicians and driving economic development through music and culture. Built on the theory of change that musicians make cities better and should be subsidized as cultural assets, the work of MEM connects directly to Elizabeth’s academic interests: she is currently pursuing a PhD in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Memphis, focusing on the experiences of working class musicians in non-industry urban centers. Her research is both theoretical (how notions of authenticity and identity shape symbolic capital and power in music ecosystems) and practical (how the local and global evolution of the music industry impacts musicians’ ability to thrive).
Elizabeth also consults on music city strategies with leading global consultancy Sound Diplomacy and teaches Music Urbanism at Rhodes College (where she is a faculty adviser to the Curb Institute for Music). She serves on the board of directors for Folk Alliance International, is a Governor for the Memphis chapter of The Recording Academy, and hosts Straight from the Source, a weekly all-Memphis-music program, on WYXR 91.7FM. Elizabeth is dedicated to the belief that smart cities are music cities – her TED Talk on the subject has 1 million views and climbing. You can learn more about her work at elizabethcawein.com.
Austin Djan
Email: adjan@memphis.edu 
Austin Djan is a Graduate Assistant and Ph.D. student in the Urban Affairs program at the University of Memphis. He holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Alabama A&M University, USA, and a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
Austin’s research transcends the disciplines of urban planning, urban economics, and public policy. He is particularly interested in how the interactions between land use, transportation systems, and governance structures shape cities and regions. At the core of his work is the question of how urban systems function as interconnected networks—where decisions about transportation, land development, and governance ripple across communities. He aims to produce research that helps planners and policymakers create inclusive, livable, and sustainable urban environments.
He has presented his work at several conferences, including the Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium and the Alabama/Mississippi APA Joint Conference. His publications include contributions to the Global Journal of Research in Business Management and the International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Science.
Professionally, Austin has worked as a planning intern with the City of Brookhaven in Atlanta, GA, where he developed strategies to incentivize developers to incorporate public art into their development projects. He also has experience from planning practice in Ghana, which informs his cross-national perspective on urban and regional development.
He is a member of the Urban Affairs Association, the American Planning Association, and the Ghana Institute of Planners.
Dorcas Griffin
Email: dpyoung@memphis.edu
Dorcas Young Griffin is a doctoral student in the Urban Affairs Ph.D. program. She completed her undergraduate
degree in Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master's
in Public Administration from the University of Memphis. She currently serves as the
Director of the Shelby County Division of Community Services with oversight of nearly
250 staff members. She manages a budget of over $50 million, which is used to provide
human and social services for residents of the city of Memphis and Shelby County.
This division has played a critical role in the recent local response to the COVID-19
outbreak. Dorcas serves as a committee leader for the Memphis and Shelby County Joint
COVID Task Force.
Before becoming Director of Community Services, she worked as the Administrator for the Memphis Ryan White HIV program, coordinating funding and services and providing medical care and support for over 3,500+ individuals living in the Memphis area with or without insurance. Additional previous positions included working with the Church Health Center and directing a local Head Start program. Dorcas serves on several community boards, including the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, the Memphis Shelby County Crime Commission, and the Vitalant Community Advisory Board. She is a native of Memphis with deep roots and heritage centered on service, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities.
Her research interests include analyzing the impact of local government organizational structures, policy development, and processes on low-income and vulnerable populations' social and economic mobility.
Eric Harris
Email: dhrris29@memphis.edu
Eric Harris was born in Memphis, TN, and is a proud graduate of Shelby County Schools. Eric continued
his education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, receiving a Bachelor of
Arts in History and Secondary Education. He furthered his education at Christian Brothers
University, where he received his Master of Science in Educational Leadership and
earned an Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Memphis.
As an educator, Eric initially began his career in education as a history teacher and coach. He successfully coached basketball on the AAU level, winning several district, state, and national championships. He also coached basketball on the high school level, winning District Coach of the Year. Eric later shifted to school administration, first as an assistant principal at Cordova High School and then at White Station High School. In 2010, he returned to his alma mater, East High School, to serve as principal. In 2015, he accepted a position as Director of Student Operations for the State of Tennessee Achievement School District, before becoming a School Administrator in the Whitehaven Empowerment Zone in Memphis. The experience of supporting turnaround efforts in one of the lowest-performing elementary schools in the State of Tennessee sparked his primary research focus on the foundations of learning and the importance of vertical alignment of primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions. This alignment delivers an education that best prepares students to impact the economy positively.
Eric previously served as school principal at the Geeter School, a pre-k through 8-grade school currently on the State of Tennessee Priority List. Eric believes all learners must be provided with an equitable learning environment designed to ensure their academic and social success. Schools are the hubs of urban communities and must be a conduit for the holistic nurturing of students and families.
His research interests explore the intersection of education policy, school administrative behavior, and the local economy to spur educational success for vulnerable populations.
Mohammad Tosnimul Hassan
Email: M.Hassan@memphis.edu 
Mohammad Tosnimul Hassan is a PhD student in Urban Affairs at the University of Memphis and a recipient of the Critical Urban Fellowship with Shelby County Government. In this role, he is studying the implementation of a county-wide Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, examining how technological reforms shape public administration, urban governance, and service delivery systems. His broader research interests lie in sustainable urbanism, urban governance, and environmental planning, with a particular focus on how cities in the Global South and the developed world negotiate environmental risks, institutional reforms, and community resilience.
Before joining SUAPP, Hassan worked as a Research Coordinator at BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, where he led projects on climate-health surveillance, urban heat mapping, and adaptation planning funded by partners such as the World Bank, BRAC, and CAPA Strategies. He previously served as Senior Manager at DM WATCH Limited, coordinating multi-sectoral research for UNDP, FAO, ADB, and IRC on urban and regional governance, disaster risk reduction, and climate-resilient livelihoods. Earlier in his career, he contributed to sustainable housing and affordable design at the Housing and Building Research Institute in Bangladesh.
Hassan holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the National University of Singapore and a Bachelor of Architecture from the American International University-Bangladesh. Drawing from his interdisciplinary background in architecture, environmental management, and policy research, he seeks to bridge scholarship and practice by advancing evidence-based strategies for more just, resilient, and sustainable cities.
Link to LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-tosnimul-hassan/
Md Sharif Hossain
Email: mshssain@memphis.edu
Md Sharif Hossain joined the Ph.D. in Urban Affairs as a graduate research assistant in fall 2022.
Previously, he worked as a graduate research assistant in the Department of Public
Administration for his MPA with a major in Public Management and Policy in the Department
of Public and Nonprofit Administration at the University of Memphis. He also received
extensive professional training in international development policy, policy research,
and data-driven-decision from the National University of Singapore (NUS), the National
Academy of Planning and Development (NAPD), Bangladesh, and the International Labor
Organization (ILO) before matriculating at the University of Memphis.
He received his Bachelor's in Sociology from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. After graduation, he joined the public service as a Research Officer for the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in 2018. There, he worked as a focal-point officer of policy research in the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, where he led the data management and research, policy analysis for the planning and implementation of the projects and programs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations in Bangladesh. He successfully monitored and evaluated the development projects in partnership with the World Bank, United Nations Development Program, and the Asian Development Bank in poverty alleviation, strengthening local government, and infrastructure development in Bangladesh.
Md Sharif Hossain was inducted to Pi Alpha Alpha Scholar -The Global Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration in 2021. His research interests are collaborative governance, minority rights, and urban development politics. He recently published a peer-reviewed research journal with Dr. Joseph Hafer in the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs.
Quinn Houlihan
Email: kmhlihan@memphis.edu
Quinn Houlihan is a graduate assistant and PhD student in Urban Affairs. They moved to Memphis in
2022 to complete a master’s degree in applied anthropology with a concentration in
medical anthropology at the University of Memphis. While at UofM, they also completed
a graduate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies and worked as a graduate assistant
in the Department of Anthropology.
Before coming to Memphis, Quinn earned a BA from Purdue University, where they double majored in Anthropology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and minored in LGBTQ Studies. While at Purdue, they were awarded the 2021 Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Leadership award for their work on campus and their involvement in feminist and queer student organizing. Prior to their educational journey, Quinn worked in retail and print services for close to 20 years. Quinn is an active member of the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) and the American Anthropological Association (AAA). They have presented at several national conferences on a variety of topics that intersect with their interests. They served as the first student member of the Editorial Board for the Practicing Anthropology Journal in 2024. They are also a member of Triota, which is the Women’s and Gender Studies Academic Honor Society, of which they hope to start a chapter here.
Quinn’s research interests are in exploring how morality-based policy and legislative efforts in the U.S., such as restrictive abortion laws, anti-trans laws, abstinence-centered sex education, and other bio- and necropolitical structures/practices impact inequality, health, wellbeing, and the community. They are interested in how policy issues and policy narratives are socially constructed and how communities, organizations, and social movements might reframe, challenge, resist, and/or overcome unjust policies and problematic policy narratives in order to serve their communities better. Their goal is to apply an intersectional, queer/feminist, interdisciplinary praxis to work towards equity and justice and to continue to critically (and publicly) engage with the social-political structures that (re)shape our lives.
Charia Jackson
Email: cvjacksn@memphis.edu
Charia Jackson is a graduate student in the Urban Affairs PhD program at the University of Memphis.
She holds both a Master of City and Regional Planning and a Bachelor of Business Administration
with a concentration in Marketing Management, both from the University of Memphis–she
is driven by doing. Her goal for returning to academia is to develop advanced-level
institutional knowledge and practical skills to expand her professional opportunities
in the local community and economic development field. She serves on several organizations
boards that include, BLDG Memphis, a local coalition of CDCs and individuals seeking
to improve the quality of Memphis’ different communities; Community Lift, a funder/supporter
of the local community and economic activity through the city; Tennessee Housing Development
Agency Home Buyer Education Initiative Advisory Board; and Frayser Connect Advisory
Board, as a way to influence investment in Frayser and similar communities throughout
Memphis.
She began her path into the local community development sector as a Frayser Community Development Corporation volunteer. It later flourished into a leadership role within the agency as its deputy director. On this journey, she has held many roles in the agency. Still, it was her role in designing and implementing the agency’s HUD-certified Housing Counseling program at the onset of the Financial Crisis, that she realized she had a passion for identifying neighborhood issues/challenges and seeking out policy and programs as sustainable solutions for neighborhood growth. She spent many years researching the Frayser market, including its high rate of foreclosures and bankruptcies. This led to the development of a Housing Counseling Program that would assist thousands of residents in the community in becoming informed homeowners and/or aid existing homeowners with sustainable home preservation services. Frayser has overcome the high rates of foreclosures; recently, the neighborhood's home values have rebounded and are rising. Her next mission is to work diligently in the same community and explore ways to build economic prosperity amongst its residents.
Her research interests are shaped by understanding neighborhood structural racial inequities and addressing the GAPs for growth and opportunity in divested communities. She is inspired to explore whether communal wealth building could alleviate poverty and create areas of sustainable growth.
To learn more about Miss Jackson and her journey devoted to neighborhood development, visit www.realurbanconcepts.com.
Kenny Latta
Email: kslatta@memphis.edu
Kenny Latta is a native Memphian who serves as an instructor and student advisor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Memphis (U of M). Kenny earned his Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Memphis in 2014 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy from Christian Brothers University. Kenny’s master's thesis focused on the impact of community gardens in the city of Memphis neighborhoods as part of a larger collaboration with faculty from the U of M Department of Counseling and the local nonprofit GrowMemphis.
Before joining the U of M faculty in 2018, he served as coordinator of special projects for the local nonprofit Center for Transforming Communities (CTC), where he supported community organizing efforts in various low-income neighborhoods in Memphis. While at CTC, he also oversaw all the organization’s program evaluation, using a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to investigate the impact of the organization’s community organizing and community-building strategies.
His research interests include analyzing the role of community organizing and place-based social movements in gentrification and housing affordability in the United States.
Rifat Jahan Loran
Email: rifat.jahan.loran@memphis.edu
Rifat Jahan Loran is a Ph.D. student and research assistant. She started her program in the fall of 2023. Before her enrollment in the Urban Affairs program, Rifat earned her M.A. degree from the University of Memphis with a specialization in Sociology. During her master's program, she actively contributed as both a teaching assistant and graduate research assistant, lending her expertise to various impactful projects within the Sociology department. Additionally, Rifat served as a virtual Sociology Tutor for two terms at the University of Memphis, further honing her teaching and mentoring skills. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Public Administration from the University of Chittagong in Bangladesh.
Rifat's research interests encompass a wide spectrum of critical urban issues, including examining urban planning's impact on climate change, urban inequality, urban poverty, sustainable development, and spatial analysis. Her dedication to addressing these complex challenges through rigorous research and analysis sets her on a path toward making meaningful contributions to the field of Urban Affairs.
Stephen Leonard Mensah
Email: slmnsah2@memphis.edu
Stephen Leonard Mensah is a PhD Candidate and a Critical Urban Research Fellow in Urban Affairs at the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, University of Memphis. He holds a BA (First Class Honors) and a MPhil degree in Geography and Resources Development from the University of Ghana. He is a community-focused interdisciplinary scholar with research interests in urban environmental and community sustainable development from multidimensional perspectives including risks, resilience, circularity, sustainability, and policy design. Stephen has a wealth of experience in community-driven development planning garnered through working with community-based organizations and marginalized communities both in Ghana and the United States. As a Fellow, he currently works with the Works, Inc (TWI) in Memphis where he engages in designing household policies and programs on sustainability outcomes in the US mid-south cities and revitalization of blighted neighborhoods. Stephen has vast experience in the application of both qualitative and quantitative techniques to address the pertinent and existential societal problems facing humanity and socio-ecological systems. He has been part of several internationally coordinated research projects addressing various local and regional problems in Ghana and other Global South countries. Through these projects, he has developed essential skills in project management and coordination to successfully lead and conduct an independent research project. Some of Stephen’s research findings have been published in the world’s leading journals such as the Journal of Urban Affairs, Risk, Hazards and Crisis in Public Policy, Habitat International, Cities, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management and the Journal of Socio-Ecological Research and Practice. He is also the co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of Resilient Urban Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Cities and Planning for Resilient Small and Medium-Sized Cities in Ghana.
Mahdis Modaresi
Email: mmdaresi@memphis.edu
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mahdismodaresi
Mahdis Modaresi is a Ph.D. student and graduate assistant in the Urban Affairs Program at the University of Memphis. Before coming to the University of Memphis, Mahdis received her M.A. in Environmental Policy and a graduate certificate in Urban Environmental Policy and Planning from Lehigh University, PA. During her master’s study, she worked as a community fellow and an intern at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) and was engaged in various planning and development projects. She received her B.Sc. in Urban Planning and Design from the Art University of Isfahan, Iran.
Her research interests include analyzing urban planning efforts and decision-making regarding land use, the impacts of planning on urban inequality, smart cities, spatial analysis, and urban informatics and visualization.
Heather Lee Morgan
Email: hlmrgan1@memphis.edu
Heather Lee Morgan is a doctoral student in the Urban Affairs Ph.D program at the University of Memphis. Originally hailing from the Floridian Gulf area, Heather moved to Memphis, TN, in 2011 to pursue her Bachelor's in Fine Art at Memphis College of Arts, where she majored in design arts and minored in art history. After her baccalaureate studies, she served as a K-12 visual arts educator at Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS). During her tenure with MSCS, Heather served on multiple behavioral response teams advocating for students' mental health and as a major point of contact for her department on the usage of technology within the art classroom.
In 2021, Heather continued her education at the University of Memphis (UofM) in the Master's in Public Administration program, from which she graduated in Spring 2023. During her time in this program, Heather helped to successfully create UofM’s first collegiate chapter for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Through serving as the chapter President, Heather hoped to allow all students to learn and engage more in philanthropy in Greater Memphis. UofM AFP held its first joint philanthropic event in the Spring of 2023 with the Hattiloo Theatre. This event was an Arts Bazaar bringing together local artists across many disciplines to share and sell their artwork.
This ticketed event raised $1,000 for the Hattiloo Theatre and gave local artisans a space to sell their work and come together to support local arts. Heather still serves as co-president of the UofM AFP board. During her final semester of her master's program, she also received the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy award for Outstanding Student Engagement and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa and Pi Alpha Alpha.
In light of Heather’s background in the arts community, she feels deeply connected to the importance of the arts and culture. Her research interests include examining access to cultural heritage as a human right and the effects of cultural heritage loss and theft on domestic and international communities.335559740":240}">
Katie Norwood
Email: kknrwood@memphis.edu
Katie Norwood, LCSW LSSW RPT-S has been practicing social work professionally since 2006. Her background is in both direct clinical and administrative practices, primarily in home-based and school-based settings. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Licensed School Social Worker, and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. She is a certified EMDR Therapist and Consultant through EMDRIA, an AutPlay Certified Therapist, and a child and parent psychotherapy (CPP) rostered clinician. She is entering her eighth year with the School of Social Work at the University of Memphis. She serves in the roles of Clinical Associate Professor and the MSW Program Director. She has been proud to call Memphis home since 2002 and is passionate about the clients and community she serves. Outside of her work with The University of Memphis, Katie is an ANFT (Association of Nature and Forest Therapy) Certified Consultant and Forest Therapy Guide.
Katie served as a non-tenured adjunct faculty member with the School of Social Work for seven years, beginning in 2011, before joining the department at full capacity in August of 2018. She has taught courses in clinical interventions with individuals and groups, such as Practice I and II. She has also taught courses in human behavior from micro and macro perspectives, such as HBSE, Clinical Evaluation, Communities and Organizations, Treatment of Trauma, Treatment of Substance Use, and Play Therapy.
Her clinical experience working with vulnerable populations addressing issues of substance abuse, domestic violence, abuse, neglect, and trauma provides her with a powerful framework to utilize with her students. The majority of her clients experience significant anxiety, often engage in self-injurious behavior, and express thoughts of suicide and homicide.
She has over 19 years of postgraduate experience in direct clinical practice, supervision, and the development and implementation of agency policies and procedures. She continues to embrace the honor of challenging and enriching the minds of new social workers. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Urban Affairs. Her research interests are centered around exploring the relationship between people, other living beings, and their physical environment.
Ophrah Payne
Email: ospayne@memphis.edu
Ophrah Payne works with TRIO programs here at the University of Memphis. She is an appointed Assistant Director for TRIO Upward Bound at the University of Memphis. Ophrah's leadership philosophy has been developed over many years of public service to the communities and residents of Memphis.
Ophrah holds a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Administration and a Master of Science in Community and Economic Development. Her professional affiliations are the National Black MBA Association, Southern Political Science Association, American Public Health Association, Tennessee Housing Development Agency, and Council of Opportunity in Education. Through her service as an Assistant Director, she has served several students within our community and served as a representative within her university and community. Ophrah won the Top 20 Under 30 Memphis award in 2019, was a nominee for the Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2020, and was a Top 40 Under 40 Urban Elite nominee in 2021. Ophrah is an Assistant Director for the University of Memphis TRIO UB Program. For the past seven years, her professional appointment with the University of Memphis has included service as the Program Coordinator for Student Support Services Programs and Assistant Director TRIO UB.
Her research interests include working with multicultural communities and how the environment affects their health and different systemic factors. She seeks to research macro levels of health environmental factors and cultivate positive community responses to the research she plans to do with her Ph.D. She hopes to provide accessibility to low-income, impoverished communities and help them gain the resources and tools needed here in the Memphis community.
Racheal Shantel
Email: rswalker@memphis.edu 
Racheal Shantel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mane Up Memphis™, a Community Development Center based in the University District of Memphis, TN. Mane Up Memphis™ strengthens youth, young adults, and families by addressing emotional health, financial growth, and community resilience under one roof.
Through her leadership, the center has launched signature initiatives such as Mane Pathways: A Journey to Wholeness, a 12-week behavioral health program; Mane Steps to Money™, a financial education curriculum that equips participants to build wealth and reinvest in their neighborhoods; and Mane Mindscape™, an in-house licensed therapy service designed to meet people where they are and help them navigate the unspoken rules of society.
Mane Up Memphis™ functions as both a public service agency and a community anchor. The center partners with county and charter schools, the Mental Health Court, and local health systems to ensure that marginalized communities gain access to resources that close structural gaps.
Her academic work within the Urban Cultures & Societies track examines how community development centers can serve as preventive pipelines that reduce crisis intervention by integrating emotional health, financial stability, and education. She is particularly interested in how public policy and narrative frameworks shape funding priorities for preventive interventions in urban communities.
Racheal holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning with a certificate in Local Government and now pursues doctoral research that integrates theory with practice. She combines her background in urban policy with her passion for community wellness, positioning Mane Up Memphis™ as a replicable model for cities across the country. Her work reflects a simple belief: strong communities are built when people have the tools to heal, learn, and thrive.
Dana Sjostrom
Email: dana.sjostrom@memphis.edu
Dana Sjostrom works to support science-based decision-making and encourage thoughtful, equitable
governance strategies and policies. She is a Certified Floodplain Manager and holds
a Master of Science from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in Curriculum & Instruction,
a second Master’s of Science from the University of Memphis focusing on City & Regional
Planning, and a BSc in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Alberta.
Currently, she works in the field of sustainability planning for Shelby County Government in Memphis, TN, allowing her the creative space to incorporate resilience principles into government operations and programs. Her current role in Memphis-Shelby County's Division of Planning and Development, Department of Housing works to incorporate these sustainable and science-based approaches into federal grant program management and to advance innovative financing strategies for more equitable infrastructure investments. Since 2019, she has helped secure and manage over $2.7M in grant awards for Shelby County, including funding through the Southeast Sustainable Directors Network, the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and TDEC’s Office of Energy Efficiency. Dana also helped facilitate and contribute content to the Mid-South Regional Resilience Master Plan, the Memphis Area Climate Action Plan, and the Smart Memphis Plan (no dinosaurs!). She continues efforts to guide and facilitate the development of Memphis’ first Environmental Impact Bond, serving as an innovative pilot for outcome-based financing tools with both green and social co-benefits. Her research has led to publications in journals including Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Nature Sustainability, and Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, and recently submitted work to Nature Climate Change. Her research engages transdisciplinary colleagues in advancing our understanding of climate adaptation, boundary spanning, and knowledge co-production spaces.
Her research interests currently include tackling applied methods to address disparate impacts from climate change and public policy decisions and seeking ways to finance large-scale resilience and equity-focused investments.
Afsana Tarannum
Email: tarannum@memphis.edu
Afsana Tarannum is a doctoral student studying Urban Affairs at the University of Memphis. She is currently working as a graduate assistant under the supervision of Dr. Charlie Santo. She is originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh. She earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Asia Pacific. For her thesis project, she conceptualized a law enforcement agency headquarters focused on fostering community engagement. Central to her design was creating a collaborative space dedicated to public interaction to break down the traditional barriers between law enforcement and the community to enhance cooperation and trust. For her first master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, she formulated an Age-friendly Built Environment Index. The research project aimed to develop an evaluation framework to measure the age-friendliness of the built environment considering the local context and generate an age-friendly map of Dhaka City Corporations. Simultaneously, she worked for an architecture firm. Afterward, she moved to the United States, where she completed her second master’s degree in City and Regional Planning at the University of Memphis. The focus of her capstone project was to identify the positive nighttime activities and places to accommodate positive nightlife in the Jackson Planning District. The paper also aimed to create an infill development module to accommodate the positive nightlife identified. Concurrently, she also worked for Self+Tucker Architects as an intern.
She participated in the American Planning Association Student Design Competition 2023 with three other classmates. She also presented as a finalist at the National Planning Conference in Philadelphia, where her group was awarded second place. She created the visualizations and design vision for the plan and contributed to the strategic phasing of the recommended policies. In addition, the project was selected for the Outstanding Student Project Award for 2023 by the Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association.
Krista Wright Thayer
Email: kmwrght3@memphis.edu
Krista Wright Thayer is a doctoral student in the Urban Affairs Ph.D. program. She earned her Bachelor's in International Studies from the University of Mississippi, her Bachelor's in Sociology from the University of Memphis, and her Master's in Sociology from the University of Memphis. She is currently the Director of Outreach and Prevention at Friends for All (FFA) in Memphis, TN. She oversees FFA’s outreach center, The Haven, where they conduct free HIV and Hepatitis C testing, access to free PrEP/PEP, stigma reduction, and other services to increase good health and wellness in the community. Specifically, she manages a team of Outreach Specialists, plans outreach events, manages grant requirements, and works with community partners to bring HIV education and awareness to the Memphis metropolitan area that serves Arkansas and North Mississippi. Her advocacy work includes being a part of the TN HIV Modernization Coalition, Faith Advisory Board, and Shelby County Voter Alliance to normalize HIV prevention, bring stigma reduction to churches, speak out against discriminatory legislation, and give those living with HIV, or potentially impacted by HIV, a platform to speak on their experiences and share their journeys.
After graduating from the University of Mississippi, Krista moved to Seattle, where she found her passion for nonprofit work. She worked in the Development Department of Technology Access Foundation, an organization providing skills and knowledge to youth of color in STEM areas and changing the trajectory of public education to create access to transformative learning systems for students and teachers of color to eliminate race-based disparities in an increasingly diverse society. Her research interests have included the exploration of stigma among public assistance workers against their clients. She seeks to research discriminatory stigma in nonprofits and how it impacts those they serve and the community.
Emily Thomson
Email: thomson1@memphis.edu
Emily H. Thomson is a Critical Urban Research Fellow and PhD candidate in the Urban Affairs program. Her research interests include youth out-of-school time programs, youth violence prevention, and access to community-based programming, with a keen interest in sports interventions. Her dissertation research explores the interplay between youth sports participation and adolescent crime.
Emily is currently working with the Memphis Applied Research and Community Action Institute (MARCA), a community-development focused, interdisciplinary research institute. In her role, she primarily works on the Ask MARCA initiative, which provides short-term research support to local community organizations. She also assists with community outreach and engagement.
In Emily’s previous fellowship role, she collaborated with local Memphis nonprofits to evaluate their programming and help connect the academic literature to practice. She is passionate about disseminating accessible data and bridging the gap between academia and practice through centering participant and practitioner’s perspectives. Her fellowship research has connected her with various local nonprofit organizations and schools, including Playback Memphis, Memphis Allies, Memphis Rox, The Pursuit Center, and Gestalt Community Schools.
Raised in a passionate sports family, Emily’s interest in athletics started early. She competed at the Division I level for the University of Tennessee and Washington State University rowing teams. An avid proponent of promoting access to youth sports, Emily has also served as a coach for Girls on the Run– Memphis, a social-emotional learning based girl’s running program.
Nasir Uddin
Email: nuddin1@memphis.edu
Nasir Uddin is a Ph.D. student and graduate research assistant who joined the program in the
fall of 2022. Before joining the UoM, Nasir obtained his bachelor's and master’s degree
in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Nasir has experience in teaching and research for more than ten years. He is an Assistant Professor (currently on leave) in Public Administration at the University of Chittagong (CU), Bangladesh. Before joining CU in 2013, he worked with the Human Development Research Centre, Dhaka, as a Research Associate for nearly two years, working with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Population Fund in Bangladesh. As an independent consultant, Nasir also served Social Impact Inc. and M&EA, Inc. (USA) on several occasions for the performance evaluations of USAID and UKAID-funded projects in Bangladesh.
Nasir has several peer-reviewed publications that have appeared in international outlets, such as the Journal of Urban Management (Elsevier), The International Journal of Community and Social Development (Sage), Book Series of Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Springer), Public Administration and Policy (Emerald), Asiascape: Digital Asia (Brill), Public Affairs and Governance, and Dynamics of Public Administration (University of Lucknow), and also has manuscripts under review. He also led various research projects and presented his research at international conferences.
His research interests include public governance, electronic government, sustainable development, local governance, and access to justice. You can view Nasir’s publications by visiting his Google Scholar page.
Austin Wyatt
Email: atwyatt@memphis.edu
Austin T. Wyatt, Sr. is a student in the Ph.D. Urban Affairs program. As a researcher, he has worked closely
with the Black community and other people of color to use his education and lived
experiences to benefit marginalized members of society. Recent research projects include
working with the SoulsvilleUSA community in South Memphis with its best practice research
and their creation of the Neighborhood Revitalization Report, working with the American
Anthropological Association (AAA) Committee on Minority Issues in Anthropology, conducting
research as part of the Community Planning and Ecological Design (CoPED) 2018 international
summer school in Sicily. He conducted his Masters' practicum research with the American
Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN).
Austin Sr. holds a Master’s in Applied Anthropology from the University of Memphis and a B.A. in Sociology from Tennessee State University. In addition to his academic research, he works as the Education Supervisor for the non-profit organization Youth Villages, a residential treatment facility for at-risk youth. He also mentors several young men and underprivileged youth in Mississippi and Tennessee. He is a member of the American Anthropology Association and the Society for Applied Anthropology.
His research interests center on criminal justice reform and explores how the culture of policing contributes to racialized disparities within the U.S. criminal justice system and perpetuates violence.