Introducing Clery Center’s National Advisory Council

Clery Center is pleased to announce our inaugural National Advisory Council (NAC). In a decade that has been shaped by a global pandemic and a resurgent civil rights movement, Clery Center sought to bring together a collaborative group of thought leaders in higher education to support our mission of making campuses safer for all. “The NAC is an exciting opportunity for Clery Center to strengthen our connection to the higher education community. It is an honor to have such dedicated and esteemed campus professionals from across the country work alongside us with a shared commitment to ending crime and violence on campus,” said Clery Center Executive Director Jessica Mertz. 

The National Advisory Council models the multidisciplinary approach to campus safety that leads to the most meaningful and sustainable change, and its members are actively serving in various critical roles at institutions. Clery Center directors Sheilah D. Vance and Maureen Rush will serve as board liaisons, sharing the Center’s strategic vision with the NAC and bringing NAC initiatives to the board for support. This inaugural group brings their unique identities, expertise, and lived experiences to help Clery Center identify opportunities for and challenges to institutionalizing a culture of commitment to safety on college campuses. "I am honored and excited to join the Clery Center National Advisory Council. Such a diverse group of distinguished individuals from various fields will give me the opportunity to learn and grow while looking at safety issues from different perspectives," said Joycelyn M. Johnson, Chief of Police for Southern University and A&M College.

Meet the NAC's Inaugural Members:

Dr. Haley Baum Assistant Vice President for Student Advocacy, Belonging & Campus Standards and Dean of Students, Stockton University		Kayla DeCant Project Director for Prevention & Outreach, Lewis University		John Fry President, Drexel University		Dr. Sylvia Gray Senior Director of Equity, Equal Opportunity, & Title IX, Sewanee | The University of the South
Joycelyn M. Johnson Chief of Police, Southern University and A&M College		Hikaru Kozuma Vice Provost for University Life, University of Pennsylvania		Lorena Peñaloza Chief Campus Counsel, University of California, Riverside		Eric Sullivan Director of Campus Safety, Williams College