For the last two years, Daphney and Naa have presented concurrent sessions at our conference.  Their presentations were a clear favorite among our attendees.  As one attendee said, “There is so much more I have to learn from these two women.”   For this reason, we invited them to be keynote speakers this year.  We are so glad they agreed.

Daphney Alston
Southern Connecticut State University

Daphney Alston is currently the Associate Director for the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development at Southern Connecticut State University. She received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut in Human Development and Family Studies before earning her Master's Degree in Counseling with a specialization in Student Development in Higher Education from Central Connecticut State University. This May, she will earn her Doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Southern Connecticut State University after defending her dissertation, "Claiming Ownership of My Freedom: A Narrative Study of the Experiences of Midlevel Black Women Student Affairs Professionals.” Daphney has worked in Student Affairs for 14 years, focusing on areas including: student activities, leadership development, student government, service, new student orientation, and programming. Daphney has served as an adjunct faculty member in the First Year Experience program at Bryant University and SCSU, as well as in the Counseling and School Psychology program at SCSU. Daphney’s experiences and intersections of her identities, along with the principles of Black Feminist Theory, have informed how she shows up as a Student Affairs professional and adjunct faculty member, as well as a mentor and an advisor, always actively seeking to create empowering spaces for those who are othered and disenfranchised within the higher education system. Daphney is a mother of powerful three children and wife to her partner of 20 years, as well as a very proud daughter of Haitian American immigrants.

Naa Opoku
University of Connecticut-Hartford

Naa Opoku-Gyamfi is a licensed professional counselor with over a decade of experience in mental health, substance use, and advocacy. She began her career as a clinician in a substance abuse program, quickly rising to clinical supervisor within a year. Since then, she has worked across inpatient treatment, prisons, and residential programs for both children and adults in clinical and leadership roles. For the past four years, she has been a mental health clinician at UConn Hartford, where she is deeply engaged in supporting students. She also is adjunct faculty, teaching counseling courses at Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New Haven.

As a first-generation Ghanaian American, a Black woman advocate, and a doctoral student, Naa’s research focuses on racial healing for Black women within the counseling context. She understands firsthand the barriers that students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, face in higher education. Her passion lies in decolonizing teaching and student support, ensuring that first-year students feel seen, heard, and empowered.  Beyond her professional work, Naa considers motherhood her greatest teacher. Her lived experiences shape the way she connects with students, bringing authenticity, warmth, and a deep commitment to their success.