Jennifer Booz (She/Her)

Chief Diversity Officer

As CDO, Booz is responsible for implementing UAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) and overseeing all of its initiatives, one of which includes the hiring of her position.

Booz is no stranger to equity work or student support, having spent 20 years in higher education. Prior to joining UAA, she served in a similar capacity at the University of Toledo as director in the Office for Diversity and Inclusion where she worked closely with administrators, faculty, staff and students to implement their Strategic Diversity Plan.

Dr. Erin Hicks (She/Her)

Chair & Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy

Dr. Tzu-Chiao Chen (He, Him)

Dr. Tzu-Chiao Chen, Assistant Professor, earned his PhD in Communication from Arizona State University, MS. In Communications from Ithaca College and BS. In Telecommunication from Shih-Hisn University in Taipei, Taiwan. His teaching and research areas are in intercultural communication, interpersonal communication, conflict and negotiation, and research methods. Before joining UAA, he taught at an American University in Kuwait for two years. Experiencing the cultural differences is his main goal for traveling.  

Jessica Ross (She/Her)

Assistant Professor, Alaska Native Studies

Professor Ross is a Dena'ina tribal member of the Native Village of Eklutna. She serves as an Assistant professor for the Human Services program and Alaska Native Studies program at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Professor Ross' education includes current work towards a PhD in Indigenous Studies, a Master degree in Education - Teaching and Learning, and a Bachelor Degree in Science - Dental Hygiene. Professor Ross began her teaching career in 2016 at the University of Alaska while leading head and neck anatomy, patient management, instrumentation and clinical practicum courses in the Dental Hygiene program. Her work in Human Services allows her to continue her work developing Culturally Responsive and Trauma-Informed (CRTI) approaches to practice while also leading efforts on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) program. Professor Ross founded the Nughejagh project (Dena'ina for "To become healed") which is a participatory project that explores the implications of trauma and potential healing impacts of Indigenous cultural revitalization.

Dr. Rachael Hannah (She/Her)

Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences