Pi Kappa Phi has established its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and is proud to introduce its members and friends of the fraternity who will provide guidance and direction pertaining to goals outlined in “Our Commitment.”
James Dukes, Chair, Eta Pi (Coastal Carolina)
James Dukes, Eta Pi (Coastal Carolina) will serve the fraternity as the Chairman of our new National Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In his role, Dukes will provide guidance to the fraternity as it assess its current programming and plans new initiatives regarding racial discrimination and social justice.
Dukes was initiated in 1995 and served as Archon, Secretary and Chaplain of his chapter. He is a current member of the Nu Phi Society, and is also the Chair of the Eta Pi Foundation Board of Directors.
Alumni Members
Serjio Brereda, Beta Nu (Houston)
Serjio is an avid nonprofit professional in the Greater Houston area. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science from the University of Houston, with a focus in Nonprofit Management and earning his Certified Nonprofit Professional credentials with their Nonprofit Leadership Alliance program. He has been in the sector for over five years, working in a variety of nonprofits, from local to national organizations in various capacities. Currently, Serjio is serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation where he creates awareness for the Foundation and their initiatives. The Foundation serves the Houston community to address the literacy crisis and to advance the literacy legacy of Mrs. Barbara Bush.
Serjio is an active member with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) of Greater Houston, serving on a few committees, and he also sits on the AFP Global Collegiate Support Committee. He is the current Treasurer for a local nonprofit, NORMAL TO BE FIT® Charitable Foundation, whose mission is to promote fitness among people with disabilities.
Rick Berk, Alpha Upsilon (Drexel)
Rick joined Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in 1995 and was appointed Partner in 2005. Currently the Head of firm wide Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management, he has also served as the Co-Head of the Investor Services Technology Services Division, the Head of Investor Services Product Management, as well as Chief Information Officer and Head of the Firm’s Systems Division.
Prior to joining BBH, Rick was the vice president of global accounts development at ADP BISG, where he was responsible for developing systems and servicing ADP’s largest clients. He also spent several years in the communications technology industry.
Elijah Caldwell, Kappa (UNC-Chapel Hill)
Elijah Caldwell aka “Mocha” hails from the “Tar-Heel State!” He attended UNC-Chapel Hill, where he joined the Kappa Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. Upon graduation, he was the Crew Chief for the 2011 South Route of Journey of Hope. In the fall, he moved to NYC where he began his Master’s at NYU Steinhardt. After the completion of his Master’s Degree, he began his career as a working actor. Elijah has been seen Off-Broadway numerous times, as well as on many concert stages in NYC! Currently, Elijah is still auditioning in the Big Apple and is a Professor of Voice and musical director at Marymount Manhattan College. Also, he is a private musical theater coach, teaches musical theater to children in underrepresented communities and is an advocate for actors of color to receive equal opportunities within the theater.
Phillip Lloyd Hamilton, Theta Delta (Florida International)
Phillip Lloyd Hamilton is an initiate of the Theta Delta chapter at Florida International University (FIU), where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is currently pursuing doctoral study. A member of the 2007 Journey of Hope (North) team and Gear Up Florida in 2008 and 2011, Phillip has served as South Florida Regional Governor, Housing corporation president for both Alpha Chi (Miami) and Theta Delta (FIU), and has sat on the Ability Experience board of directors since 2016. With 15 years in Higher Education, Phillip’s professional experience includes administration in academic affairs, community engagement, human resources, and student affairs.
As the Director of Strategy & Operations in FIU’s Office of Student Access & Success, Phillip works to create opportunities which expand post-secondary educational access to students from historically under-represented and marginalized populations. He has been a member of the university’s Title IX Athletics Compliance Committee since 2017 and was appointed in June 2020 to serve on the university Equity Action Initiative. Phillip is an Associate Faculty Fellow in the FIU Honors College, volunteers as Faculty Advisor for Best Buddies at FIU, served as secretary of the Special Needs Advisory Board for the City of Doral, and is a member of Leadership Florida.
Bradley Ingram, Eta Phi (UMBC)
Bradley Ingram is a strategic communications professional and an initiate of the Eta Phi Chapter at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). At UMBC, Bradley served as the Eta Phi Chapter’s Historian, the Interfraternity Council President, and as a Student Government Senator. Today as an alum and volunteer with the National Fraternity, Bradley serves as a facilitator for the Ladder of Risk and Pi Kapp College programming. Based in the Washington, DC area, Bradley is currently a Public Relations Manager at RP3 Agency, an independent creative agency, where he counsels clients on their corporate communications and media strategies.
Darris Means, Epsilon Alpha (Elon)
Darris R. Means is an associate professor of higher education at the University of Pittsburgh. His research examines how the intersection of racism, classism, heterosexism, spatial inequities, and/or other forms of oppression hinder postsecondary education access and success for minoritized student populations, while exploring the assets, resources, and networks that support postsecondary education access and success for minoritized student populations. His most recent research examines persistence of Black students in science degree programs and postsecondary education access for rural Black students.
Darris has published 20 research articles, and he is the co-editor of Case Studies for Student Development Theory: Advancing Social Justice and Inclusion in Higher Education. He earned his Ph.D. in Educational Research and Policy Analysis with a concentration in higher education from North Carolina State University, M.Ed. in counseling education with a concentration in student affairs from Clemson University, and B.A. in sociology and political science from Elon University. He is currently the Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Rural Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association.
Nick Timmins, Eta Chi (Texas Christian)
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Nick moved to Texas to attend Texas Christian University (TCU). After graduating, he joined Teach For America in Houston in 2008, and taught first grade for two years before moving to Chicago in 2010 to be a founding teacher of a new elementary school. Nick lived in Chicago from 2010-2016, where he taught kindergarten, first grade, and fourth grade and served as a Grade Level Chair, Instructional Chair and Dean. He moved to Denver in the summer of 2016 and is an assistant principal of an elementary school with Denver Public Schools. In his free time, Nick enjoys getting out into the mountains with his dog, Rico.
Andrae Turner, Eta Rho (Texas State)
Andrae is an initiate of the Eta Rho Chapter at Texas State University and currently serves as National Chaplain of Pi Kappa Phi. As a student he served as Warden, IFC Vice President of Judicial Affairs, and IFC President. He was also elected President of the Mid-American Greek Council Association (now known as the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values). Following graduation, Andrae joined the headquarters staff as a Leadership Consultant working on the expansion and growth team. As a volunteer, he has served as a Chapter Advisor, a City Events Coordinator, and as a prevention education program facilitator. In addition to his volunteer roles with Pi Kappa Phi, Andrae has been an active and involved alumnus of Texas State University where he served four consecutive terms on the Board of Directors for the Texas State Alumni Association, holding positions as President, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Immediate Past President.
Andrae holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from Texas State University and master’s degrees in healthcare administration and business administration from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. Andrae is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and lives in Houston, Texas where he is an administrator at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Student Members
Michael Blackwell, Iota Eta (Embry-Riddle)
Michael is Archon of the Iota Eta Chapter at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and moved to San Antonio, Texas where his family resides. I have 3 brothers, with one being a twin, and his family represents a diverse group of fraternities including Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Sigma Lambda Beta, Delta Sigma Theta and more. He is currently studying Aerospace Engineering, graduating in December 2020 and hoping to continue his career with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Herberth Muguruza, Kappa Omicron (UConn)
Herberth Muguruza is a proud member of the Kappa Omicron Chapter at the University of Connecticut. Throughout his life he has been very involved with community service initiatives regarding racial and social justice issues and he has the goal to be part of an organization that continues the fight for justice after college.
Erik Wilson, Omega (Purdue)
Erik Wilson is currently archon of the Omega Chapter at Purdue University, previously serving as Secretary and on the Standards Board. He is a junior studying Computer Engineering with a minor in Economics and a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
This year, he has become much more involved with the national fraternity serving on the Council of Archons, Technology Taskforce, and now the Committee of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion. At school, he is chair of the Computer Society of Purdue’s IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) chapter and previously served as Treasurer of the Interfraternity Council.
Friends & Partners
Leah Howell, Alpha Gamma Delta
Leah Howell currently serves as the Director of Health, Wellness, and Accountability for Alpha Phi International Fraternity, transitioning to this role after nearly two decades of direct experience in post-secondary education. She completed her Ph.D. in Educational Studies, with a focus in Developmental and Learning Sciences, at the University of Cincinnati where her research focused on the intersection of identity development and high-risk alcohol use. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family Studies & Psychology from Central Michigan University. Her functional experience includes work in the Ombuds Office, Student Conduct, Title IX, Disability Support Services, Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Her curriculum development and facilitation experience are diverse, covering topics including academic success, leadership development, sexual violence prevention, harm reduction, and cultural competence. As a proud first-generation college student, she has an affinity for opportunities which allow her to impact the expansion of inclusion and access practices for post-secondary communities. She currently serves Pi Kappa Phi as the Kappa Phi (Loyola – Chicago) Chapter Advisor, an ASTP and Ladder of Risk Facilitator, and has served on faculty for Pi Kapp College for Emerging Leaders.
Jennifer “JJ” Jones, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Jennifer M. Jones is the Executive Director of Student Development at Southern Methodist University where she has been employed for the over 30 years, 16 of those years in various positions within Residence Life and Student Housing. She also served as the SMU NPHC advisor for eight years. She is presently the Immediate Past-President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and has also served as the past National First Vice President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Regional Secretary for the Southwestern Region of NPHC.
Jones has won numerous awards such as the SMU “M” Award, which is the most prestigious award one can receive from the university, the Leadership Consultant Council Outstanding Staff Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Outstanding Faculty/Staff, and the Association of Black Students Outstanding Faculty/Staff award. She became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. at Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas, and is currently a member of the Kappa Zeta Chapter in Dallas, Texas.
Reggie Lane, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Reginald (Reggie) Lane is the Director of Sorority and Fraternity Affairs; he received his bachelors in public health from Western Kentucky University and his masters in counselor education from Mississippi State University. As Director, he oversees the day to day operations of Greek life at the University of Florida and serves as the advisor Panhellenic Council, Black Student Union, and Black Male Excellence Network. Reggie has served as a facilitator for Kappa Alpha Theta’s Emerging Leaders Program, Delta Gamma’s Human Dignity Program, and Pi Kappa Phi’s Emerging Leaders Institute. Most recently, Reggie was awarded the Dr. Tom Shoemaker Advisor of the Year Award by the Southeastern Greek Leadership Association (formerly SEIFC).
Hailey Mangrum, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Hailey Mangrum currently serves as an Organizational Growth Consultant for Phired Up Productions. As a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, she is dedicated to social justice, advocacy, and increasing cultural competence to foster inclusive environments. With experience working on college campuses in leadership programs, fraternity/sorority life, and experiential learning, she is committed to the interpersonal growth and development of students. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Ball State University.
Matt Silver, Sigma Phi Epsilon
Matt Silver is a partner and broker with Corcoran Urban Real Estate and has gained a national reputation as one of the premier real estate brokers in Chicago for his in-depth market knowledge, along with his persistence to close the most prudent deal for his buyers and sellers. Known for his success over the past 21+ years working with high-profile VIPs including major league sports figures, film and media celebrities, and CEOs, Matt maintains the strictest confidentiality and privacy on their behalf while often negotiating news-making deals across Chicago.
With his colleagues at Corcoran Urban, Matt takes pride in offering clients a concierge, one-on-one service, that is unparalleled in the industry, specializing in first-time and resale clients. He believes everyone deserves the finest representation. In addition, Matt created the “Matt Silver Advocacy Endeavor Scholarship” at CAR, assisting minority Women and Men with needed capital to attend CAPCON and the NAR Midyear meetings.
Headquarters Staff Support
Rebecca Curtis, Delta Phi Epsilon
Rebecca’s primary role as Assistant Director of Training & Development is in the planning and managing of logistics for Pi Kapp College for Emerging Leaders and Pi Kapp College for Chapter Officers. In her position, she is most passionate about developing great men into strong leaders for the future.
Rebecca graduated in May of 2019 from Johnson & Wales University Charlotte with her Bachelor of Science in Marketing. While at Johnson & Wales, she was a member of Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, and held the position of Vice President of Membership Development. Through her position she educated new members on the history of the sorority and maintained relationships between alumnae and the chapter.
Rachel Westra, Chi Omega
As Chief Operating Officer, Rachel is primarily responsible for the supervision and oversight of the student experience including New Chapter Development, Chapter Quality & Support, Training & Development and Prevention & Accountability.
A native of Virginia, Rachel was initiated into Chi Omega as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech where she received a bachelor’s degree in communication. After two years of traveling as a National Consultant for Chi Omega, she attended the University of South Carolina where she earned a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs. Following completion of her master’s degree, she worked in fraternity/sorority life at the College of Charleston. In July 2011, Rachel was promoted from Assistant Director to Director of Greek Life at the College. Rachel joined the Pi Kappa Phi staff in October of 2012 as Director of Leadership Development. She was promoted to Assistant Executive Director of Training & Development in 2017.
Tavianna Williams, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Tavianna is primarily responsible for designing and implementing educational curriculum used to train the Fraternity’s students and volunteers as Assistant Executive Director of Training & Development. Additionally, she collaborates with staff members to create useful resources and assess student learning across Fraternity programming. The most rewarding part of her role is when students have their “a-ha” moments as a result of the curriculum.
Tavianna attended Elon University where she was an initiate of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and received a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications. She later attended Clemson University where she earned a master’s degree in higher education-student affairs. Prior to her role with the Fraternity, she served as the Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Virginia Tech.