Amy Salinas Westmoreland

she/her
Director of Multicultural Student Services
Amy.Westmoreland@wwu.edu

Amy is the inaugural Director of Multicultural Student Services at Western Washington University. In her current role, Amy leads the Office of Multicultural Student Services, which oversees the Ethnic Student Center, the Blue Resource Center, the Black Student Coalition, and La Plaza, the university’s newly established Latine Student Center. Amy has worked to create a vibrant and supportive environment for students from diverse backgrounds and marginalized communities.

She holds a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from Pennsylvania State University, and earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Throughout her career, Amy has demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with over a decade of experience in higher education. Before joining Western, she served as the Director of Assessment for the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity at Penn State, where she contributed to the university’s diversity mission and helped develop the university’s first diversity, equity, and inclusion climate survey. She also worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as the Assistant Director of Social Justice Programs, where she facilitated workshops and large-scale events to foster a more inclusive campus community.

Amy has successfully built strong partnerships with various community and academic organizations to promote social justice and inclusivity. She is a committed advocate for creating spaces where all students can thrive, and she frequently leads training and workshops on topics such as power, privilege, and oppression.

Amy identifies as Black and Mexican and first generation. Born and raised in Racine, WI, Amy has lived throughout the country (WI, PA, CA, WA), and now calls Bellingham home. 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 or painting.

Nia Gipson

she/her/hers
Retention Specialist
Nia.Gipson@wwu.edu

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.

Skye Flores

She/ Her
Retention Specialist
Skye.Flores@wwu.edu
La Plaza - Student Center

Skye Flores (she/her) is excited to be joining the Western community as the new La Plaza Retention Specialist with Multicultural Student Services. Skye calls Southern California home, and her academic journey has taken her to Sonoma State University, where she completed her Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology, and Michigan State University, where she completed her Masters Degree in Student Affairs Administration. Previously, Skye was a member of the residential life team at the University of Washington, where she assisted with managing residential communities, including the piloting and launch of UW's Black Affinity Housing Program. Skye is most excited about the opportunity to contribute to the network of student support at Western Washington, supporting La Plaza, and the growth of program collaboration opportunities between MSS and other resource offices on campus. Outside of work, Skye enjoys engaging in community service, music, getting creative in the kitchen, and reading.