Dear Student,
I am sharing the bittersweet news that Katrina Moore, MEd, will be stepping down from her role as Senior Director of the Africana Center after eighteen years of service to the university, effective June 30, 2026.
Katrina arrived at the Africana Center in 2008 to serve as Director to steward the needs of students in the Africana community. Her vision and determination have helped shape the Africana Center, the Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion (DSDI), and the Tufts campus community’s approach to advocacy and holistic student support. As a coalition builder, Katrina participated in several committees including the Equity & Inclusion Working Group, the Working Group on Tufts Arming, and the Vice Provost for DEIJ search committee. She also worked collaboratively on the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee and the Bridging Differences committee, served as co-chair of the Black Faculty & Staff Employee Resource Group, and was a co-creator of the university-wide Leading While Black at Tufts project.
Under her leadership, Katrina led the Africana Center’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, which brought more than 300 alumni to campus for a weekend of history, inter-generational communication, and deepened connection. Working closely with Alumni Relations, she has strengthened relations with the Tufts Black Alumni Association and welcomed the return of alumni for the annual Homecoming Weekend and various events throughout the years.
In recognition of her work and legacy, she was promoted to Senior Director in 2020. Yet, this work has never been about titles or recognition for Katrina. Throughout her time at Tufts, she has continued to tirelessly advocate on behalf of students and to work with students to develop campus-wide programming and partnerships with community members across all campuses with great care and energy. In creating the Africana Advisory Alliance, she collaborated with student leaders and student organizations to develop effective programs and initiatives to enhance their co-curricular experience and build leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Katrina’s work has helped transform student support systems to ensure that student needs are at the forefront. The meaningful relationships she maintains with alumni and leaders in the community have profoundly impacted how the Tufts community feels more interconnected. In addition to her student care, she has mentored many staff on campus, leaving a tremendous legacy that will endure for years to come.
I know that Katrina’s advocacy, mentorship, and support have changed the campus for the better. We are all grateful for Katrina’s immense contributions to Tufts.
I am also grateful to Kella Merlain-Moffat, current Associate Director of the Africana Center, who will be stepping in as Interim Director of the Africana Center, effective July 1, 2026, until this vacancy is filled.
With Gratitude,
Aaron James Parayno (he/him/his)
Associate Dean of Student Inclusive Excellence
