Jazmyne Kellogg

Director
jkello3@illinois.edu

Jazmyne Kellogg is the  Director of the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A native of Homewood, IL, Jazmyne received her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University. She then went on to work for the University of Illinois as an Admissions Counselor in the Chicago Satellite Office. Her passions lie at the intersections of social justice and educational policy. Her experiences navigating the intricacies of the educational system inspired her to pursue a Master’s degree in education policy from the University of Washington. Jazmyne brings a diverse skill set to the institution from program and policy creation, evaluation, implementation and assessment to her uncanny ability to be innovative and create and facilitate workshops.

While serving at BNAACC, she hopes to continue the fight for the visibility, recognition, and celebration of all Black students with the goal to maximize equity, access, and opportunity for them and all Illinois’ students.

Shawn Hampton

Associate Director of Retention & Evaluation
hampton5@illinois.edu

Shawn Hampton is the Associate Director of Retention & Evaluation at the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Growing up in the southern Chicago suburb of Calumet City, Illinois, Shawn is a two-time graduate of the University of Illinois, having earned a B.S. in Psychology and an MBA from Gies. Having worked in healthcare and organ and tissue donation for over 15 years, Shawn returned to Illinois to begin his work in 2018 on a Ph. D in Education Policy, Organization Leadership with a concentration of Diversity and Equity. Shawn brings a dynamic skill set to the center to improve student success, engagement, retention, graduation, and motivation while utilizing culturally responsive evaluation and assessment.

As a proud first-generation college student and a product of the Michael L. Jeffries, Sr. Center for Access and Academic Success, Shawn aims to inspire, empower, and support all students who engage with the center so that their experiences at Illinois are positive and unforgettable.

Daniel Gray-Kontar

Associate Director of Arts & Cultural Programming
dgk50@illinois.edu

Daniel Gray-Kontar is the Associate Director of Arts & Cultural Programming. He is a multi-modal artist, educator, and activist who works at the intersection of the arts, community development, and youth empowerment. As an Afrofuturist, poet, journalist, artist, and consultant, Daniel's work explores themes of identity, social justice, and the power of imagination to create positive change. He is the founder of Twelve Literary Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and developing young writers and artists, and is the former chair of the Literary Arts Department at the Cleveland School of the Arts. Daniel's passion for using art as a tool for creative placekeeping and (re)imagining Black Geographies is evident in all of his endeavors, from his thought-provoking poetry and visual art to his work as an educator and community organizer. He has received awards from The Joyce Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.  

Valeri Nesbitt-Howard

Office Manager
vahoward@illinois.edu

Valeri Nesbitt-Howard, joined the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center (BNAACC) staff in January of 2015 as the Office Support Associate.  She assists with the day-to-day operations of the BNAACC including greeting callers and visitors, purchasing programming supplies, managing the facilities, scheduling  space requests, processing paperwork, and maintaining financial records. Valeri attended Central State University and majored in Communications. Currently in her free time she enjoys spending time with her lovely family as well as her church family, Jericho Missionary Baptist Church, loves traveling, networking, reading,    mentoring and cooking. Val will continue to help build, encourage, and inspire others as they pursue their life journeys. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13