Alina is an Emeritus Professor of English with twenty-five years of experience in higher ed. She earned her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Albany. She has been dedicated to the well-being and success of her students and honored with awards in teaching and mentoring. As an educator, Alina has developed curricula for existing programs while also having created the Humanities and Diversity Minor at Western Colorado University. She has served as the chair of an academic department as well as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee; and was appointed by Governor Jared Polis to Colorado’s 2020-2021 Water Equity Task Force. Currently living in Colorado with her husband and wiggly pup, Ivy, Alina is developing curricula based in Human and Animal Well-Being for the proudly-led BIPOC team that is C.A.R.E. and its Circle of Learning and Leadership.