A new group of female employees has been selected to participate in the 2024 Women’s Staff Leadership Institute.

The program was launched in 2017 by UGA University’s Human Resources Department with support from the Office of the President and has run annually since its inception.

The Women’s Staff Leadership Institute is administered by the Learning and Development Division of the University’s Human Resources Department. The program is supported by Jennifer L. Frum, vice president for public service and outreach, as the primary sponsor, and is directed by Emily Saunders, lecturer in public service at the UGA JW Fanning Institute for Leadership Development.

“Leadership development is critical to an organization’s success,” said Juanita Hicks, vice president of human resources. “As we welcome a new class, we look forward to providing Institute members with opportunities to develop their leadership skills, expand their professional networks and explore new horizons for professional growth.”

“Enhancing the leadership opportunities of our female staff enriches the entire university,” Frum said. “The Women’s Staff Leadership Institute cultivates future leaders who will drive the university’s success and impact. I am grateful for the continued support of UGA leadership and their tireless commitment to workforce development.”

The 2024 class begins on August 28 and runs until March; participants meet monthly for workshops and discussions.

The members of the Class of 2024 are:

Shari Crandall

Shari CrandallDirector of University Residence Life Programs and Services. With over 15 years of experience in University Residence Life, Crandall has been instrumental in shaping the student housing experience. She has served in her role since 2021 and also brings experience in multicultural affairs, leadership and service, and student affairs assessment. Crandall holds a doctorate in higher education from the University of Florida, a master’s degree in higher education from Florida State University, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Ching-Yu Huang

Ching-Yu Huangassistant director for active learning initiatives at the Center for Teaching and Learning. Huang oversees the development and implementation of active learning instructional development programs to build a culture of active learning in teaching and learning at UGA. Huang received her Ph.D. in soil ecology from UGA’s Odum School of Ecology in 2008 and conducted her postdoctoral research at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has taught introductory and upper-level biology courses in a variety of formats (i.e., in-person, online, hybrid, small and large lectures). With 14 years of teaching experience, she specializes in active learning, educational technology, and inclusive teaching. Prior to joining UGA in 2022, Huang was an assistant professor of biology at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she also served as the Provost’s Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Teaching from 2019 to 2021.

Cassie Ann Kiggen

Cassie Ann KiggenChief of Communications for the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and UGA Cooperative Extension. As a member of the CAES’ senior leadership team, Kiggen is responsible for developing and implementing internal and external strategic communications plans for CAES and UGA Cooperative Extension’s 159 district offices. She oversees CAES’ brand content strategy and directs multimedia marketing campaigns to amplify the college’s research, teaching and outreach efforts. She manages a dynamic team of communications and public relations professionals responsible for producing and delivering creative storytelling opportunities to best showcase CAES’ global influence to key stakeholders. Kiggen graduated from the University of Georgia’s Morehead Honors College with bachelor’s degrees in International Affairs and Spanish. She completed her MA in International Communications with specializations in Strategic Communication and Intercultural Leadership from American University’s School of International Service.

Nicole Moon

Nicole MoonAssistant Treasurer for Student Accounts Services and Accounts Receivable. Moon joined the University of Georgia in 2004 and remained in the Treasurer and Financial Services Department for over 19 years. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing the accounting and operational functions within Student Accounts Services and Accounts Receivable, including the student and non-student accounts receivable cycle, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and University System of Georgia regulations and policies related to financial aid and accounts receivable, business process improvements, reporting requirements, and data analysis. Moon leads a team of 19 highly skilled accounting professionals and assistants. She serves as the Accounts Receivable Manager and Banner Accounts Receivable Subject Matter Expert on the UGA Student Operational Team. She is a member of the UGA Student Accounts Advisory Board, USG Regents Advisory Committee on Accounts Receivable, USG Purge Reporting Subcommittee, and USG Fee Proration Subcommittee. Moon holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting and is pursuing her CPA license.

Studio portrait of Takenya Moore.

Takenya Mooreassistant director for faculty affairs in the Office of Faculty Affairs. Moore began this role in May and manages faculty appointment processes, maintains partnerships with faculty affairs liaisons in hiring and appointment units across campus, and is instrumental in developing new processes and improving current processes for faculty appointments. She works closely with the chief operating officer and the assistant provost for faculty affairs on policy, procedure, and compliance issues. Moore began working at UGA in 2019 and was previously the human resources manager in the Mary Frances Early College of Education, where she advised and assisted faculty and staff on personnel matters, promotion processes, and workforce planning and recruiting.

Studio portrait of Brittany Rider

Brittany RiderDirector of Parent Giving in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR). Rider has been a member of DAR for nine years, starting as a stewardship coordinator in the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations before working closely with the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program. She joined the Parent Giving team in 2020 as a major gift officer. Rider has also served as an academic advisor in the Mary Frances Early College of Education and as a graduate assistant in sports communications with the UGA Athletic Association. Rider holds a Bachelor of Science in health and exercise science from Wake Forest University and a Master of Science in kinesiology from the University of Georgia.

Lindsay Robinson

Lindsay Robinsonassistant director of design in the Department of Marketing and Communications. Robinson joined the university in 2006 as a design intern and now leads an expert team of graphic designers dedicated to advancing UGA’s marketing and communications initiatives. She leads the conception, design, and production of a range of print and digital materials, striving to advance the university’s strategic goals through compelling visual storytelling. In addition to managing brand guidelines and creative content for UGA’s Department of Marketing and Communications and several units across campus, Robinson is the lead designer for the university’s flagship alumni publication, Georgia Magazine. Robinson is also a “Triple Dawg” with an MA in emerging media, an MPA, and an ABJ in public relations.

Shelly Terrazas

Shelly TerrazasDirector of Finance and Human Resources in the Office of Research. Terrazas joined the university in 2018 and has served as director of finance and administration in the School of Public and International Affairs. Terrazas has served in her current role since 2022. Her responsibilities include overseeing financial affairs, developing the budget, improving operational and strategic processes, and managing the unit’s human resources. Prior to joining UGA, Terrazas held positions at Emory University, the Carter Center, and Georgia Tech, where she worked in international program development with a focus on public health interventions. She earned an MBA with a concentration in health administration from Georgia State University, an MS in international affairs from Georgia Tech, and a BA in international relations from Centre College.

Olivia Holt-Williams

Olivia Holt-Williamsboard-certified veterinary technician and nursing service manager at the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Williams holds a degree in veterinary technology from Columbus State Community College. After graduating, she began her career as a nurse in the equine intensive care unit and emergency critical care unit at the Galbreath Equine Center at The Ohio State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. In 2007, she was promoted to service coordinator; a position she held until 2013, when she moved to Athens. In 2015, she began working full-time at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital as a large animal nursing service manager. In 2019, she began her current role, where she oversees a staff of approximately 200 veterinary professionals responsible for more than 35,000 patient cases per year. In addition, she manages hospital operations related to patient care and safety and represents the nursing staff on the hospital board of directors.

Jennifer Willis

Jennifer WillisAdministrative Finance Manager for the Archway Partnership. Willis began her career at UGA in 2008, working at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel as a senior accounting technician and later rose to the position of business manager. She has held her current role at the Archway Partnership since 2021 and is responsible for the department’s business and financial operations in the areas of human resources, payroll, budgeting, accounting and purchasing. She is also a member of the department’s leadership team and the unit’s business affairs team. She holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Albany State University and a Masters in business administration from Georgia Southern University. Additionally, Willis began the final year of the College Business Management Institute offered by the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers (SACUBO) in July.