Faculty

Bill Mattera serves as an Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Executive Director of Housing and Residential Life at Texas State University. In this role, he supervises staff in multiple departments and serves as the Chief Housing Officer for a housing system of almost 7,000 beds, with expansion to reach 10,000 by the Fall of 2025.

Dr. Mattera has been actively involved in both NASPA and ACUHO-I, serving in leadership roles in both organizations. His service to ACUHO-I has included serving as the Chair of the Awards and Recognition Task Force, Awards committee for two cycles, and the Campus Housing Index. Most recently, he has served as faculty for both NHTI and the UK edition of the Global Housing Training Institute.

Dr. Mattera has a bachelors from Western Illinois University in History, a Masters from Florida State University in Higher Education and a PhD from Louisiana State University in Leadership and Human Resources Development.

Jon Merchant (he/him) serves as the Executive Director for University Housing Services at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism–Public Relations from the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) and his Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont.

Jon has more than two decades of experience in housing and student affairs leadership. Prior to joining Cal Poly Pomona, he served as Director of Housing and Residential Education at California State University, San Bernardino; Associate Director of Residence Life – Hall Staffing and Programs at Northern Arizona University; Associate Director of Residence Life at the University of Portland; Assistant Director of Student Activities at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; and Residence Hall Director at Marquette University.

Jon has also contributed nationally to the profession through ACUHO-I, serving as a faculty member for STARS College (2014–2016) and as Program Chair-Elect and Chair (2016–2020). He was a faculty member for the 2024 James C. Grimm National Housing Training Institute, where he first participated as an institute attendee in 2008.

Outside of work, Jon strives to stay active by reaching at least 10,000 steps a day through walking or Peloton bike rides.

Dr. Elizabeth Cox brings over 20 years of experience in higher education and student housing, with a career spanning roles in residence life, operations, and facilities management. She has contributed to numerous institutions, including Emory University, Catholic University of America, The University of Alabama, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as leadership roles in student housing across Europe. This diverse background has given her a broad understanding of the complexities involved in building vibrant, inclusive campus communities. 

Elizabeth holds a PhD in Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Development, and her work focuses on leadership development, career pathing, values clarification, and organizational effectiveness. She is passionate about helping students and professionals align their values with their work to create meaningful impact. 

An active scholar and practitioner, Elizabeth regularly presents at international conferences and is a member of the Global Initiatives Network. She has participated in international study tours, deepening her expertise in global student affairs practices. She also hosts the podcast On Campus, Off the Record, where she explores the lived experiences of campus life and leadership, connecting theory with practice in accessible, engaging conversations. 

David Hibbler, Jr., Ph.D., is a son, brother, partner, and aspiring parent who finds joy in building community on and off campus. He is an adult intramural kickball and dodgeball captain, an amateur furniture upholsterer, and someone who believes deeply in creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and at home. Whether hosting friends, reupholstering a vintage chair, or coaching a team, David brings energy, creativity, and intentionality to everything he does.

Professionally, David serves as the Executive Director of Housing & Residence Life and Associate Dean of Students at the University of Chicago. In this role, he oversees a residential system of over 4,500 students, manages a $48 million revenue-generating housing operation, and leads a team committed to fostering inclusive, well-maintained, and intellectually vibrant communities. He also provides leadership for the University Bookstore, ensuring it serves not just as a retail space, but as a hub for campus pride, connection, and access.

David sees his ultimate role as a steward of the campus’s built environment—supporting the physical and emotional infrastructure that shapes how students live, learn, and belong. He leads with the belief that environments matter, and that every space should reflect care, purpose, and possibility.

Dr. Crystal Lay is a seasoned student affairs leader with more than two decades of experience in higher education and currently serves as Senior Director of Student Housing and Residential Life at California State University, Monterey Bay. She holds a PhD in Educational Leadership from Miami University, with a focus on leadership, culture, and curriculum, along with graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and Eastern Illinois University. She earned her undergraduate degree in Broadcast Communication and English Literature from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois.

A proud alumna of NHTI (2010), Dr. Lay has held leadership roles at mid- to large-sized institutions nationwide and currently serves on the AIMHO Executive Board. She has served as faculty and past Chair of the Mid-Level Leadership Institute and is a proud mentor in the ACUHO-I Leadership Academy. A mom, educator, author, podcast host, and national presenter, Dr. Lay is known for inspiring others to lead with authenticity, compassion, and courage.

Zanete Malan is a dedicated specialist in student academic development, engagement, and leadership training, with nearly 16 years of experience in higher education across residence life, academic advising, student success programming, and staff development. She holds a master’s degree in psychology and combines evidence-based student development theory with practical, high-impact programming to enhance student belonging, success, and leadership capacity.

Her career began at the University of the Free State, where she spent seven years contributing to both Housing and Residence Life and the Center for Teaching and Learning. During this time, she served as a program coordinator (Residence Life) and later as Residence Manager, where she developed and facilitated co-curricular leadership development experiences for student leaders in residence halls.

Concurrently, she served as Senior Manager at the Center for Teaching and Learning, where she oversaw Academic Advising, First-Year Seminar, and the Institutional Orientation program, with a strong focus on holistic student development.

Zanete’s expertise broadened further during her time in the Private Student Housing sector at Respublica Student Living, where she managed a 2400-bed student community alongside more than 50 staff members. There, she designed and led staff training programs, implemented community-building initiatives, and ensured seamless operational management—connecting facilities, student experience, and academic support.

Following this, Zanete served as Teaching and Learning Coordinator at the Central University of Technology, Free State, reporting to the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment, and Information Technology. In this role, she designed and facilitated co-curricular development programs for students, led staff training workshops, and co-taught engineering courses, focusing on embedding leadership development and student engagement strategies into the classroom experience.

Since 2012, Zanete has been actively involved with ACUHO-I, serving for more than eight years as a faculty member for the Roelf Visser Student Housing Training Institute (RV-SHTI), where she has contributed to training the next generation of student housing professionals across Southern Africa.

Zanete currently serves as Strategic Advisor for the Division of Academic Support and Student Affairs at Kansas State University, where her work centers on enhancing student and staff development through research-driven interventions. She focuses on assessing and advancing student leader training and recruitment, fostering an inclusive and learning-centered organizational culture in Housing and Dining Services, and embedding co-curricular student support within the broader Division of Academic Success and Student Affairs. With a strong emphasis on global competency, cultural fluency, experiential learning, and leadership development, Zanete’s work equips both students and staff with the interpersonal, intercultural, and professional skills needed to thrive in diverse, globally-connected environments. Through strategic collaboration, program innovation, and a commitment to holistic development, she contributes to strengthening student success, leadership capacity, and career readiness—advancing Kansas State University’s mission of preparing graduates to lead in a rapidly evolving global workforce.

Ian Miller graduated from Central Washington University (CWU) in 2007, earning a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Justice. Miller was hired full-time as the Residence Hall Coordinator for Student Conduct and Responsible Citizenship, which is now the Office of Rights and Responsibilities. In 2009, Miller completed a Master of Professional Accountancy from Central Washington University.

Miller was hired as a Residence Hall Coordinator (RHC) within Housing and Residence Life and became involved with the Northwest Association of College and University Housing Officers (NWACUHO), serving on the Board of Directors as the Products and Services Coordinator from 2010–2012, and currently serves as Past-President.

In 2012, Miller was hired as the Assistant Director of Residence Life, and in 2017 earned a Doctor of Education in Higher Education and Organizational Change from Benedictine University. Miller’s dissertation, titled “The Relationship between Living-Learning and Retention,” has been shared with colleagues and other practitioners across the country.

Miller has presented at the ACUHO-I Academic Initiatives Conference in 2013, 2017, and 2018 on topics including “We have living-learning communities but how do we sustain them?”, “Sustaining a Living-Learning Community: A Collaboration with Housing and Honors,” and CAS Standards. In 2019 and 2020, Miller served as a Residential Consultant for the ACUHO-I Academic Initiatives Conference, providing expertise on the development and sustainability of living-learning communities.

Miller currently serves as the Director of Residence Life at CWU

Coree Newman Coronado (she/her/hers) currently serves as the Senior Associate Director of Residence Education at Michigan State University.  Coree got started in Student Affairs while serving as a Resident Assistant and in several student leader positions during her undergraduate career.  Twenty some years later, she is still passionate about student development and working in student housing.  She especially appreciates the opportunity to continuously think about how to make higher education a place that supports all students and environments designed to help students succeed.  Her educational journey has earned her a B.S. in Education, M.A. in Human Services Administration, and several doctoral credits towards a PhD in Cultural Studies in Education, and a larger than necessary book collection. Her career has taken her to a variety of institutions across the Midwest, Southwest, and Western United States.  Some of her professional focus areas include student success, inclusion, supervision, and student support and behavioral assessment.   She enjoys continuously learning and connecting with new colleagues.  When not at work, Coree can often be found spending time with her family, making or enjoying music, and reading.   

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Bill Mattera, PhD | Chair
Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Executive Director of Housing and Residential Life
Texas State University

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Jon Merchant | Chair-Elect
Executive Director for University Housing Services
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

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Sarah (she/her) has served as the Director of Residence Life at the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 2018.  As part of her responsibilities, she participates in various divisional and campus groups, including University Housing Admin Team, Breaks and Transition Team, Student Crisis Response Team, Threat Team, SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising and Registration) Core Team, and Badgers Vote Coalition. 

Prior to joining the Residence Life team, Sarah served as the Director of Residence Life at Ohio University. She spent the majority of her professional career at the University of Central Florida in roles such as ACUHO-I Intern, Area Coordinator, Assistant Director, and Associate Director of Residence Life.  

Originally from Jackson, Michigan, Sarah completed both of her degrees at Western Michigan University. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications and a Master of Arts in Administration of College Student Affairs. 

Outside of work, Sarah likes to spend time with family and friends, read, shop and attend Badger Volleyball and Hockey events on campus. 

Unity Watts-Bailey is a seasoned Higher Education professional with over 20 years of experience in Student Affairs. She currently serves as the Director of Residential Education for Apartments, Suites, and Southampton Campus at Stony Brook University, where she provides leadership and administration for a diverse residential portfolio of over 10,600 beds. Her career has focused on student development, inclusive leadership, and community-building, with a special emphasis on cultivating belonging within campus environments.

Unity’s leadership philosophy centers on intentionality, mentorship, and equity. She has played a key role in developing professional growth frameworks and has collaborated with leaders to facilitate strategic division-wide training initiatives on supervision, leadership development, and identity-conscious practice. As a CliftonStrengths trainer and active member of her institution’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Initiatives committee (DI3), she promotes self-awareness, cultural responsiveness, and inclusive excellence.

She has presented at regional and national conferences including NASPA, ACPA, and AABHE on recruitment and retention strategies, supervision, and affinity groups’ role in staff success. Unity also serves as one of the founders/advisors to CHIME, a campus initiative supporting staff of color and allies.

Currently pursuing her doctoral degree in learning and teaching in social contexts, her research explores how affinity and employee resource groups impact the retention and advancement of professionals of color at predominantly white institutions.

Unity is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Outside work, she is a wife and mother who values faith, family, and building intentional communities grounded in care and growth.