Staff
We would like everyone on campus and in the community to feel welcome during their visit to the UMKC Women's Center. Our friendly staff is always willing to assist with inquiries whether it be discussing programs, finding resources or just getting on-campus directions. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Click here for contact and location information.
Brenda Bethman, Ph.D., Director
Phone: 816-235-1643
Email: bethmanb@umkc.edu
Brenda has been at the UMKC Women’s Center since January 2007. She also holds appointments as Acting Director of the Women’s & Gender Studies Program, and as Affiliated Faculty in German in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Currently, she serves on UMKC's Staff Council Governing Board as President-Elect. Before coming to UMKC, she was founding Program Coordinator of the Women’s Center and then Director of the Women’s & Gender Equity Resource Center at Texas A&M University. She is a past chair of the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) Women’s Centers Committee, as well as past Secretary for NWSA. Brenda was a member of the committee that revised the CAS Standards for Women Student Programs and Services.
Brenda is a co-founder and co-editor of Student Affairs Women Talk Tech, a group blog that serves as a forum for women in student affairs with an interest in technology. She has presented and published on social media, assessment, women’s leadership, women’s literature, Elfriede Jelinek, Marlene Streeruwitz, Ingeborg Bachmann, and feminism in a variety of venues. She holds a B.A. in German Literature from Dickinson College, an M.A. in German Literature from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in Modern German Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Feminist Studies from UMass Amherst. Her book, “Obscene Fantasies”: Generic Perversions in Elfriede Jelinek, examines Elfriede Jelinek’s investigation of Austria’s and Western Europe’s “obscene fantasies” through her “perversion” of generic forms in three of her best-known texts, women as lovers, The Piano Teacher, and Lust and will be published by Peter Lang in 2011.
Arzie Umali, Assistant Director
Phone: 816-235-5577
Email: umalia@umkc.edu
Arzie joined the UMKC Women’s Center in August 2009. Prior to joining the Women’s Center staff, Arzie worked as the Student Services Coordinator for the UMKC Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and Program Coordinator for the UMKC African American History & Culture House. With several years in higher education, Arzie has extensive experience in program development for multicultural student populations and in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented and first-generation college students. An advocate for women’s issues and social justice, Arzie served on the Chancellor’s Advisory Board to the Women’s Center for two years and has been an active volunteer for the local affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union for more than a decade. In 2007, the ACLU of Kansas & Western Missouri awarded Arzie with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Arzie holds a B.F.A. in Painting from the University of Kansas and an M.P.A. in Organizational Behavior from the UMKC Bloch School of Management. She is an active member of the Kansas City arts community exhibiting her artwork, judging various art scholarship competitions, and contributing to panel discussions regarding women in the arts. Arzie is also the proud mother of two children, Max and Mimi.
Michelle Kroner, Victim Services Adjudication Advisor
Phone: 816-235-1652
Email:kronermm@umkc.edu
Michelle assumed the duties of Victim Services Adjudication Advisor in April 2008. Before coming to UMKC, Michelle worked as Victim's Rights Advocate for the Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in Missouri. She was also a board member for the Lincoln County Family Violence Council, as well as the Chairperson for the local Sexual Assault Response Team.
She has devoted her entire professional career to empowering the lives of women and is very excited to be working at the Women's Center.
Student Staff
Graduate Assistants
The phone number for all student staff is 816-235-1638
Paola Velarde, Graduate Assistant for Technology
Paola joined the Women’s Center in fall 2010. She is an international student pursuing a Masters of Business Administration degree at the Bloch School and also holds an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering. Before joining the Women’s Center, Paola worked as a Math Tutor in the Center of Academic Development at UMKC and also at the information desk at the University Center. During high school and college in her home country of Bolivia, she served her community in many different social service activities, including teaching young children in small rural schools and working at a Non-Governmental Organization whose main concern was giving women the opportunity to be educated. Paola is fascinated with the idea of being part of the Women’s Center and looks forward to this experience increasing her knowledge of women issues and participation in programs that support women’s leadership, gender equality, and diversity.
Undergraduate Student Assistants
Carolina Costa, Student Intern
Carolina joined the Women’s Center in January of 2012. She is originally from Spain and is studying at UMKC as an exchange student for the 2011/2012 school year. At her home university in London, she is completing a BA degree in Political Science and International Relations. She enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures. She hopes to pursue a career in the women’s rights field and is very excited to have the opportunity to work at a feminist organization dedicated to the advancement of women and the education of the UMKC community on gender issues.
Armelle Djoukoue, Violence Prevention & Response Student Assistant
Armelle Stephanie Djoukoue joined the Women’s Center staff in January 2012. She is a pre-med student majoring in psychology and minoring in Spanish. She will graduate in the fall of 2012 and afterwards, she is planning to pursue a master’s degree in substance abuse counseling or addiction studies. She enjoys Christian’s retreats, having fun with friends and family, and experiencing new cultures. She’s really excited about working at the Women’s center because she believes raising awareness on women’s issues is very important and she’s looking forward to increasing her own knowledge of these issues.
Sarah Jensen, Student Intern
Sarah is a new intern at the Women’s Center. A Kansas City native, she transferred to UMKC last semester from the University of Kansas. With a passion for women’s studies and culture and its ties to literature, Sarah is working on to her BA in English, planning to later pursue a PhD.She previously worked as a junior editor assistant and in various retail locations. Sarah is excited to be a part of the Women’s Center and is looking forward to an enriching opportunity to further her understanding of multicultural women’s experiences while promoting the empowerment of women.
Courtney Neaveill, Blog Editor
Courtney joined the Women’s Center in January of 2012. She is in her final semester at UMKC and in May she will complete her BA in History and a German Language minor. In addition to her work at the Women’s Center, Courtney also tutors German at the university’s Language Resource Center. She has volunteered with the American Field Service (AFS), at the Jackson County Historical Society and the Research Center at the World War I Museum. Prior to enrolling at UMKC, Courtney also attended Missouri State University where she was an active member of the Missouri State Pride Marching Band and Winterguard Program. Following graduation, she would like to pursue a Master’s degree abroad in Public History. Courtney has held a variety of jobs ranging from waiting tables to working as an Au Pair in Berlin, Germany. She has maintained a lifelong interest in women’s equality and is thrilled to be actively working to promote women’s issues in her community.
Melba Sanchez Fernandez, Office/Events Student Assistant
Melba joined the Women’s Center in March of 2012. She is a transfer student from Maple Woods Community College where she got her Associate of Arts. She is currently pursuing a double major in Sociology and Spanish and hopes to later obtain a Master’s degree. Originally born in Mexico, she moved to California when she was 7 and has lived in Kansas City, MO for the past 8 years. In addition to working at the Women’s Center, she also does volunteer work for various other organizations that help with community empowerment and loves to travel and meet new people. She is excited to be a part of the Women’s Center and the activities and events created towards raising awareness of women’s issues.
Kentria Tatum, Office/Events Student Assistant
Tria joined the Women’s Center staff in October of 2011. She is a first year student at UMKC transferring form Anthem College in St. Louis and is pursuing a double major in Pre-Pharmacy and Spanish. She has enjoyed her move to Kansas City and looks forward to making a difference around the UMKC campus and in her new community. Her interests include spontaneous laughter, sports, anatomy, mathematics and pharmacy studies. Her creative nature and passion for empowering women of all races and sexual orientations is a suitable fit for the Women Center. Tria’s motto is “Changing the world one smile at a time.”
Shekenya Williams, Office/Events Student Assistant
Kenya joined the Women’s Center in March of 2012. She is a junior pursuing a Bachelor’s as a Theater Major. She enjoys working on theatre productions and is interested in teaching theatre to elementary students. Kenya’s interests include working with children, performing and helping others. While working as a team member of the UMKC’s Women’s Center, she hopes to gain more knowledge about women’s issues and be able to participate in activities that help bring attention to these issues.