About the Speakers

• Panel 1 – Accountability in Action: Legal Consequences for Hazing in Louisiana

  Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill stands at the forefront of the state’s legal landscape, wielding her expertise and unwavering dedication to defend the rule of law and protect the rights of its citizens. With a career spanning over three decades in both state and federal government, Liz has emerged as a respected figure known for her sharp legal mind, fierce advocacy, and deep commitment to justice.

  Born in New Orleans and raised in Lafayette, Liz’s Louisiana roots run eight generations deep. She was instilled with a profound sense of community and service from an early age, values that would shape her future endeavors. After graduating from Lafayette High School, Liz pursued her passion for knowledge at Louisiana State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism. Her academic journey continued at LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law School, where she obtained her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 1991.

  Following her graduation, Liz embarked on a remarkable legal career marked by a relentless pursuit of justice and a steadfast commitment to serving her fellow Louisianians. She began her professional journey by clerking in federal court for U.S. District Judge Frank J. Polozola and later for First Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Melvin Shortess, gaining invaluable insight into the inner workings of the legal system.

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  EBR District Attorney Hillar Moore III, serves East Baton Rouge and the 19th Judicial Court from a people-first position that prioritizes public safety while modernizing prosecution practices for the welfare of everyone involved in criminal justice investigations. Drawing on over 40 years of experience with the legal system, Hillar Moore values collaboration at all levels to prevent crime, enhance public safety, and strengthen community infrastructure. Evidenced by his presence at every crime scene and open invitation to meet with citizens to hear their concerns, Hillar’s tireless work ethic and compassion for survivors guide his actions as a prosecutor, victim’s advocate, and public servant.

  Since taking office in 2009, Hillar has confronted complex, deeply rooted threats to children, women, and families, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and opioid addiction. Under his leadership, the DA’s Office spearheads several ongoing initiatives like Stop the Loss and TRUCE, which employ innovative and non-traditional methods to identify abusers, reduce violence, and save lives. When faced with a steep rise in homicide and opioid-related deaths, Hillar successfully secured grant funding to help law enforcement officers to conduct more thorough investigations, gather covert intelligence, and collect and report uniform data of drug related violent crime, thereby enabling them to build more substantial and effective cases against drug dealers. He continuously fosters inter-agency collaboration and cultivates the necessary cross-sector partnerships with community stakeholders at all levels to identify issues plaguing the community and to respond with innovative and effective solutions. As such, Hillar has transformed the Office’s conventional role in the community and expanded its impact beyond prosecution in the courtroom to encompass numerous sustained investments in the community it serves.

  While in private practice, Hillar recognized that expungement could significantly improve citizens’ employment prospects and their family’s future for those citizens who carry a criminal record. Staffed by volunteers from the DA’s Office and other local agencies, the Baton Rouge Easy Expungement Screening (BREES) program aims to streamline the often arduous and expensive process.

  Following the tragic loss in 2017 of Max Gruver, who died while pledging at the Louisiana State University chapter of Phi Delta Theta, Hillar sought to clarify legislation surrounding the prosecution of hazing, leading to the Max Gruver Act. The act created a felony hazing

  Driven by a passion for public service, Liz held several key positions within state government, including serving as Executive Counsel to Governor Bobby Jindal and the Commissioner of Administration. However, it was her groundbreaking role as Louisiana’s first Solicitor General that truly set her apart as a legal trailblazer. In this capacity, Liz demonstrated unparalleled leadership and legal acumen, representing the state’s interests in complex legal matters and advocating for the enforcement of the law at the federal level.

  Throughout her tenure as Solicitor General, Liz emerged as a fierce defender of Louisiana’s sovereignty and constitutional rights. She argued five cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and served as lead counsel in over 35 cases challenging federal overreach, ranging from attacks on religious liberty to COVID-19 mandates. Her track record of success in defending Louisiana’s interests on the national stage earned her widespread acclaim and cemented her reputation as a formidable advocate for justice.

  In 2024, Liz Murrill made history as she was sworn in as Louisiana’s first female Attorney General, a testament to her enduring commitment to public service. In this new role, Liz has continued to champion the causes she holds dear, leading the charge in preserving Louisiana’s unique way of life and safeguarding the rights of its citizens.

  charge if a victim dies or is seriously injured and instituted state-wide hazing definitions, penalties, and prevention education. Under the previous law, hazing was considered a misdemeanor and was outlined in one sentence. Hazing is now considered a felony if a victim dies or is seriously injured.

  Now in his third term, Hillar Moore leads one of the most diverse offices in the nation. Firmly woven into the fabric of East Baton Rouge, Hillar regularly volunteers with the: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center’s Celebrity Waiter, Junior League of Baton Rouge’s Touch-a-Truck, Toys for Tots, NAACP, Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response, St. Vincent De Paul’s Turkey Carving Contest, 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge, and many others. Hillar Moore’s consistent and vigorous action demonstrates that he is more interested in building community than building cases.

• Panel 2 – Tradition Reimagined: National Best Practices for Building Community Without Hazing

  Jill Maurer is Assistant Director of the University of Virginia’s Gordie Center, which works to end hazing and substance misuse among college and high school students nationwide through evidence-informed, student-tested resources. She plays an integral role in Gordie Center program creation and educational product development. Jill has a B.A. in psychology from the University of Virginia and regularly speaks at national conferences, colleges, high schools, and community groups as an expert in hazing prevention, alcohol overdose prevention, peer education, and bystander intervention. She currently serves on the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery’s Training Advisory Committee.

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  Dr. Stevan J. Veldkamp is the executive director of the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research at Penn State, where he researches strategies to empower students to prevent hazing, hazardous drinking, and violence. With 30 years of experience in higher education, he specializes in student development, prevention, and accountability strategies. Veldkamp earned his doctorate in higher education and student affairs from Indiana University.

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  Dr. Toya Barnes Teamer, CEO of Teamer Strategy Group, LLC., brings more than 30 years of experience in organizational effectiveness, strategic planning, board & staff development, coaching, strategic enrollment management, student success, engagement & impact, research, assessment and evaluation. Barnes-Teamer provides expertise in federal, state and system-level research, policy, and cross sector collaboration. Prior to starting her own firm, she was a Principal at a DC-based firm having served in leadership roles at 4-Year Private and Public Institutions, Community and Technical Colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Barnes-Teamer holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Loyola University and a Ph.D. from the University of New Orleans.

• Panel 3 – Charting the Future: How Higher Education Leaders Can Drive Culture, Safety, and Community

  President Dr. Monty Sullivan was selected as the fourth President of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System in February 2014. Prior to being selected president, he served as Chancellor of Delgado Community College in New Orleans. He also served as Executive Vice President for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Before joining the LCTCS, Sullivan served as Vice Chancellor for Academic Services and Research for the Virginia Community College System.

  Monty is married to Kelley Miles Sullivan, a Registered Nurse and a graduate of John Tyler Community College. The couple has four daughters.

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  Interim President Dr. Matt Lee is the former vice president for agriculture and dean of the LSU College of Agriculture. He earned an associate degree from Dutchess Community College in 1992 and a bachelor’s degree in sociology and philosophy from the State University of New York at New Paltz in 1994. He received his master’s degree and Ph.D. in sociology from LSU in 1996 and 1999 respectively. He also attended the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard University in 2012.

  Lee began his career as a tenure-track faculty member in sociology at Mississippi State University, where he was affiliated with the Rural Health, Safety and Security Institute. After five years of service, he was recruited back to LSU and later promoted to full professor in the sociology department in 2008. A criminologist and public health scholar with expertise in rural crime, community resilience and community public health patterns, Lee has published more than 60 peer-reviewed scholarly papers and has dozens of other publications. His funding portfolio includes a National Science Foundation CAREER award focusing on rural crime and serving as the institutional lead on the $9 million multi-institutional Consortium for Resilient Gulf Communities project funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. He is the recipient of several research recognitions and scholarly honors society memberships.

  Prior to joining the AgCenter and College of Ag, he served as interim executive vice president and provost of LSU, vice provost for academic programs and support services, and senior associate vice president in the Office of Research & Economic Development. In addition, he has served in a leadership capacity on statewide committees and task forces responsible for addressing crucial educational and research issues in Louisiana. During his tenure as executive vice president and provost, the university set various enrollment records and an institutional record for research awards. As vice provost, many of the academic support units reporting to Lee broke university achievement records and received national awards and distinctions.

  Lee was born and raised in Columbus, Nebraska, and is married to Dr. Margaret “Mimi” Singer Lee.

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  President Dennis Shields serves as the president of the Southern University System and chancellor of Southern University and A&M College.

  As president-chancellor of the only system of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States, he is charged with the administrative oversight of five campuses in Louisiana — Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Southern University at New Orleans, Southern University Shreveport, Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, and Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Baton Rouge.

  Committed to diversity, Shields has spent most of his career advocating for better access to higher education, especially for those who have been historically underrepresented. His leadership philosophy is based on four principles: focus on the core mission of the institution through active engagement with all constituencies in furthering that mission; investment in the institution’s human capital to aid and support the achievement of the mission; and operational and substantive transparency and accountability.

  Under Shields’ leadership, each Southern University campus continues to advance, support, and promote economic, cultural, and workforce development initiatives that bring benefits beyond the borders of the great state of Louisiana. He identifies that the critical role of a leader is to purposefully crystalize the System and campuses’ priorities and strategies into a unified, understandable plan and to coordinate its execution. This includes specifically aligning the strategic plans of each campus within the Southern University System. Additional priorities are to improve the student experience, enhance community engagement, and have intentional and robust engagement with external stakeholders.

  A native of Iowa, Shields earned his undergraduate degree in business from Graceland College (now Graceland University) in Lamoni, Iowa, and his juris doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law.

  With more than 40 years of serving higher education institutions, Shields’ professional career roles include chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and vice president of student affairs at The City College of New York. He has also held administrative positions in admissions at the University of Iowa College of Law, University of Michigan Law School, Duke University School of Law, and teaching and deanship positions at the Phoenix School of Law.

  Shields has chaired the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division III and served on the Board of Trustees of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), where he participated on its steering committee, taught at its annual Summer Institute, and served as a mentor to its Millennium Protégés. He is also a former member of the Board of Trustees of Graceland University.

  President Shields is married and is the father of three adult sons.

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  President Dr. Rick Gallot was named president of the University of Louisiana System on October 25, 2023, after serving seven years as the 10th president of Grambling State University. Before that, he served one term as a member of the Louisiana State Senate, three terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives, and one term on the Grambling City Council. Gallot graduated from Grambling State University with a bachelor’s degree in history and earned his juris doctorate from the Southern University School of Law in Baton Rouge. He recently earned his doctorate from Southeastern University. He attended the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Gallot was inducted into the Grambling State University Alumni Hall.

  Gallot was inducted into the Grambling State University Alumni Hall of Fame and the Southern Law School Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of the 2017 HBCUGrow “Best Leadership Award” during his first year as president of Grambling State University. He is an active member of New Living Word Ministries in Ruston, LA, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the Committee of 100 for Economic Development, an influential, independent, non-governmental business roundtable of Louisiana senior corporate executives and university leaders. Gallot has been a licensed attorney for 32 years and serves on the board of directors of Cleco Corporation, an electric utility company headquartered in Pineville, and the Board of Directors of Origin Bank located in Ruston. President Gallot is married to the former Christy Cox, and they have four sons.

• Keynote – It’s Complicated: The Rhetoric and Reality of Greek Life

  A native of Atlanta, Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough was his high school salutatorian and student body president and went on to earn degrees from the University of Georgia, Miami University in Ohio, and a doctorate in higher education from Georgia State University. He has enjoyed a fulfilling career in student affairs, serving at Emory University, Georgia State University, Old Dominion University, and Albany State University. In October of 2004, at the age of 37, he was named the 12th president of Philander Smith College. In 2012, he became the 7th president of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and served for ten years. Presentl,y he serves as the interim president of Talladega College.

  Prior to Talladega, Kimbrough spent two years experiencing an “intermission,” exploring a range of professional experiences. He served as the inaugural Rutgers University Center for Minority Serving Institutions President-In-Residence, interim executive director of the Black Men’s Research Institute at Morehouse College, and as Executive-In-Residence for the University of Southern California Race and Equity Center.

  Kimbrough has been recognized for his research and writings on HBCUs and African American men in college. Recently, he has emerged as one of the leaders discussing free speech on college campuses. Kimbrough has also been noted for his active use of social media. He was cited by Education Dive as one of 10 college presidents on Twitter who are doing it right (@HipHopPrez) and named by The Best Schools.org as one of the 20 most interesting college presidents. In 2023, College Cliffs named him as one of the 55 Top U.S. College and University Presidents. In early 2022, he was appointed by President Joseph Biden to the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs.

  Dr. Kimbrough has forged a national reputation as an expert on fraternities and sororities, with specific expertise regarding historically Black, Latin, and Asian groups. He is the author of the book, Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities, and has served as an expert witness in a number of hazing cases.