Stacey Robertson assumed the role of dean of the College of Arts and Humanities on Feb. 1, 2015.

Kirk Johnson, dean of the College of the Sciences, had been filling in as interim dean.

Robertson brings with her a resume with expertise ranging from historical and modern anti-slavery organization to feminism and administration.

Robertson came to Central from Bradley University, a private university in Illinois, where she taught and served as an interim dean for their College of Arts and Sciences for a two-year term.

Robertson said she strongly believes in social justice, especially bringing a historical perspective on the institution of slavery and the modern problems of human trafficking and the slave trade.

She is the co-director of the national anti-slavery organization, Historians Against Slavery. It is an organization of academics dedicated to moving academic discourse about slavery from the classroom to the ‘streets’ in an attempt to actively combat modern slavery.

One of the projects Robertson hopes to implement at Central is turning the campus into an anti-slavery campus. This means engaging in creating student programs and organizations to combat against modern slave trades, as well as enacting systematic changes.

This could entail assessing Central’s supply chain to ensure that it does not unknowingly contribute to exploitation.

Randall Miller, co-director of Historians Against Slavery, said that the organization came about because various non-governmental organizations lacked a historical perspective on slavery in their attempts to stop it today.

Miller praised Robertson, citing her as savvy, intelligent and passionate in her fields of study, teaching and hands-on activism.

“She’s probably the most sought after, along with Jim Stewart, speaker today,” Miller said.

Stewart is the founder of Historians Against Slavery and emeritus at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has published a dozen books relating to slavery and abolition, and is a sought-after speaker.

Robertson has given speeches at world-renowned universities such as Oxford, Liverpool, Manchester and Belfast.

Robertson said her favorite places in the world are small towns in the English countryside and that her favorite American city is New Orleans because of its respect for culture and history.

According to Randall, Robertson is also excellent at establishing priorities and keeping people focused on the big issues.

Robertson has published four books; the latest three have documented women abolitionists and womens abolitionist movements.

Her first book was written about Parker Pillsbury, a minister and abolitionist, is entitled “Parker Pillsbury: Radical Abolitionist, Male Feminist.”

Robertson has appeared on TLC’s ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ program, where she helped Zooey Deschanel explore her abolitionist ancestors.

Robertson said that she spends much of her free time involved with her work, but that she also likes the outdoors and sports. She enjoys hiking, tennis and used to play water polo at Whittier College, even scoring a winning goal in one match against San Diego state.

Initially when approached by Central, she said that she was concerned by Ellensburg’s small size.

Coming from the mid-west, she said her experience with small towns there was vastly different from Ellensburg.

Robertson said she has come to absorb the culture and environment of Ellensburg, and has fallen in love with it.

“It looked like Central was following through and actually contributing to the public good,” Robertson said.

As a Dean at Bradley University, Robertson said that she enjoyed the administrative position.

“As chair, you could do little things, but as dean, you could really change the atmosphere of the campus,” Robertson said.