MENAH PRATT-CLARKE, J.D., Ph.D.

www.menahprattclarke.com

Menah Pratt-Clarke is the Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, and Professor of Education (full professor with tenure) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. With twenty-five years of administrative, academic, legal, philanthropy, and community engagement experience, Dr. Pratt-Clarke has envisioned, led, and managed large-scale transformational strategic initiatives at public and private higher education institutions. She just finished leading the Virginia Tech community through an 18 month process to develop the new university-wide strategic plan, approved by the Board of Visitors in June 2019. She is also institutionalizing InclusiveVT (Virginia Tech’s diversity and inclusion commitment) and overseeing the Council on Virginia Tech’s History as part of the Sesquicentennial Planning Committee for 2022.

She previously served for almost ten years as Associate Chancellor for Strategic Affairs, Associate Provost for Diversity, and Title IX Officer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She was also Associate Professor (with tenure) in the College of Education. Before joining Illinois, she worked at Vanderbilt University for eight years. As the first University Compliance Officer (including oversight of the Vanderbilt University and Medical Center) and Assistant Secretary of the University, she oversaw governance and compliance matters, including the Board of Trust Office and associated committees. In addition, she served as University Counsel with responsibility for real estate and construction legal matters and negotiated over $500M of construction contracts. Dr. Pratt-Clarke is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Tennessee. Her expertise includes real estate, commercial lending, public finance, construction, civil rights, affirmative action, and equal employment opportunity law.

Dr. Pratt-Clarke received a bachelor’s degree in English with high distinction (minors in Philosophy and African-American Studies) and a master’s degree in Literary Studies from the University of Iowa. She earned a law degree, as well as a master’s and doctorate in Sociology, from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Pratt-Clarke’s teaching and research interests include issues of race, class, and gender in education, with a focus on the transdisciplinary analysis of diversity in higher education. She has taught at Fisk University (English and African-American Literature); American Baptist College (English and Speech at the men’s and women’s prisons); Vanderbilt University (Sociology and College of Law); and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (African-American Studies and College of Law).

In addition to publishing several articles and book chapters, her first book was Critical Race, Feminism, and Education: A Social Justice Model. In 2017, Journeys of Social Justice: Women of Color Presidents in the Academy and A Promising Reality: Reflections on Race, Gender, and Culture in Cuba were published. A Black Woman’s Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in America, published in 2018, was awarded the American Education Studies Association 2018 Critics’ Choice Book Award. A Black Woman’s Education Journey: The Second Generation is under contract with Peter Lang.

With a renaissance background, she is an arts advocate (owned a frame shop and art gallery in Nashville); a classically trained pianist and violinist; and a former professional tennis circuit athlete. She is a founding member of the Pratt Music Foundation, which has raised $700,000, and provided almost 400 classical music scholarships (30 annually) for free lessons since its founding in 1998.

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Significant Achievements and Experience in Higher Education Leadership Virginia Tech, Vice-President, Strategic Affairs and Diversity, 2016 to present Senior advisor to the President and Provost on strategic affairs and diversity initiatives

• Lead and manage the Office for Strategic Affairs o Led the creation and development of new strategic plan through 18 month

campus-wide engagement, approved by the Board of Visitors in June, 2019 o First strategic plan to integrate diversity and inclusion as a strategic priority o Leading and managing development of new strategic plans for 9 academic

colleges and 20 administrative units to ensure alignment and cohesiveness o Lead and manage the Council on Virginia Tech’s History and overseeing the

development of a comprehensive interdisciplinary project-based approach for Virginia Tech’s Sesquicentennial in 2022

• Lead and manage the Office for Inclusion and Diversity o Conceptualized and developed the institutional structure for InclusiveVT o Oversee implementation of InclusiveVT – the institutional and individual

commitment to Ut Prosim (that I may serve) in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence

o Leading and managing the implementation of 9 college and 20 administrative unit diversity strategic plans

o Developed and implemented new student diversity recruitment strategy, in partnership with campus leadership, resulting significant increase in minority student applications and enrollment 2019 entering freshmen class projections: 27% increase for African-

Americans; 49% for Latinx; and 48% for first generation students Developed Black College Institute summer program for rising high school

seniors and juniors, resulting in 100% of seniors applying to Virginia Tech, with 71% acceptance rate, and 50% yield of students in entering class; 2019 participation of 362 students in three week program

o Developed and implemented new faculty diversity strategy, in collaboration with academic colleges, doubling new minority faculty hires For 2019: 22% of new hires were minority compared to 12% in 2016

o Envisioned and stewarded two mandatory diversity curricular and co-curricular requirements through governance to implementation Required Diversity 101 pre-enrollment course Required academic course on critical analysis of equity and identity in the

United States o Developed advancement strategy to increase diversity giving, including new

campaign focusing on Black alumni giving and engagement and new corporate diversity partners program Achieved 20% increase in diversity-related fundraising from 2017-2018

o Accelerating partnerships with 11 tribal nations in Virginia and assisted in drafting and successful stewarding through governance a resolution to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Virginia Tech

o Envisioned, created, and personally host the Diverse Professionals Network of Roanoke and New River Valley, with average attendance of 75-100

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• Research and Scholarship: Completed 2018-2019 Book Tour on A Black Woman’s

Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in America

o 20 engagements at college campuses and higher education conferences University of Illinois at Urbana, Associate Chancellor for Strategic Affairs and Associate Provost for Diversity, 2006-2016 Senior advisor to the Chancellor and Provost on strategic affairs, governance, and diversity

• Portfolio included leading, addressing, and responding to complex matters impacting faculty and academic affairs; student affairs; legal and compliance affairs; strategic planning; diversity; financial affairs; and community engagement

• Member of five-person Chancellor and Provost Budget Committee on strategic budget and financial planning priorities, including short and long-term budgeting; pension implications; procurement matters; tuition amount; and salary program

• Led Micro-Urban Transformational Leadership Initiative with mayors of Champaign and Urbana, and over 100 local community members and organizations

• Developed and implemented the signature diversity initiative, Inclusive Illinois • Led and managed Stewarding Future Excellence strategic visioning and planning process • Oversaw the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Access • Oversaw the Office of Minority Student Affairs • Oversaw Academic Senate Office • Served as campus liaison to the Board of Trustees and University administration

Vanderbilt University, Assistant Secretary, University Compliance Officer, University Counsel, 1998-2006 Senior advisor to the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor/General Counsel, and Board of Trust on legal, governance, and compliance initiatives

• Served as the first Assistant Secretary of the University, supporting governance and management of 40-member Board of Trust and 10 committees

• Developed and created first Office of Compliance, and Vanderbilt University and Medical Center Compliance Program

• Compliance portfolio included student affairs, academic affairs, governance, human resources, information technology, police and security, athletics, financial aid, environmental health and safety, grants and contracts, affirmative action, animal and human subject research, and technology transfer

• Served as real estate and construction lawyer; negotiated $500M in construction contracts

• Drafted and managed the University Conflict of Interest and Commitment Policy as an university-wide initiative for members of the Board of Trust, executive administration, and 19,000 employees, including annual training, disclosure, and review

Watkins College of Art and Design, 1999-2006 Member of the Board of Trust

• Member of Executive Committee and Budget Committee • Assisted in development of fundraising strategy for a new residence hall for students;

addressed curricular matters and accreditation

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I. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND A. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA

Full Professor (with tenure), 2016- present School of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Affiliations in Africana Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, Department of Sociology Member of dissertation committees: Stacey Wilkerson, Kimberly Lee (defended), Ryan Rideau (defended)

B. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL Associate Professor (with tenure): Fall 2013 – present College of Education, Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership Member of dissertation committees (all successfully defended): Quiana Woodward, Jasmine Parker, Rebecca Parrott (chair), Tiffany Puckett, Yara Mekawi

C. Vanderbilt University, Department of Sociology, Nashville, TN Ph.D. Sociology, 1997 Dissertation topic: "Where are the Black Girls?: The Marginalization of Black Females in the Single-Sex School Debate in Detroit" $15,000 Spencer Foundation Education Dissertation Fellowship Dorothy Danforth Compton Graduate Fellowship Vanderbilt Dissertation Enhancement Scholarship

D. Vanderbilt University, College of Law, Nashville, TN J.D., 1993 Dean's List John W. Wade Scholar (Full three-year tuition honor scholarship) Journal of Transnational Law, Vanderbilt University, Associate Editor NAACP Legal Defense Fund Earl Warren Scholar Finalist 1991 Appellate Advocacy Competition Elected Class Senator to Vanderbilt Bar Association

E. Vanderbilt University, Department of Sociology, Nashville, TN M.A. Sociology, 1993 President, Vanderbilt Sociology Graduate Students Co-founder, Vanderbilt Black Graduate and Professional Students Association

F. University of Iowa, Department of English, Iowa City, IA M.A. with thesis, Literary Studies, 1990 Master’s thesis: "Stories and Storytelling in William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!" Co-founder, University of Iowa Black Graduate and Professional Students Association

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G. University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

B.A. with honors thesis in English, 1988 Minors in Philosophy and African-American World Studies

High Distinction (top 5% of class); completed degree in three years Finalist, 1988 Rhodes Scholar Competition President's List (4.0 G.P.A. academic year); Dean's List Phi Beta Kappa (junior year); Phi Eta Sigma Collegiate Scholar (top 20 graduating seniors in College of Liberal Arts) Research assistant for James McPherson, Pulitzer Prize winner Undergraduate Scholars Assistantship for top 1% of undergraduate students Big Ten University (CIC) Summer Research Fellowship Full three-year academic undergraduate tuition scholarship

II. HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE A. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Tech is a public land-grant teaching and research university in Blacksburg, Virginia, with 35,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and 10,000 faculty and staff Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, 2016 – present Professor (full with tenure) Portfolio includes leading, addressing, and responding to complex matters impacting strategic affairs; organizational strategy; transformational opportunities and initiatives; diversity and inclusion; capital campaign strategy; and critical campus issues and crises

Responsibilities and accomplishments Office for Strategic Affairs Strategic Affairs

• Oversee Office of Strategic Affairs • Chaired the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, led 18 month campus engagement

strategy with over 50 committee members in the development of a new strategic framework for the university (approved by Board of Visitors, June 2019)

• Identified four core strategic objectives: Regional, National, and Global Impact; the Ut Prosim (that I may serve) Difference; Talent Destination; and Institutional Excellence

• Identified goals, metrics, and milestones for each objective • Collaborated on the development of university-wide research strategic directions with the

Office for Research and Innovation

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• Integrated diversity and inclusion into the strategic plan for the first time in institution’s

history • Managing unit-level strategic planning for 9 colleges and 20 administrative units to

ensure alignment with university plan • Member of the Rankings Advisory Committee to understand the factors influencing the

WSJ and THE global rankings

Council on Virginia Tech’s History • Lead Steering Committee for Council on Virginia Tech’s history • Manage the Advisory Committee for the Council on Virginia Tech’s History to explore

how Virginia Tech might recognize and acknowledge its history as it prepares for its sesquicentennial in 2022

• Established interdisciplinary project teams of faculty, staff, and students, incorporating history, art, theatre, architecture, landscape architecture, and literature

Office for Inclusion and Diversity Management and Financial

• Manage a team of 30, including Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, three Assistant Provosts, Director of Faculty Diversity, Chief Advancement Officer for Inclusion and Diversity, Director of Public Relations and Communications, Director of Operations, and other staff and students

• Oversee a budget of $5M InclusiveVT

• Manage the President’s InclusiveVT Executive Council • Developed a structure for InclusiveVT, including the President’s InclusiveVT Executive

Council; InclusiveVT Representatives; InclusiveVT student representatives; college and department level diversity committees and diversity plans

• Identified four key goals: sustainable institutional transformation on inclusion and diversity; increasing representational diversity; creating and sustaining a welcoming, affirming, safe, and accessible campus climate; and integrating issues of identity and equity into the academic mission

• Developed and implemented annual InclusiveVT week and Principles of Community week to promote inclusion and diversity engagement

• Managing inclusive pedagogy efforts in partnership with academic units to revise curricular approaches in STEM fields to enhance persistence and experience

Faculty Recruitment and Retention • Oversee campus-wide faculty recruitment and retention, in collaboration with colleges

o Success Measure: 30 underrepresented faculty were hired in FY17, compared to 12 in FY16, and 4 in FY15

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• Implemented, in partnership with faculty, a required online course for search committee

members that addresses issues of unconscious bias and myths about diversity in the hiring process

• Instituted diversity advocate requirement for search committees • Oversee and manage Future Faculty Fellows Program as a core faculty diversity strategy

to recruit underrepresented faculty o Success Measure: Doubled program cohort to 40; working towards goal of hiring

at least 25% of participants into faculty positions • Envisioning and developing a new Faculty Community of Scholars program to support

faculty retention for women and underrepresented minorities • Created President’s InclusiveVT Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship Program to identify

talented scholars to support diversity and equity curricular requirements o Success Measure: Promoted 50% of fellows to tenure-track positions

• Created the InclusiveVT Faculty Committee with 20 full professors representing each of the seven academic colleges to focus on faculty diversity

• Secured funding for a Director of Faculty Diversity and a new Target of Talent program to support faculty diversity

Student Diversity • Developed and implemented new student diversity recruitment strategy, in partnership

with campus leadership, resulting in significant increases in minority student applications and enrollment

o Success Measure: 2019 entering freshmen class projections: 27% increase for African-Americans; 49% for Hispanic; and 48% for first generation students

• Developed and created the Black College Institute (BCI) Pre-College Program -- a three to five day residential access, leadership and civic engagement summer program for rising high school juniors and seniors focused on the African-American experience

o Success Measure: Increase in number of participants: 2017, 50; 2018, 150; 2019: 362

o Success Measure: 99% of BCI seniors applied for admission to Virginia Tech: 70% were admitted and 50% of admitted students choose to enroll

o Success Measure: BCI accounted for almost 50% of the increase in Black student enrollment for fall 2019

• Developed and created ExploreVT as a five day residential program designed for African American, Asian and Pacific Islanders, American Indian, Hispanic and Latinx students, to discover innovative, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary programs of study at Virginia Tech

• Created InclusiveVT Project 2022 as a collaboration with Admissions, Enrollment Management, Development, and Alumni Engagement to increase minority student enrollment and participation by alumni in scholarship giving

• Envisioned and overseeing the creation of SOAR (Student Opportunities and Achievement Resources) Office: a new office to support eliminating the disparity in student success, reflected in graduation rates and post-graduation opportunities

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• Co-principal of the Life Science Mentoring Program with faculty in biology and

sociology with the goal to enhance persistence of underrepresented minorities, females, and underserved students, including low-income and Appalachian students in the life sciences through peer mentoring, faculty engagement and undergraduate research

o Success Measure: Increased academic performance in chemistry, biology, and math

o Success Measure: Chemistry curriculum re-designed to support students from under-resourced high school backgrounds through inclusive pedagogy efforts

• Stewarding the developing of Ujima, new living-learning community focused on the African-American experience

Alumni Engagement and Advancement • Developed new alumni engagement strategy for Black Alumni

o Success Measure: Engaged with over 150 African-American alumni since 2016 through individual and small group events

o Success Measure: Supported programming associated with Black Alumni Reunion to engage and re-engage almost 500 Black alumni

• Created new scholarship and giving program for diversity o Success Measure: Increased diversity-related giving from 2017 to 2018 by 20%

• Partnered with the Pamplin College of Business in alumni engagement with over 200 female business alumni in New York, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.

• Developing InclusiveVT Corporate Diversity Partners Program to engage corporate partners in diversity advancement efforts

o Success Measure: Identifying 10-15 partners and implementing fundraising strategy

• Engaged with 30 LGBTQ Alumni, many returning after 40 years, for a Denim Day Do-over Reunion

• Secured funding for new Chief Advancement Officer for Inclusion and Diversity

Diversity Education • Championed pre-enrollment diversity education requirement for entering students

o Success Measure: Successfully stewarded the development and implementation a new required pre-enrollment diversity requirement, including obtaining approval

o by the Board of Visitors, for entering all students (freshmen, transfer students, graduate students, and professional students)

• Led undergraduate curricular change o Success Measure: Successfully created, developed, and implemented through

university governance, a new required core learning area of “Critical Analysis of Equity and Identity in the United States” as part of the Pathways general education curricular revision process

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Campus Climate

• Envisioned and instituted new cultural, community, and resource centers o Success Measure: Created new American Indian and Indigenous People’s

Community Center, Asian Cultural Engagement Center, and El Centro (for Latinx population) with directors and operating budget

o Success measure: Reimagined existing Black Cultural Center and LGBTQ+ Resource Center with directors and operating budget

• Oversaw the first bi-annual Diversity Campus Climate Survey of faculty, staff, and students

o Success Measure: 75% of respondents indicated awareness of InclusiveVT and Principles of Community

• Manage and support the 10 faculty and staff Caucuses/Alliances at Virginia Tech: American Indian and Indigenous People’s Alliance, Asian and Asian American Caucus, Black Caucus, Hispanic, Latinx Caucus, Women’s Alliance, Disability Alliance, LGBTQ+ Caucus, Appalachian Caucus, International Caucus, Veterans Caucus, International Caucus, and Religious Affinity groups

• Created Gender@VT – an advisory group on gender issues as a result of the Women’s Conversation Group Series that facilitated conversations with over 400 women, including graduate students, research faculty, instructional faculty, tenure track faculty, tenured faculty (full and associate) in partnership with the Women’s Alliance

o Success Measure: Implementation by Faculty Affairs of new campus communication campaign related to parental leave policy and family-friendly policies

• Collaborating with campus constituencies to support LGBTQ concerns, including gender neutral restrooms, and preferred name in internal university records

• Collaborating to address concerns of faculty, staff, and students with disabilities, including physical and digital accessibility

• Envisioned and created #supportwomenssports campaign, and collaborated with Athletics Sports Marketing Department, to increase awareness and attendance at collegiate women’s sport events, including softball, tennis, and volleyball

Strategic Partnerships

• Supporting the development of strategic partnerships and agreements with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) through annual HBCU/MSI (Minority Serving Institutions) Summit focusing on graduate recruitment and research partnerships

o Success Measure: Over 100 participants from 17 HBCU from Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

• Individual visits to HBCUs in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida to promote graduate school recruitment and summer research programs for undergraduates

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Native American Tribal Engagement

• Facilitate on-going focused dialogue to develop a matrix in support of American Indian/Indigenous Peoples and 11 federally recognized tribal nations in Virginia

• Participated in the planning and execution of Virginia Tech’s first Tribal Summit with 11 tribal nations in the Commonwealth

• Developing student recruitment strategy to recruit Native American students • Developing tribal-led engagement strategies focused on research collaboration • Secured support for the appointment of the first Postdoctoral Fellow for American Indian

and Indigenous Peoples Community Engagement

• Envisioned and created the Diverse Professionals Network of Roanoke and New River Valley

• Personally host monthly network and after-hours events to build community and support retention for diverse faculty and staff in the Blue Ridge, Southwestern Virginia area

o Success Measure: Average monthly attendance between 75-100, across Radford, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Roanoke

Transdisciplinary Research and Scholarship • Chair for the new strategic transdisciplinary area, “Equity and Social Disparity in the

Human Condition” • Responsible for oversight of curriculum, research, and programmatic efforts • Conceived annual Advancing the Human Condition Symposium to address

transdisciplinary scholarship and impact on global social problems • Organized day-long campus-wide summit on Virginia and the Miseducation of Race to

address the historical legacy of race in the Commonwealth of Virginia Commission on Equal Opportunity and Diversity

• Manage and steward the governance commission on equal opportunity and diversity • Strategize with commission on governance resolutions related to diversity • Develop communication strategies related to diversity matters

Communications, Marketing, and Technology

• Collaborate with the President’s Office and Public Relations on crisis communication • Partner with Office of New Media to increase reach via multiple social media channels • Serve as diversity and equity subject expert and provide input on campus stories and

promotional materials for the institution • Secured funding for Director of Public Relations for Inclusion and Diversity to support

collaborative projects with the Office of Advancement on diversity marketing and communications strategy

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B. University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL

University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, is a public teaching and research university with 40,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and 10,000 faculty and staff Associate Chancellor for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, 2006 – 2016 Associate Provost for Diversity Associate Professor (with tenure)

Responsibilities and accomplishments Associate Chancellor for Strategic Affairs Chief of Staff and Board Liaison

• Managed relationship between the campus, the President’s Office, and the Board of Trustees

• Responsible for the development of presentations for Board meetings and management of campus issues relating to board affairs

• Oversaw the Faculty Senate Office and the operations of the Faculty Senate • Staffed and supported senior leadership searches for Provost, Vice Chancellor for

Research, and Vice Chancellor for Advancement Strategic Planning

• Managed the Strategic Planning and Implementation Committee to translate visioning process into a strategic plan and implementation strategy

• Managed Visioning Future Excellence -- the campus’ strategic planning process to ascertain society’s most pressing issues and Illinois’ role in addressing them

o Success Measure: Engaged over 3000 internal and external stakeholders to identify key campus strengths for addressing social problems in six strategic areas: information and technology, education, health and wellness, economic development, social equality and cultural understanding, and energy and the environment

o Success Measure: Oversaw new three to five year strategic plan framework with goals and metrics

Budget and Financial Planning • Member of five-person Chancellor/Provost Budget Committee on strategic budget and

financial planning, including short and long-term budgeting; pension implications; procurement matters; tuition amount; and salary program

• Oversaw campus diversity-related budgets and special project budgets • Reviewed budget requests for campus initiatives • Oversaw budget and operations of the Academic Senate Office • Oversaw Stewarding Excellence initiative and the campus’ review of units and programs

for effectiveness and efficiency

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Community Engagement

• Led and managed the campus’ initiatives related to community engagement around education and workforce development with Champaign and Urbana communities

• Represented the university on major campus/community partnerships with mayors and community leaders:

o Micro-Urban Transformational Leadership Initiative – a university-led campus and community collaboration (chair)

o Leadership Council of Champaign-Urbana Cradle to Career - a community collaboration focusing on addressing kindergarten readiness and workforce development

o Champaign County Community Coalition addressing police/community relations and healthy youth and families (member of the Executive Committee)

o Alignment Council of “Ready by 21” effort in East St. Louis, Illinois addressing education (board member)

• Developed community outreach initiatives for the local underrepresented communities o Construction Training Opportunity Program providing training to women and

underrepresented community members to increase their likelihood of success in obtaining union apprenticeships

o Economic Development Opportunity Program providing training on entrepreneurship and small business creation and development

o Jump on Board for Success program that provided resume, interview, and cover letter training for local community members

o Construction Management Training Institute that assisted women and underrepresented contractors in obtaining university contracts

College and University Strategic Partnerships

• Managed strategic partnerships with Historical Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Native American tribes, in partnership with Provost’s Office, Vice Chancellor for Research, and Graduate College

o Success Measure: Developed Memorandum of Understanding with Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma and engaged in implementing articulation agreement with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College

Ombudsman

• Served as ombudsman for faculty, staff, and students addressing a variety of faculty, student, and academic affairs

Associate Provost for Diversity Leadership and Management

• Developed vision for Inclusive Illinois: one campus, many voices – the campus’ commitment to an inclusive, welcoming, affirming, safe, and accessible campus community

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• Chair of committee that created Inclusive Illinois; instituted Inclusive Illinois structure,

including establishing Inclusive Illinois representatives in every college; developed marketing and communication materials; and created awareness campaign

Success Measures: New initiatives developed as part of Inclusive Illinois o Inclusive Illinois Day of Celebration and Commitment (an annual day-long

campus awareness campaign) o Inclusive Illinois Voices of Illinois Video Project (a video project showcasing the

diversity of the campus community) o Inclusive Illinois Roundtables (campus dialogue programs on race, religion,

stereotypes, LGBTQ issues, gender, and intersecting identities) o Inclusive Illinois Women’s Career Conference on Leadership, Engagement, and

Empowerment (helping campus women learn strategies for career management) and the I-Initiative (an on-line sexual harassment, diversity, and discrimination training program)

o Chaired the annual Faculty Women of Color in the Academy National Conference (inaugural year 2012), emphasizing networking, professional and personal development, and empowerment

o Created Inclusive Illinois Conversation Groups for Faculty Women of Color o Created Inclusive Illinois Celebrates Women website (grant funded project to

highlight achievements of women at Illinois on the website) • Created Campus Conversation on Diversity Series featuring national scholars on

diversity, college-level conversations, and campus-wide discussions and workshops on issues of diversity and inclusion

• Initiated the Larine Y. Cowan Make a Difference Award to recognize significant diversity efforts of individuals and organizations on campus

• Chair, Sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation o Developed a range of programs incorporating music, art, film, and lectures by

nearly 3500 members of the campus community Faculty Affairs

• Led the DRIVE (Diversity Realized at Illinois Through Visioning Excellence) committee – a 20 member senior faculty committee focused on faculty hiring, recruitment, and retention

• Developed and administered education programs and workshops for faculty on best practices in the search process

• Administered requests for recruitment and retention funding • Collaborated with colleges on new initiatives and attended recruiting events for faculty • Developed Chancellor’s Post-doctoral Fellows Program to increase minority faculty

hiring, including promotion of post-docs to faculty positions • Created Faculty of Color Conversation Groups (spaces for community building for

underrepresented groups)

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Curricular Reform and Diversity Education

• Led four-year effort with the Committee on Race and Ethnicity, through the governance process, to institute a new required diversity-related course as part of general education requirements for all undergraduate students

o Success Measure: As part of Cultural Studies General Education requirement, all students must take a course that addresses US Minority Cultures, in addition to Western/Comparative Cultures and Non-Western Cultures

• Envisioned a required diversity education program for students o Success Measure: Developed content, in partnership with external vendor,

for required on–line education program on diversity and unconscious bias for all students

Student Success

• Senior advisor on undergraduate minority student outreach, recruitment, admissions, yield, and retention matters working in collaboration with Office of Admissions, Office of Registrar, Office of Financial Aid, and Vice Provost for Enrollment Management

• Member of Provost Advisory Team to increase Black student enrollment through focused outreach and scholarships

o Success Measure: Increased Black student freshmen enrollment for fall 2015 • Developed, as part of advisory team, unit-level support programs in colleges to support

retention Office of Minority Student Affairs

• Oversaw the Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) through a joint reporting relationship with the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, including academic support, retention, and outreach services

• Oversaw $1.1 million state budget and $1.3 federal and gift funds • Staffing included 20 professional employees and 35 graduate/undergraduate students

Illinois Promise

• Oversaw Illinois’ primary access scholarship program, through joint reporting relationship of Assistant Chancellor/Assistant Provost for Diversity

o Scholarship provides financial support to cover all educational expenses for students whose families are at or below the poverty level

o Oversaw operations of Illinois Promise, including budget, developing and sustaining enrichment programs such as adult, peer and alumni mentoring, community building activities and events

o Supported campus-wide collaboration through an advisory structure with representation from key stakeholders in guiding policy, programs and research activities

Campus Climate

• Collaborated with faculty, staff, and students on special projects impacting campus climate and faculty/student experience

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• Organized campus-wide conversation #onecampus on bias and stereotypes in social

media impacting Asians and Asian-Americans • Collaborated with #BeingBlackatIllinois (addressing race relations and campus climate) • Served as consultant on Native American concerns (relating to stereotypical images of

Native Americans) • Worked in partnership with the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations and the

Black Cultural Center, La Casa Cultural Latina, the Native American House, and the Asian-American Cultural Center on student affairs matters

• Provided support for the Black Faculty and Academic Professional Association and the Latino/a Faculty and Staff Alliance

• Developed first campus-wide diversity campus climate survey and worked with campus units on survey administration, implementation, and follow up

Office for Diversity, Equity, and Access Leadership and Management

• Led and managed team of 10 and budget of $3M • Oversaw diversity, compliance, and equal opportunity matters • Served as campus liaison to system-office on diversity matters • Chaired the President’s Office Diversity Review Committee

Title IX

• Served as Title IX Coordinator • Chair of the Title IX Advisory Committee, worked with Police, Student Affairs, Office of

Diversity, Equity, and Access, Women’s Center, and Legal Counsel • Oversaw investigations, reports, and teams managing follow up with survivors • Supported Title IX compliance in athletics

Gender Equity

• Managed the Council on Gender Equity and initiatives related to faculty development for women and identifying challenges, barriers, and opportunities for faculty women related to promotion and advancement

• Created, developed, and led the monthly Executive Women Leaders Conversation Group • Created, developed, and led the Emerging Women Leadership Program for academic

professional women at Illinois Affirmative Action Compliance

• Oversaw and managed the affirmative action program for faculty, civil service, and academic professionals, in collaboration with department affirmative action officers, college equal employment opportunity officers, human resource professionals, deans, and department heads; the implementation of campus climate and diversity initiatives

o Success Measure: Successfully addressed Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program audit and issues of non-compliance related to structure of affirmative action plan

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• Oversaw the academic search process and the electronic employment processing system • Oversaw training and education programs to the campus on non-discrimination, sexual

harassment, and diversity • Oversaw minority business relationships with the campus

Equal Employment Opportunity

• Oversaw the implementation of the Policy and Procedures for Addressing Discrimination and Harassment at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, including responding to internal and external complaints of discrimination and harassment

Disability Compliance

• Served as ADA Coordinator and responsible for providing accommodations for persons with disability under federal regulations

• Revised the Campus Complaint and Grievance Policy and the ADA Accommodation Process

Human Resources

• Led and coordinated the campus-wide transition to and implementation of HireTouch, an electronic applicant tracking and employment process management system for all faculty, academic professional and civil service positions

• Provided leadership for a comprehensive revision of the affirmative action plan and the academic search manual to address federal non-compliance concerns

o Success Measure: Developed new job groups and categories for all faculty, academic professionals, and staff to align job roles with salaries

C. Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt Medical Center

Vanderbilt University is a private teaching and research university in Nashville, Tennessee, with 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and 19,000 faculty and staff.

Assistant Secretary of the University, University Compliance Officer, and University Counsel, 1998 – 2006

Responsibilities and Accomplishments Assistant Secretary

• Oversaw the legal and compliance obligations of the 40-member Board of Trust and the operations of the Office of the Board of Trust, including by-laws and board operations, conflict of interest issues, tax-exempt status, and intermediate sanctions

• Undertook and completed a substantive revision of the University’s by-laws • Assisted with restructuring the office’s operations • Provided administrative management and oversight for Full Board, Executive,

Investment, Budget, Board Affairs, Human Resources, Audit, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and Athletics Committees

Menah Pratt-Clarke

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• Collaborated with vice-chancellors and university administrators on governance and

matters related to the Board of Trust • Assisted with coordinating and planning annual retreats of the Board of Trust

University Counsel

• Reviewed, advised, and negotiated real estate, construction, and environmental matters for the University

• Reviewed and negotiated $500 million of construction projects, including architect’s contract, contractor’s contract, and general conditions, and worked with Space and Facilities Planning and Campus Planning and Construction

• Provided legal advice and guidance on management contracts, leases, sale agreements, and purchase agreements related to Vanderbilt’s real estate portfolio

• Coordinated activities and responses related to construction and real estate litigation • Collaborated with the Treasurer’s Office, the Office of Real Estate, and Plant Operations

University Compliance Officer Compliance Operations

• Developed Vanderbilt University’s institutional compliance operational structure and committee framework

• Created and managed the Office of Compliance • Established, led, and managed the activities of the Administrative Compliance

Committee Standards of Conduct

• Drafted and negotiated Standards of Conduct for the University, in cooperation with the Faculty Senate, the Medical Center, the University Staff Council, Human Resources, and other administrative divisions

• Developed training and education material for faculty and staff • Conducted department by department training for almost 5000 University Central

employees on the Standards of Conduct • Instituted an anonymous and confidential help and reporting line

Accreditation

• Coordinated the University’s response for the Southern Association of Colleges and University (SACS) Reaffirmation of Accreditation review for administrative and governance areas and providing substantial legal and administrative support for the accreditation process

Research Compliance

• Coordinated the development of the transinstitutional research compliance program, including an interactive website, training, and awareness initiatives for human subjects, animals, pre-award and post-award contract and grant management, technology transfer, and all environmental health and safety areas

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• Chair of the Transinstitutional Research Operations Review Group, which oversaw he

programmatic and compliance operations of University Central and Medical Center research departments

• Managed and coordinated federal research compliance site visits

Environmental Compliance • Collaborated with Environmental Health and Safety on issues related to EPA, OSHA,

chemical lab safety, training compliance, as well as bioterrorism legislation • Member of the Radiation Safety Committee, the Chemical Safety Committee, the

Environmental Affairs Committee, and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee • Assisted with regulatory issues including reviewing disclosures to agencies and assisting

with statutory interpretation

Athletics Compliance • Chief Report Editor and coordinator of the 2002-2003 NCAA Self-Study Certification

process and site visit; compiled the 900-page Final Report, addressing four operating principles: governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, fiscal integrity, and equity, welfare, and sportsmanship

• Coordinated the University’s Title IX review in conjunction with the Athletics Department and other University departments

Conflicts of Interest • Drafted the Vanderbilt University Conflicts Policy addressing individual conflicts of

interest and conflicts of commitment • Managed the University Conflict of Interest and Commitment Policy as a university-wide

initiative for members of the Board of Trust, executive administration, and 19,000 employees, including annual training, disclosure, and review

• Developed a web-based training and disclosure process • Worked extensively with University community and Faculty Senate on policy revisions

D. Fisk University, Nashville, TN

Adjunct Professor of English and African-American Studies School of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1992 – 1994, 2004 – 2006 Courses: Freshman Composition, Grammar, African-American History and Culture

E. American Baptist College, Nashville, TN

Assistant Professor of English, Department of English, 1991 – 1994 Courses: Grammar, Composition, Literature, Speech Locations: Main campus and men’s and women’s minimum and maximum security prison

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III. LEGAL EXPERIENCE

A. Bass, Berry, and Sims PLC Nashville, TN 1995 - 1998 Attorney Practice Areas: Commercial Lending, Public Finance, and Real Estate

B. Honorable Sam J. Ervin, III (deceased) Morganton, NC 1994 - 1995 Federal Appellate Court Judicial Law Clerk for Chief Judge Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

C. Legal Associate Summer 1991-1994, Nashville, TN Bass, Berry, and Sims Doramus & Trauger Farris, Warfield & Kanaday Gullett, Sanford, Robinson & Martin Waller, Lansden, Dortch & Davis

D. Bar Memberships and Associations Member of the Tennessee Bar, 1994-present Member of the Illinois Bar, 1994-present Lawyer's Association for Women, Nashville, TN, Board member, 1996 – 2000

IV. PUBLICATIONS AND CREATIVE WORKS

A. Books Authored Pratt-Clarke, Menah. (2020 anticipated). A Black Woman’s Education Journey: The Second Generation. Under contract. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Pratt-Clarke, Menah. (2018). A Black Woman’s Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in America. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Pratt-Clarke, Menah and Maes, Johanna. (2017). Journeys of Social Justice: Women of Color Presidents in the Academy. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Brown, Venessa and Pratt-Clarke, Menah. (2017). Reflections on Race, Culture, and Gender in Cuba. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Pratt-Clarke, Menah. (2010). Critical Race, Feminism, and Education: A Social Justice

Model. New York: Palgrave MacMillan. Postcolonial Studies in Education Series.

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Pratt, Mildred and Menah Pratt. (2002). A Tribute to Love: Forty-Six Personal Love

Stories of Romance and Marriage. Bloomington, IL: Heartland Publishing. B. Book Chapters

Pratt-Clarke, Menah. (2014). Racial (and Gender) Battle Fatigue: The Transdisciplinary Applied Social Justice Approach. In K. Fasching-Varner and K. Albert (Eds.), But You Can’t Take Our Souls: Racial Battle Fatigue in Higher Education. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield. Pratt-Clarke, Menah. (2013). Higher education leadership: The path of a Black critical race feminist. In C. Chaney and D. Davis (Eds.), Black women in Leadership: Their Historical and Contemporary Contributions. New York: Peter Lang. Pratt-Clarke, Menah. (2013). Doing Sociology. In K. Korgen, J. White, & S. White (Eds.), Sociologists in Action: Sociology, Social Change and Social Justice. 2nd edition. Newbury Park, California: Pine Forge/Sage.

C. Journal Articles

Pratt-Clarke, Menah, Andrea Baldwin, and Leticia Brown. Urban Teaching and Black Girls' Pedagogies. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford: Oxford University Press (under review; anticipated publication 2019). Pratt-Clarke, Menah. Foreword in Standpoints: Black Feminist Knowledges. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Press (anticipated publication 2019). Pratt-Clarke, Menah. A Critical Race Feminist Autoethnography: A Narrative about the Academy, a Father, a Daughter, and a Search for Love. Journal of Colorism Studies. Vol. 3:1 (2018).

Pratt-Clarke, Menah. A Black Woman’s Search for the Transdisciplinary Applied Social Justice model: Encounters with Critical Race Feminism, Black Feminism, and Africana Studies. Journal of Pan African Studies. Vol. 5:1, 83-102 (2012).

Pratt-Clarke, Menah. A Radical Reconstruction of Resistance Strategies: Black Girls and Black Women Reclaiming Our Power Using Transdisciplinary Applied Social Justice©, Ma’at, and Rites of Passage. Journal of African American Studies: Special Edition on Black Women and Girls. First published online on May 17, 2012. DOI: 10.1007/s12111-012-9221-6.

Pratt-Clarke, Menah. Transdisciplinary Applied Social Justice and Africana Sociology: Intersections and connections. Critical Sociology: Special Edition on Africana Sociology. First published online on June 11, 2012 as doi:10.1177/0896920512443140.

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V. HONORS AND RECOGNITIONS

National • 2018 American Education Studies Association Critics’ Choice Outstanding

Scholarship Award Winner for “A Black Woman’s Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in America”

• Facilitated the recognition of Virginia Tech by the INSIGHT into Diversity “Higher Education Excellence in Diversity” (HEED) Award for colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion (2016, 2017, and 2018)

• Facilitated the recognition of the University of Illinois by the INSIGHT into Diversity “Higher Education Excellence in Diversity” (HEED) Award for colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion (2013 and 2014)

A. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign • 2012 Larine Y. Cowan “Make a Difference Award” for Visionary Leadership in

Diversity (a campus-wide award recognizing significant contributions to diversity at Illinois; received inaugural award for visionary leadership)

• 2011 "Outstanding Research Contribution in African American Studies Award" for Critical Race, Feminism, and Education: A Social Justice Model

• 2010 Professor William H. Creswell, Jr., Humanitarian and Community Service Award (a campus-wide award recognizing contributions to Illinois that impact the campus community)

• Selected as one of five faculty ranked as excellent by their students for Spring 2009 classes in the Department of African-American Studies.

• Black Law Students Association Appreciation Award for academic service, 2009-2011 (recognized for developing a first year academic success program)

• 2006 McKinley Health Center Special Populations’ Faculty Advisory Committee Award (a special recognition of efforts to support diversity at the student health center)

VI. INVITED LECTURES AND CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

A. Book Tour: A Black Woman’s Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor:

Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in America (20 engagements, 2018-2019) May, 2019: Virginia Tech, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, Commencement Speaker April, 2019: University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work, Commencement Speaker April, 2019: Millersville University, 6th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Keynote Speaker April, 2019: Long Island University, Keynote Speaker April, 2019: Stevens Institute of Technology, Provost’s Lecture Series on Women in Leadership, Keynote Speaker

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April, 2019: American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, Keynote Speaker March, 2019: National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, Book Presentation March, 2019: Claflin University Women’s History Month, Keynote Speaker March, 2019: University of Dayton, School of Education Professional Development Workshops and Keynote February, 2019: Baypath University, Diversity and Inclusion Presentation February, 2019: University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, Black History Month Keynote Speaker February, 2019: Butler University Founder’s Day, Keynote Speaker January, 2019: University of Iowa, MLK Keynote Speaker January, 2019: University of Virginia, Community MLK Keynote Speaker October, 2018: From Innovation to Inclusion, Medical University of South Carolina, Workshop Speaker September, 2018: From MLK to BLM: 50 Years of Struggle, Vanderbilt University, Keynote Speaker August, 2018: Times Up in the Academy National Conference (Ending Sexual Harassment in Academy), Texas Tech University, Keynote Speaker June, 2018: Cornell University, Future Professors Institute, Advancing Diversity in the Academy: Remaining True to Your Voice and Scholarship, Keynote Speaker March, 2018: Book Tour and Keynote, Jarvis Christian College March, 2018: Book Tour and Keynote, University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign March, 2018: Book Launch and Signing, Illinois State University February, 2018: A Conversation By and About Black Women, A Black Woman’s Journey Book Launch, Virginia Tech

B. Selected Keynotes, Conferences, and Workshops February, 2020: Arizona State University, Visiting Scholar September, 2019: AuditCom National Conference, Keynote Speaker September, 2018: GEM National Conference, Keynote panel on engineering and diversity May, 2018: Town Hall with President Tim Sands on Diversity at Virginia Tech January, 2018: Keynote address at Advancing Diversity Conference on the Ut Prosim Imperative, Virginia Tech May, 2017: National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates Conference, Keynote at Virginia Tech September 2017: Conversation at Freddie Mac about Leadership and Diversity May, 2017: Day long series of workshops on issues of gender, leadership, bias, and microaggressions at the University of Central Florida September, 2016: Women in Business, New York, Keynote Address November, 2016: Women in Business, Atlanta, Keynote Address July, 2016: APLU and CADE panel, “State of Campus Diversity and the Implications for Institutional Excellence”, New York, New York

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June, 2016 Virginia Network of Women Annual State Conference, Workshop Presenter January, 2016: Advancing Diversity Keynote Lecture, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

C. Faculty Women of Color in the Academy National Conference Founder and chair of the Faculty Women of Color in the Academy National Conference The conference, in its 7th year, supports and empowers almost 400 undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and administrators in the academy

VII. COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

A. Community Organizations

Community Foundation for East Central Illinois, 2012 - 2016 • Secretary and member of Executive Committee, Development Committee, and

Strategic Grant-making Committee • Engaged in annual review of CEO and audit and budget matters; advisor on grant

awards to community organizations Cunningham Children’s Home, 2013 - 2016 • Founded in 1895, Cunningham offers residential treatment, specialized foster care,

transitional living, independent living, vocational education, and therapeutic special education to children and adolescents ages 5-21.

• Board member, Planning Committee for fund-raising for new campus building Leadership Illinois, 2015 - 2016 • Founded in 1998, Leadership Illinois is a not-for-profit organization with a goal of

empowering women to be a catalyst for positive change in communities and workplaces.

• Board member, Vice-President for Development VIII. PERSONAL A. Art, Music, and Theater

Pratt Music Foundation, Illinois Wesleyan, Bloomington, IL 1996-present • Founding board member • Founded in 1996, the Pratt Music Foundation promotes classical music in

Bloomington-Normal-McLean County. The Pratt Music Foundation Scholarship Program provides individual music instruction, in piano or strings, for talented, motivated students, with financial need, in grades K through 12

• Foundation has raised $700k in an endowment that annually supports almost 30 students with free music lessons

• Foundation has awarded almost 400 scholarships totaling $400k from endowment earnings only

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W.O. Smith School of Music, Nashville, TN 1996-2006

• Board member • Founded in 1984, the School makes affordable quality music instruction available

to children from low income families

• Supported programming, marketing, and discussions of fund-raising strategy for new building for the school

Amun Ra Theatre (ART) Company, Nashville, TN 2003-2006

• Board member • ART is a not-for-profit professional performing arts ensemble with a mission to

explore, in a public and educational forum, the universal themes of humanity as experienced through the worldview of African-American drama, music, dance and the spoken word

• Supported programming and marketing through fundraising initiatives to support theater performances

Exuma Frame Shop and Art Gallery, Nashville, TN 1993-2000

• Founder and owner of frame shop and art gallery specializing in African-American art

• Developed and executed marketing and business development plan • Member of the Jefferson Street minority business community

Musician

• Pianist, Metropolitan Interdenominational Church, Nashville, TN 2004 – 2006 • Pianist, Unitarian Universalist Society, Iowa City, IA 1985-1990 • Violinist, Bloomington-Normal Symphony, Normal, IL 1983-1985

B. Athletics

• Professional Women's Tennis Circuit • 1984 US Olympic Team Qualifying Tournament Tennis Trials

C. International Travel

• Countries visited: Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and St. Kitts and Nevis

• Travelled to Cuba as a member of the “Cuban Education, Race, Gender, & Culture Delegation" coordinated by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, 2015

• Facilitated, as faculty leader, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Business MBA student consulting organization study abroad to South Africa: Durham, Johannesburg, Cape Town