I’m La'Tonya "LT" Rease Miles, and my passion lies in building communities and creating spaces where first-gen and underrepresented students can thrive. As the founder of numerous initiatives—including first-gen programs at both UCLA and Loyola Marymount University, which have become national Best Practices models—I focus on driving meaningful change in higher education. I also manage the Facebook group "Empowering First Generation Students," a space designed for connection and support.
A first-gen college graduate myself, I earned my Ph.D. in American literature from UCLA. Beyond education, I have a deep appreciation for pop culture and sports, always looking for the next big story or moment to engage with. My goal is to keep building and sharing narratives that matter.
higher-ed
consulting.
LT advises higher education institutions around the nation as well as local high schools about first-gen students, new to college students, and students of color, assisting them in developing student-centered resources and programs.
established credibility
LT is a trusted national expert on all things related to first-generation students and has served as an advising figure on several initiatives.
She is a member of or has sat on multiple national advisory boards, including the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators' (NASPA) Center for First-generation Student Success, the Journal of First-generation Student Success, and Penguin Random House Common Reader program, among others. In addition, she has reviewed books for Stylus Publishing, Routledge Press, and the National Resource Center press.
collaborative
partnership
LT regularly collaborates with institutions and organizations across the country, working with various teams to turn scholarship into real impact.
In developing these partnerships, her consulting guidance has led to the creation of the University of California First-Gen Collaborative and the Black First-Gen Collective, a NASPA initiative that supports, studies, and disseminates intentional research, praxis, and policy focused on the unique experiences of Black first-generation undergraduate and graduate or professional school students. She has brought to similar programs to local high schools and two-year colleges in the Los Angeles area.
thought
leadership
LT brings people together and utilizes her expertise to facilitate ongoing conversations nationwide with the
first-generation community.
She created and manages a dynamic national Facebook group, "Empowering First Generation Students,” comprised of an ever-growing 7,000+ students, faculty, and student affairs professionals; is the Chief Strategist for the First Gen & Juice brand, which celebrates first-generation college students and graduates in pop culture and media; and has spearheaded the Catalyst Awards, which honors storytelling about the first-generation experience in the popular media.
speaking.
public
An advocate, LT is always looking forward to the next community to build and the next narrative to share.
She has shared her knowledge and enthusiasm in staff trainings, motivational talks, and keynote addresses across numerous institutions and organizations. Currently, she is available to speak to crowds big and small, student and professional, in-person and virtual.
LT is available for both consulting and speaking engagements. Request her services through the NASPA Center for First-Generation Student Success by completing their Speaker Request Form.
Ready to work together?