Tyrone McCombs, Ph.D. 

Interim Executive Director

mccombst@rowan.edu

856-256-4709 

Dr. Tyrone W. McCombs holds a B.A. and M. A. in English Literature from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Management from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. McCombs has worked in higher education for the past 30 years in various roles including Associate Vice President, Dean, Assistant Provost and various capacities. Dr. McCombs is currently an Associate Professor in the Educational Services and Leadership Department and the Coordinator for the MA in Higher Education Program. His research interests focus on the governance of higher education. 

Adrian Barnes, Ph.D.

Summer Fellow

barnesad@rowan.edu

Dr. Adrian D. Barnes is an Assistant Professor, and coordinator of the B.A. in Music Education at Rowan University. He began his teaching career in a Title I middle and high school in Bradenton, as a band and orchestra director. Dr. Barnes has worked closely with students from historically marginalized communities, as well as neurodivergent learners. While attending Texas Tech University, Dr. Barnes served as a research assistant on a Promise Neighborhood Grant working in the historic Paul Lawrence Dunbar Neighborhood of East Lubbock, Texas. Dr. Barnes research interests includes collegiate pathway programs that increase the representation of historically marginalized populations into 4-year intuitions of higher education (IHEs) institutional agency and outreach in historically marginalized communities, and the recruitment practices used to recruit Black and Latinx students by music educators at minority serving institutions.

Dr. Susan Browne

brownes@rowan.edu 

Dr. Susan Browne is the Chair of the Diversity In Action Committee (DIA) .

Nertila T. Cana

Program Assistant

tafacana@rowan.edu 

Nertila holds a Master's Degree in Communication and Information Studies from Rutgers University, and Bachelor in Business, Administration and Marketing. Nertila has worked with various local and regional community-based organizations to educate for cultural competency, and develop programs that focus on building stronger and healthier communities.