Meet Our Staff
Students, faculty, staff, and community members are free to contact whomever they would like in our office and ask to meet regarding issues of gender and sexuality, based on job responsibilities, background, or personal interests. If for whatever reason you are not comfortable meeting at the KC Potter Center, staff members are happy to meet in other campus locations. You can contact our general office by emailing lgbtqi@vanderbilt.edu. We look forward to meeting you!
Hannah Jones, PhD | Director
Pronouns: she/they
Hannah Jones joins the K.C. Potter Center for LGBTQI Life from Corning Community College, bringing an extensive background in youth development, sexuality and social justice education. Jones received their master’s in social justice and education from St. John’s University and a Ph.D. in social justice education from Lancaster University. She combines her professional and educational skills with her passion for the LGBTQIA+ community.
“I am very excited to begin working with the K.C. Potter Center and larger Vanderbilt teams to help grow the center for the larger queer community. We look forward to sustaining and building more programming for students with their input and needs come this fall.”
Lizzie Smith, PhD | Assistant Director
Pronouns: she/they
Before coming to Vanderbilt, Lizzie Smith was the director of the Safe Zone Resource Center at the University of Alabama. She holds a PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Alabama and specializes in LGBTQIA+ student support services. Prior to the completion of their PhD, Lizzie earned a master’s degree in English from the University of Memphis and a bachelor’s of English at the University of Central Arkansas. In her spare time. Lizzie enjoys video games with a cat or dog on her lap and weightlifting.
Kyle Ganues | Administrative Assistant
Pronouns: he/him
A middle Tennessee native, Kyle joined the Vanderbilt community in February 2022. Kyle graduated from Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee. Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Kyle held various administrative roles across higher education. He deeply believes there is nothing more important than making someone feel like they have a place they belong. He has a wide range of interests and loves to learn “random” facts. Kyle enjoys spending time outside, listening to Billy Joel, and playing video games. He is still trying to complete his childhood dream to “catch ’em all.”
Josefine Parker, MDiv | Program Coordinator for Gender Diversity (Affiliated Staff)
Pronouns: she/they
As Program Coordinator for Gender Diversity, Josefine serves as a primary point of contact to support trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse Vanderbilt University community members. After completing her BA in American Studies from The University of Maryland, College Park, she received her Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School and One CPE Unit, Level 1 from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2023. As a white, Slavic-American trans woman who is disabled with an autoimmune spectrum illness, Josefine is committed to naming and honoring intertwined physical, emotional, spiritual, and philosophic aspects of gender transition. Immersed in trans communities since 2007, she began work providing gender affirming surgery caregiving as a transition doula through the organization T4T Caregiving in 2018. From Parkville, Maryland, Josefine has lived in Middle Tennessee since 2014.
Please contact our staff at lgbtqi@vanderbilt.edu.