Meet our Staff

Amy Salinas Westmoreland

she/her
Director of Multicultural Student Services

As Western’s inaugural Director of Multicultural Student Services, Westmoreland manages the Ethnic Student Center, Black Student Coalition, and Blue Resource Center. She is charged with the development of a Latine Identity Center, Asian American & Pacific Islander Identity Center, Undocumented Student Services, and Social Justice Resource Center. Born and raised in Racine, WI, Amy has lived throughout the country (WI, PA, CA, WA), and now calls Bellingham home. Amy has been a leader in higher education for twelve years with her previous positions including Assistant Director of Social Justice Programs at University of Wisconsin-Madison and Director of Assessment for the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity at Penn State. The foundation of Amy’s work is creating accessible, equitable, and inclusive spaces that celebrate and amplify the voices of BIPOC, QTPOC, and other marginalized communities. Amy earned her B.A. in English and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration at Penn State. She serves on the Directorate Board for the ACPA Commission for Assessment and Evaluation and is a member of the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association Council. Amy identifies as Black and Mexican and first generation. She loves spending time with friends and family and traveling both domestically and internationally. On her downtime, you can find Amy at a local bookstore, enjoying a good meal with loved ones, relaxing near the water, painting, or doting on Samuel Salinas Westmoreland (the cat).

Nia Gipson

she/her/hers
Coordinator of the Black Student Coalition

Nia was born and raised in Chicago, IL. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned her B.S. in Agricultural and Consumer Economics. Nia went on to earn her M.S. in Educational Leadership with a concentration in College Student Development at Oklahoma State University. In her spare time, Nia likes to cook, dance, paint, pretend she’s on Wildin’ Out, and go on nature walks. Serving as the inaugural Coordinator of the BSC is immensely important to Nia. She is honored and excited to be able to lay the foundation and help create community and systems of support for our Black Identifying Students. Nothing matters to Nia more than making students feel like they belong, so she hopes to create an environment that is more than just a place to learn, but a place that feels like home.

Chelsea Joefield

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ESC Club Advisor & Program Manager

Chelsea is from Trinidad & Tobago and loves exploring different aspects of her culture and heritage through food and music. She enjoys reading, cooking, baking, and is passionate about health disparities and maternal health. Chelsea is always open to conversation and working to find resources for our students to better prepare and support them throughout their time at Western.