Editorial Board
The Associate Editors report to the Editor-in-Chief. Associate Editors as a team are responsible for overseeing the review process for submitted manuscripts across the four sections within JCAPS: Empirical Research; Media Review; Scholarship-to-Practice Brief; and Focus on Emerging Scholars. Associate Editors serve 3-year terms, with an opportunity for re-appointment at the end of a term. Learn more about the Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor volunteer position descriptions.
Dustin Evatt, Ed.D.
Dr. Dustin Evatt serves as Program Director and Clinical Assistant Professor for the online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership (OLL) program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A scholar-practitioner at heart, he connects student affairs practice, academic teaching, leadership education, and applied research to strengthen student learning, engagement, and belonging in higher education.
Dustin has worked across public and private institutions in academic affairs, campus activities, leadership development, career education, and institutional advancement. Across these roles, he advised student organizations and programming boards, led campus-wide engagement initiatives, and supported the development of student leaders and professional staff. He brings a relational, values-based approach and a commitment to connecting rigorous scholarship with the everyday work of campus activities professionals.
Dustin's research explores critical perspectives of leadership, with particular attention to the intersections of identity, power, and organizational improvement. Using qualitative methodologies, his scholarship centers lived experience and examines organizational norms and structures for understanding leadership practice and equity-driven change.
A first-generation college graduate, he earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Appalachian State University, an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Vermont, and a B.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication from Winthrop University.
Chas Thompson, Ph.D
Chas Thompson (he/him/his) is a clinical assistant professor and program coordinator of the higher education and student affairs M.Ed. at the University of South Carolina. He earned his Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Arkansas. His research is centered around the intersection of appearance and identity and graduate preparation programs. He has published works on students’ experiences in higher education history, college student fashion activism, and preparing higher education and student affairs professionals. From his time as an undergraduate to his time as a professional, Chas has served in several leadership roles with NACA including as a member of the Research and Scholarship Group, on the faculty of Student Government Institute-West, and as a member of the Central Regional Conference Planning Committee.
Kaitlin Cicchetti, Ph.D.
Kaitlin Cicchetti currently serves as the of Director of Advancement for University Life at George Mason University. Prior to her role as the Director of Advancement, Kaitlin served as the Associate Director of Orientation and Family Programs and Services for six years where she worked primarily to engage parents and families of college students. She is a current member of NASPA and ACPA and served on the directorate for the ACPA Commission for Admissions, Orientation, and the First-Year Experience. Kaitlin has worked in the field of student affairs for 16 years in capacities that range from working in parent and family programs, student transition programs, first-year experience programs, and advancement.
Kaitlin also serves as an Affiliate Faculty for the Higher Education Program at George Mason University and has taught practicum and capstone portfolio courses, as well as the Introduction to Student Affairs course. Her primary research interests include the internationalization of higher education, international branch campuses, and student transitions to college.
Kaitlin holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from George Mason University, an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina, and a B.A. In Film Studies and Spanish from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Larry Locke
Larry M. Locke, Ph.D., is the Director of Student Activities and New Student Programs at The Evergreen State College, where he leads student engagement and new student transition initiatives across the college’s Olympia and Tacoma campuses. He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education, with a minor in Education Policy, from Indiana University Bloomington in 2024, and holds a master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University.
Locke brings extensive experience in higher education practice, research, and scholarly publishing. He previously served as Publication Coordinator for the Journal of College Student Development, supporting manuscript review, editorial processes, and publication operations. He has also served as a reviewer for JCAPS and other scholarly journals, contributing to the advancement of research and scholarship in higher education. His scholarly interests include student engagement and success, college access, institutional ppolicy, and equity in higher education. His published work has appeared in the Journal of College Student Development and the Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, among other scholarly outlets.
Kristen Rupert Davis, Ph.D.
Kristen Rupert Davis, PhD. (she/her) serves as Associate Dean of Students at The Ohio State University, where she provides leadership and oversight for student engagement, leadership development, community engagement, sorority and fraternity life, student philanthropy, and student support initiatives. Her professional background spans teaching, student affairs, and higher education administration, with a focus on fostering student success and developing inclusive, supportive campus communities.
Her research interests center on women's leadership and involvement experiences, students with marginalized identities, gender and leadership, and the role of advocacy and mentorship in supporting emerging and mid-level professionals. She is particularly interested in the experiences of women in leadership, including the influence of gender, identity, and organizational culture on leadership development and advancement.
Dr. Rupert Davis holds a Ph.D. in Student Affairs from the University of Maryland and a Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Kent State University. In addition to her scholarly writing, she regularly reviews manuscripts for academic journals and contributes to the broader higher education and student affairs research community through her writing, editorial service, and peer review.