Our Team
Equity and Access Services at VCU includes teams focused on the Americans with Disabilities Act; equal opportunity and affirmative action; the protection of minors on campus and responding to allegations of prohibited conduct under Title IX.
Leadership
Accessibility and ADA Services
Hunter Lacy
ADA specialist
(804) 828-1347
lacyjh@vcu.edu
Hunter Lacy (he/him) helps employees navigate the process of seeking reasonable accommodations in their place of work and educates the campus community regarding inclusive practices for individuals with disabilities and compliance with ADA, federal, state, and university policies. He previously worked as a Coordinator of Inclusion and Support Services, where he facilitated the accommodations process and fostered an inclusive environment for all individuals to thrive in. Hunter received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with a Minor in Disability Studies, from James Madison University.
Katy Washington, J.D., Ph.D.
Chief accessibility officer, serving as the ADA/Section 504 coordinator
(804) 827-0749
washingtonk8@vcu.edu
Katy Washington (she/her) ensures the appropriate policies, processes and resources are in place across the university in compliance with laws directly impacting equal access and inclusion of individuals with disabilities; serves as the University’s ADA/Section 504 Coordinator; and provides guidance, consultation, and collaboration with workgroups and campus partners to provide an innovative approach to proactively removing physical and digital barriers to equal access. She brings more than 18 years of higher education disability services and compliance experience with her. She graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology then went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Compliance Operations
Frances Miller
Administrative assistant
(804) 828-1347
millerfm@vcu.edu
Sara Roan
EAS senior specialist
(804) 827-9987
sroan@vcu.edu
Sara Roan (she/her) provides compliance project management and operations support for EAS. She has been with EAS since 2015, working extensively with three areas within the unit (Title IX, Equal Opportunity, and ADA). Sara graduated from the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New School with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts.
Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action Programs
Kimberly Cain, J.D.
Director, EEO and affirmative action programs
(804) 828-1347
cainkc@vcu.edu
Kimberly Cain (she/her) ensures compliance with legal and institutional requirements related to nondiscrimination; develops, facilitates, and monitors university-wide training programs, education campaigns, and activities related to Equal Employment Opportunities/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) laws and regulations; and leads the operationalization of the University's Affirmative Action Plan to enhance recruitment, retention, and workforce development. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Old Dominion University and her Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School.
Alazzia Hasty, J.D.
Civil rights investigator
(804) 828-1347
hastya@vcu.edu
Alazzia Hasty (she/her) serves as a third-party fact finder, investigating allegations of discrimination with neutrality, as they relate to Equal Opportunity and Employment Equity. She previously worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Criminal Appeals Division of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Chicago, IL. She has also clerked for the Federal Aviation Administration in the Office of Chief Counsel, Employment and Labor Law Division. Alazzia graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and from North Carolina Central University with a Master of Arts in English Literature. She received her Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University’s School of Law.
Shannon Papalia
Civil rights case coordinator
(804) 828-7435
papalias@vcu.edu
Shannon Papalia (she/her) assists the EAS team in intake and assessment of potential cases of discrimination. She previously worked as a Community Health Worker at Greater Portland Health, a health center in Portland, Maine where she coordinated resources for underserved populations and worked to remove barriers to healthcare in order to promote health equity and inclusion. Shannon received a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Sciences from the University of Connecticut and is currently enrolled in a Masters of Public Health in Population Mental Health and Wellbeing program at the Colorado School of Public Health Online.
David Thornton
Civil rights investigator
(804) 828-1347
thorntond4@vcu.edu
Protection of Minors
Claire Becker, M.A. Ed.
Training and compliance manager
(804) 828-2841
beckerc3@vcu.edu
Claire Becker (she/her) coordinates compliance of VCU's Safety and Protection of Minors on Campus policy by monitoring registration and compliance of activities involving minors, as well as providing training and technical assistance. She was previously a teacher and coach in Chesterfield County before working at Richard Bland College in Admissions. Claire graduated from William & Mary with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Kinesiology, as well as a Master of Arts in Education.
Title IX
India Brown
Civil rights investigator
(804) 828-1347
brownin@vcu.edu
India Brown (she/her) investigates allegations of prohibited conduct related to VCU's Title IX and Sex-Based Misconduct policies. Prior to joining EAS, she worked in the VCU Police Department for over a decade. India graduated from VCU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts degree in African American Studies.
Dana V. King, MSW
Title IX outreach, support, and informal resolution specialist
(804) 828-1347
vandervelded@vcu.edu
Dana V. King (she/her) supports the intake and informal resolution processes for VCU's Title IX and Sex-Based Misconduct policies. Dana graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Master of Social Work and a Graduate Gender Violence Intervention Certificate.
Beth Paris, Ph.D.
Civil rights investigator
(804) 828-3932
eparis2@vcu.edu
Beth Paris (she/her) investigates allegations of prohibited conduct related to VCU's Title IX and Sex-Based Misconduct policies. From prior roles in Residence Life and Student Conduct, she brings a decade of experience working with students on university campuses to this role. Beth graduated from University of Central Florida with Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees and earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Justice at VCU.
Melanie Pringle
Title IX case coordinator
(804) 828-1347
pringlem@vcu.edu
Melanie Pringle (she/her) manages the life cycle of Title IX and Sex-Based Misconduct cases to ensure statutory compliance. She has previously worked for government and nonprofit agencies that prioritize connecting marginalized populations with supportive resources to advance equity and justice. Melanie graduated from Guilford College with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music and Spanish and from UNC-Greensboro with a Master of Arts degree in Women's and Gender Studies.
Elizabeth Scott-Francis, Ed.D.
Title IX coordinator and director of outreach and support
(804) 828-1347
scottfranceh@vcu.edu
Elizabeth Scott-Francis (she/her) is responsible for coordinating VCU's efforts to comply with obligations under Title IX, including response to all allegations of prohibited conduct defined in the university’s Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy - Interim and Sex-Based Misconduct Policy - Interim. She brings over a decade of Title IX administration and student affairs experience with her. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a Master of Education degree in Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education then went on to receive her Doctorate in Education in Leadership and Policy in Organizations (Higher Education) from Vanderbilt University.