Seven members of the Pitt and Pittsburgh communities were awarded Community Champion Awards at the annual K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month celebration on Feb. 24. The awards recognize for the winners’ commitment to equality and justice.
Civic Impact: Natasha Williams, senior coordinator for academic intervention, Office of the Provost. Williams helps the Student Success Team enhance its services to the regional campuses, focusing on holistic support and interventions for rural and at-promise student populations. Before joining the Student Success Team, she worked as the assistant director of career services at the School of Public & International Affairs from 2015 to 2022, where she developed extensive experience in mentorship, guidance and educational support. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and business and a master’s degree in business administration, both from Carlow University.
Distinguished Alumni: Sister IAsia Thomas (EDUC ’24G), executive director, Children’s Window to Africa. Thomas is a veteran educator, having developed creative, cultural, healing and solidarity enrichment spaces in schools and community learning hubs for more than 20 years. As executive director of Children’s Windows to Africa since 2019, she guides a team of artists, teaching artists, educators and practitioners into public housing communities and schools to make cultural knowledge and legacies accessible to those populations. Thomas was born in South Africa and came to the United States in the early 1980s as a child.
Emerging Leader: Kellie Ware (EDUC ’06), assistant dean for professional development, School of Law. Ware counsels students, develops programming to enhance and increase students’ professional acumen, and engages with employers across sectors. She began her career working in community and economic development before earning her law degree from Northeastern University in Boston. Upon returning to Pittsburgh, Ware was a staff attorney focusing on tenants’ rights at Neighborhood Legal Services. Ware also served as inaugural equity, diversity and inclusion policy analyst for the City of Pittsburgh; executive director of the NAACP’s Pittsburgh Branch; and led the Summer Clerkship Program for the Allegheny County Bar Association.
Excellence in Education: Lori Delale-O’Connor, associate professor and chair, Department of Educational Foundations, Organizations & Policy, School of Education. Delale-O’Connor teaches courses in qualitative methods, urban education and the social contexts of education. Her research focuses on examining the connections between families, communities and education, with a particular focus on fostering equity and justice for urban educational systems. She earned her Ph.D. in sociology from Northwestern University and an M.Ed. in secondary education from Boston College, where she also taught social studies in Boston Public Schools. Her research has been widely published, and she is co-author of the 2019 book, “These Kids Are Out of Control: Why We Must Reimagine Classroom Management for Equity.”
Innovation in Service: Frances Newman, director of administrative services, School of Law. Newman is a driving force for organizational innovation. A specialist in technology-driven workflow redesign, Newman led a landmark partnership with Pitt Digital to modernize departmental operations. Known for her blend of strategic judgment and operational excellence, she is defined by her deep-seated love for helping people and her genuine passion for seeing others win. This commitment to service extends into her community, where she serves in the children’s ministry at her church. Newman is a graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and earned her master’s degree at East Tennessee State University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate at Liberty University.
Student leadership (graduate) Daniel Abusuampeh, doctoral student, School of Social Work. Abusuampeh brings a rich international perspective shaped by his academic and professional journey across Ghana and the United States. He earned his bachelor’s degree, MPA and MSW from the University of Ghana. He is a passionate social justice advocate committed to dismantling systemic discrimination and fostering community empowerment through education and innovative interventions.
Student Leadership (undergraduate) Dextrius Williams Jr., neuroscience and anthropology major, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences. Williams Jr. is from Hamilton, Ga., and is committed to social advocacy and community-centered leadership. His work centers on building sustainabl institutions, strengthening networks, and advancing equity both on campus and beyond. Williams integrates scientific inquiry with cultural analysis to better understand health and equity. Post-graduation, he plans to pursue cross-disciplinary research focused on examining how structural and cultural factors shape neurological and mental health outcomes in marginalized communities. He works in the Neuroscience for Health Equity Lab and also serves as president of the Black Action Society and showcase manager for the Ya’Baso African Dance Team.
Each description of the winners’ works was taken from nomination forms.