Our Team

Monica Liggins-Abrams, MPA, MA

(She/Her/Hers)

Founder & Lead Consultant

Ms. Liggins-Abrams is the founder and lead consultant of Liggins Abrams Consulting (LAC), a firm specializing in strategic consulting and change management. Ms. Liggins-Abrams is an educator, scholar, and practitioner with nearly fifteen years of experience spanning a variety of leadership roles in various sectors (K-12; higher education; education technology; and industry) with expertise in a wide variety of functional areas (Grant management; Operations; Sales; Student success and retention; Diversity, equity & inclusion; Accreditation; Strategic Planning; Evaluation). Throughout her professional career, she served in highly-visible organizational roles and provided advisement in a multitude of areas to senior leaders and C-Suite Executives. Learn more about Monica and her education and expertise.

Adriana Cardoso Reyes, MSW

(She/Her/Ella)

Consultant

Ms. Cardoso Reyes has focused her educational and professional experiences on improving the Latinx community experiences in Southwest Michigan driven by her lived and professional experiences. As a first-generation college student from Guanajuato, Mexico, she is passionate about increasing educational and leadership outcomes for the Latinx community. She is an experienced bilingual, bicultural leader with a strong record of success in leadership positions in higher education and in community organizations.

In addition to her work to uplift the Latinx community, she brings deep expertise in strategic planning and accreditation. Ms. Cardoso Reyes currently serves as the associate director of institutional accreditation and planning at Western Michigan University (WMU). She also serves as a volunteer peer reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission. Adriana has deep expertise in leading the development of strategic planning processes at large, complex organizations, as well as assisting in the facilitation of strategic planning sessions. In her work, she centers equity and has a keen ability to align strategic direction with measurable actions, which draws on her experience not only in accreditation but grant management. Her professional, lived experiences and education position her to be a great asset to organizations of all sizes in their strategic planning efforts.

Adriana holds a master's degree in social work from WMU and is currently pursuing a Ph.D.in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University.

Dr. Erika Carr

(She/Her/Hers)

Consultant & Proposal Writer

Dr. Erika Carr serves as the Director of the Office of Pre-College Programming at WMU. Dr. Carr, a first-generation college graduate, has over 20 years of pre-college outreach and college access experience and teaches courses in WMU's Higher Education Student Affairs program on Women in Higher Education, First-Generation College Students, and College Student Development. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and an M.A. in Counseling in Higher Education, both from WMU. Since 2001, Dr. Carr has worked with first-generation and low-income students to increase their access to higher education through federally funded McNair, Upward Bound, and GEAR UP TRIO programs. She has directly supervised the State’s MI GEAR UP Program (formerly the King, Chavez, Parks College Day) and WMU Upward Bound programs since 2006 and has successfully renewed funding for both projects. Additionally, Dr. Carr contributed a chapter to the Pre-College Programming in Higher Education (Sheth & Tremblay, 2019). Her chapter, Importance of Research in Higher Education, highlights the need for pre-college programs to document which interventions and services impact change.

Ruth Ann Buntin, MBA

(She/Her/Hers)

Nonprofit Strategist & AI Consultant

Ruth Ann Buntin, MBA

(She/Her/Hers)

Nonprofit Strategist and AI Consultant

Ruth Ann Buntin, emerging from the vibrant culture of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, embodies the spirit of innovation and dedication as a first-generation college graduate. Her journey in the nonprofit sector both domestically and in eighteen emerging economy countries, is marked by a steadfast commitment to Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), with a focus on fostering equity, inclusivity, and accessibility for underserved communities worldwide.

Ruth Ann brings a wealth of experience in operations management, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement to her leadership roles throughout her career. Currently, she is making significant strides as a Healthcare Operations Manager at the University of Michigan Health Services, recognized as a top 20 hospital by US News and World Report. In this role, Ruth Ann not only boosts organizational efficiency but is currently co-chairing the IDEA committee of NIH’s Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN)

Her passion extends beyond the confines of her professional life, as seen in her volunteer efforts to mentor youth refugees. This work illuminates Ruth Ann's belief in the power of education and leadership to transform lives, underscoring her dedication to community upliftment.

A key aspect of Ruth Ann's current endeavors is the strategic incorporation of AI into healthcare delivery. This initiative reflects her innovative approach to enhancing equity and accessibility in healthcare services, aiming to tailor services to the unique needs of diverse communities.

Holding an MBA with a focus in Computer Information Systems (CIS) and Change Management from Western Michigan University, Ruth Ann adeptly bridges the gap between academic insights and practical challenges. Her vision for a more equitable, inclusive, and accessible world for all human beings through strategic initiatives makes her an invaluable resource for organizations looking to achieve significant, measurable progress.