Lisa McBride, PhD

Dr. McBride, a St. Louis native, has an extensive and distinguished background. In her current role, she serves as the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer and is a member of the President’s Cabinet. Since her tenure in this inaugural role, Dr. McBride has implemented the President’s Diversity Council, created and developed the Cultural Competency Training/Curriculum; developed a Diversity Leadership Speaker series which has featured Dr. Marci Bowers who is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of Genital Reassignment Surgery, Dr. Antonia Novello the first woman and first Hispanic United States Surgeon; and collaborated with medical students and Healthcare clinicians to provide healthcare services to homeless veterans with the assistance of Project Home—a agency that empowers adults, children, and families to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.

She previously served as Special Assistant to the President/ University Ombudsperson within the Pennsylvania State University System. Prior to this role, Dr. McBride held several positions in the Florida State University System including the Assistant Director of the Policy Institute of Conflict, Oppression and Terrorism Studies, Institutional Diversity Coordinator and Associate Professor in the Criminal Justice department. Dr. McBride is certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a County Court Mediator in the State of Florida, and certified by the Arkansas Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training to serve as a Human Diversity Instructor.

Dr. McBride began her career as a police officer in St. Louis, Missouri. She then transitioned to a federal criminal investigator for eight years in various international countries as an undercover operative and demonstrates competency working with people of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds. Dr. McBride is experienced as impartial dispute resolution practitioner around issues of promotion, salary inequality, evaluation disputes, sexual harassment and other issues regarding employment. Dr. McBride developed, implemented and assessed university-wide diversity policies and related initiatives, and possesses the ability to facilitate cooperation and consensus through education, negotiation and mediation. Dr. McBride earned her Doctor of Philosophy (2007) in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and her Master of Science (1987) and Bachelor of Science (1986) in Criminology from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. Dr. McBride owes all of her success to her beloved parents Elmer and Mary Ella McBride.

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