Susan Hall-Dotson is the Coordinator of African American History for the Indiana Historical Society. In this position she works to collect, preserve, and curator collections and artifacts of Indiana’s African American History. Prior to her arrival to the Indiana Historical Society, Susan was the Director of Community Relations & Curator of Western Reserve Historical Society.

Susan has served in program development, exhibits, and archiving in numerous organizations throughout the Cleveland and Indianapolis communities. From keynote to panelist, Susan can be found educating her community on the impact and need of continued preservation of African American History. With degrees from Boston University and Cleveland State University, Susan has a BA in Communications and Master’s in History. She is also an active member of Indiana Landmark’s African American Committee, The Links, Incorporated and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Following a decade of service to the Madam Walker Legacy Center, in which Sherrell served in many capacities, including the Director of Events & Sales, she developed and produced programs and signature Walker events. She also coordinated rental space to clients hosting various events at the Walker. Her passion to marry arts and culture with entrepreneurship, while advancing the Walker’s namesake legacy. was an exciting challenge she genuinely appreciated.

A native of Gary, Indiana, Sherrell’s relationship with the arts began with her matriculation from Emerson School for the Visual & Performing Arts. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Ball State University majoring in Telecommunications, concentrating in Sales & Promotions, with a minor in Management.

Sherrell has been an active and engaged community member in each city in which she has lived. As a YTeen in high school, she was an active volunteer. While in college, she became a member of Alpha Phi Omega National Co-Ed Service Fraternity, as well as Alpha Kapp Phi National Business Fraternity, serving in leadership capacities for each organization. Following her collegiate graduation, she served as the youngest president of the Muncie Chapter of Indiana Black Expo for two years. Currently, Sherrell is an active member of the Junior League of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Urban League’s young professional affiliate – The Exchange, and Indiana Landmark’s African American Committee.

Sherrell is currently the Chaos Coordinator for Minor 2 Minor Details, as well as a consultant for SCR Event Management & Consulting.

Karyn Williams is a Project Manager for Critical Infrastructure Operations supporting the Distribution, Transmission and Renewable Control Centers across Duke Energy’s enterprise.  She is responsible for managing projects to deliver Information Technology solutions necessary to control and operate the electrical power grid. 

She acts as an employee ambassador and a diversity advocate for Duke Energy throughout the Central Indiana community and a member of the Duke IT Diversity and Inclusion Council. She is currently serving as Community Outreach Director of the American Association of Blacks in Energy-Indiana Chapter, and a founding board member organizing the first state-wide conference for Women IN Energy each fall.  She has previously served as a United Way Ambassador, the Chair for Duke Energy’s Advocates for African-Americans Employee Resource Group, Local Arrangements Committee Coordinator for the 103rd ASALH National Conference, and been a volunteer tutor for 2nd-3rd grade Wayne Township students in their Helping One Student To Succeed reading program for the last 12 years.

Karyn attended high school at William A. Wirt in Gary, Indiana, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Butler University, a Masters of Project Management from ITT Graduate Division and is a Certified Scrum Master.  She resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dr. Leslie K. Etienne is the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Africana Studies and Culture, as well as the Director of the Africana Studies program, and Clinical Associate Professor at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI). He earned a Bachelor

Arts in Psychology from Philander Smith College, a Masters degree in International Affairs and Development from Clark Atlanta
University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Change from Antioch University, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from IUPUI. His research interests are frameworks for Black emancipatory education, Black internationalism, Black cultural production, museum education, and
historical and contemporary manifestations of Black radical and intellectual traditions.

Dr. Etienne is also the founding Managing Director of the Africana Repertory Theater of IUPUI, serves as Project Director of
the IUPUI/Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School, and in 2018 co-curated Remember 1968, an exhibit
that highlights a timeline of the year 1968, focusing on six overlapping areas that parallel present day issues on college campuses: Gun Violence, Freedom of Speech, Student Activism, Global/Local Resistance, Patriotism, and Organizing.

Dr. Monroe H. Little, Jr. graduated from Denison University (Cum Laude) in 1967.  Recipient of a Rockefeller Fellowship in Afro-American studies, he received his Ph.D. in History and Afro-American Studies from Princeton University in 1977.  His research interests include African American education, the history of higher education, World War II and 20th century African American history.  

Dr. Little has published numerous articles and reviews in the Journal of African American History, Locus, Reviews in American History, Western Journal of Black Studies, Indiana Magazine of History, Journal of Interdisciplinary History, Harvard Educational Review, and Ohio History.  His teaching career includes four years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a one year visiting professorship at the Pennsylvania State University. He served more than thirty years as a member of the History Department and Director of Africana Studies at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.  Dr. Little is currently retired with an emeritus status at IUPUI.

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Anthony Conley is the Grants Compliance Manager at the Edna Martin Christian Center; in which they bridge cultural, racial, and economic differences in order to support and nurture people in the community. Prior to this role, Anthony served as the Academic Advisor at Purdue University Global, which followed his 10+ year position as a professor at Ivy Tech of U.S., African American, and World History.

With a Master’s and Bachelors degree in American History, both from Ball State University, Anthony has been an involved community member in various organizations and associations in which he can share his knowledge. As a founding member of the Joseph Taylor Branch of ASALH, he has been instrumental in advancing and advocating the full American History spectrum.