SBCTC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team Members
Meet our team!
Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Open
Melissa Williams (she/her)
Policy Associate
Melissa is a Pacific Northwest native from the Portland/Vancouver area, the traditional territories of the Multnomah, Cowlitz, and Chinook peoples. She is Black-White biracial. Her mother’s family of educators and engineers hails from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Her father’s family is rooted in Texas where they were enslaved and then forged lives as sharecroppers and farmers after emancipation.
Melissa earned an A.A. from Clark College, a B.A. in History from the University of Washington, and an M.A. in Public History from Washington State University with a concentration in African American and social history. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at Portland State University. Melissa’s professional journey in higher education began in 2005; she has held several student services positions. Before joining the State Board, she served as Director of Student Equity and Inclusion at Clark College.
Outside of work, Melissa is often invited to provide diversity, equity, and inclusion training for institutions, organizations, churches, and businesses. Additionally, her passion for history inspires her to participate in local history projects and to speak to various audiences about Vancouver, Washington's Black history.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, engaging in progressive political action, road trips, camping, podcasts, and watching rugby.
Courtnay Llacuna (she/her)
Administrative Assistant
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Courtnay is a graduate of Saint Martin's University with degrees in Psychology and Sociology.
Courtnay began her career in 2018 working for Shoreline Community College as a Program Assistant. She then found her passion when she became the AANAPISI program coordinator serving the API community, attending seminars, and creating programs with her program director for the API students and community members. She was at Shoreline for four years before coming to SBCTC.
Courtnay’s hobbies include tennis, piano, and spending time with her energetic Border Collie named Kaia. Additionally, she is dedicated to helping API communities by going back to Hawaii every year to volunteer and assist in opportunities for various organizations, churches, and businesses.
