Howard University

LaTrease E. Garrison, the Chief Operating Officer of the American Chemical Society, received her BS in chemistry from Howard University and completed her MBA degree at Strayer University where her research focused on succession planning for the non-profit organization. She received her certificate in diversity and inclusion from Cornell University. She joined ACS in 1992 as a Program Assistant for Chemical & Engineering News magazine. In 1996 she moved to the Education Division where she held several positions including Senior Program Manager of Undergraduate Programs. In 2005 Ms. Garrison was appointed to the position of Special Assistant to the Director of the Education Division. She previously served as the Assistant Director of the Member Communities/ Department of Volunteer Support and Director of the Administrative and Programmatic Technology group and the Professional Advancement Team. LaTrease was the Executive Vice President for Education from 2016—2020 and Executive Vice President for ACS Education, Membership and Scientific Advancement from 2020-2022. She has served as staff liaison to various ACS Committees and Task Forces and is a trained facilitator for courses within the ACS Leadership Development System. In her current role LaTrease provides strategic direction and oversight for the Washington Information Technology unit; the Office of Philanthropy; ACS Membership; ACS Education; ACS Scientific Advancement; Meetings and Events; and global society engagement. LaTrease is a Co-Principal Investigator, NSF INCLUDES Alliance: Inclusive Graduate Education Network (NSF 1834545) where the ACS Bridge Project was established to increase the number of underrepresented students receiving PhDs in the chemical sciences. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the American Chemical Society, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers and an active volunteer at her church.

Dr. Ashley Marie Taylor-Jackson is the Scientific Communications Lead for Mielle-Procter & Gamble in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Ashley attended Winston-Salem State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 2012. In fall of 2012, Dr. Ashley joined the Department of Chemistry as a Doctoral student at Louisiana State University and A&M College defended and completed her master’s degree in chemistry at LSU in 2015. She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in analytical chemistry with a specialty in nanoscience/nanotechnology from LSU in Fall of 2017. In her current role, Dr. Ashley is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing comprehensive scientific education and training programs for our employees, external partners, and consumers for Mielle. She works in an environment where she is responsible for developing holistic Black Hair Care Solutions through in depth understanding of consumer, product, package and technology, in partnership with multi-functional peers for Mielle. Her experience comes from previously driving the project direction and decision making based on the consumer learning and insights from the project level learning plans, and competitive landscape and business environment understanding for My Black is Beautiful and Pantene Gold Series. Dr. Ashley is also responsible for communicating the science behind hair for the entire P&G haircare category including brands such as Aussie, Head & Shoulders, Pantene, and Herbal Essences to develop credible relationships with global household retailers.

Christina Bennett, PhD is a Publisher in the Publications Division at the American Chemical Society. She helps lead the strategy and editorial management of ACS’s ~90 journals. Before joining ACS, she served as the Publications Director of Policy in the Publications Division at the American Physiological Society. In that role, she was responsible for analyzing and addressing the ethics concerns that arose in the 16 journals and provided guidance on best practice in publication ethics and policy. Prior to joining the APS, Christina was a post-doctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, and taught human physiology as an Adjunct Professor in the Biology Department at American University, Washington, D.C.  She received her PhD in Molecular and Integrative Physiology at the University of Michigan and her BS in Biochemistry/Minor in Bioethics at the University of Virginia. Christina is an active contributor in the publishing and research integrity community. She’s served on a working group between Research Integrity Officers, Institution Legal Counsel, and Publishers to identify ways to better work together on research integrity issues.  She is currently serving on a STM working group for Image Alteration and Data Duplication to provide resources to the publishing industry that support better detection of image concerns. Christina is also faculty for the CSE short-course on Publication Ethics.

Mahalia Randle, Senior Program Manager at the American Chemical Society (ACS), empowers the next generation of chemistry professionals through her leadership of scholarship and award programs such as Project SEED, LEADS, and Leader Scholars. She actively facilitates professional development workshops for undergraduate and graduate students in chemistry education. As a certified facilitator for the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER), Mahalia is dedicated to fostering effective research mentorship. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member in Career Services at George Mason University, providing practical guidance to students on resume building, securing internships, and navigating the job market. Her previous experience includes roles at the College Success Foundation and as an academic advisor for honors students. Mahalia holds degrees from Langston University (BA in Arts in English) and Northern Arizona State University (MEd in Educational Leadership).

Raised in Misawa, Japan, Kierra Tobiere now resides in Washington, D.C., working full-time in digital marketing with over eight years of experience. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Howard University, where she gained brand content management experience as a fashion blogger and content specialist. Kierra recently graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Arts in Communications in Digital Strategy from the University of Florida. Kierra has worked for a small impact marketing consulting firm and currently manages digital and print revenue marketing for the American Chemical Society. As a Senior Revenue & Content Marketing Manager, she plans and executes marketing campaigns to drive revenue growth and lead generation. She collaborates closely with sales, customer success, and data teams to engage prospects and customers, aiming to increase revenue across her sales product portfolio.