Faculty and Staff

Elisa Abes, Ph.D.

Elisa Abes, Ph.D. (she/her) has been teaching in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program since 2005 and has served as the Graduate Studies Director for over 10 years. She primarily teaches courses related to college student development theory. In doing so, she uses critical theoretical approaches to re-imagine student development theory to push back against systems of oppression such as ableism, racism, and heterosexism. In her research, she uses critical theories to study the experiences and identities of disabled college students, emphasizing that it is not the disabled students who are the problems to be fixed, but instead, it is ableism in higher education that needs to be dismantled. Recently, she is also studying the identity of Jewish college students in the context of antisemitism. She is the co-editor (with Dr. Susan R. Jones and Dr. D-L Stewart) of Rethinking College Student Development Theory Using Critical Frameworks (Stylus, 2019); editor of Critical Perspectives on Student Development Theory (Jossey Bass, 2016); and co-author (with Dr. Susan R. Jones) of Identity Development of College Students: Advancing Frameworks for Multiple Dimensions of Identity (Jossey Bass, 2013). Prior to teaching at Miami, she taught for two years at the University of South Florida. She was an attorney for four years prior to starting her career as a student affairs faculty member. Student development theory explains much of her career transition. She graduated from The Ohio State University with her bachelor’s degree (1992) and doctorate (2003). She received her law degree from Harvard Law School (1995). She and her partner, Amber, are the mothers of two kind children, Shoshana and Benjamin, ages 16 and 13, and their dog, Billie. She loves to be outside as much as possible, dog walking, running, hiking, biking, gardening, and chasing sunsets.

Erica T. Campbell, Ph.D.

Erica T. Campbell, Ph.D. (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program at Miami University. Prior to her current role, she served as a Heanon Wilkins Faculty Fellow and Visiting Professor at Miami University from 2022 to 2024. She has also worked as a student affairs administrator in multicultural affairs and student activities at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, along with a Certificate in Qualitative Research and College Teaching from the University of Alabama (2022). She also earned an M.S.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University and a B.A. in Marketing with a minor in Family Relationships from Miami University. As an alumna, she is passionate about giving back to her alma mater, supporting students in their educational journeys. Her teaching is grounded in a critical perspective, with a focus on amplifying underrepresented voices. Her research primarily investigates the experiences of Black women multicultural center administrators at historically white institutions, as well as the challenges faced by minoritized students and administrators in higher education. One of her recent projects includes co-editing a book on teaching social justice in qualitative research. She is also actively engaged in campus service, community involvement, and professional organizations such as ASHE, ACPA, NASPA, and AERA. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the 2024 "Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award" from the Miami University College of Education, Health, and Society Dean’s Student Leadership Council. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, mentees, her church community, and her sisters in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She also loves dancing, reading, and binge-watching reality TV shows.

Jayne Brownell, Ed.D.

Jayne Brownell, Ed.D. is the Vice President for Student Life at Miami University. As vice president she leads campus efforts to promote students’ individual engagement and growth, as well as the development of a strong, inclusive community, within a safe learning and living environment. She is also an active participant in all aspects of institution-wide planning and policy development. Jayne has worked in a broad range of areas across student affairs, including academic advising, residential life, leadership development, orientation, student activities, and peer education. Prior to coming to Miami in March 2014, she served as assistant vice president for student affairs at Hofstra University from 2006-2014. Jayne earned her undergraduate degree at Douglass College, Rutgers University, and her master’s and doctoral degrees in student affairs and higher education at Teachers College, Columbia University.