Leadership in Action

Leadership in Action: Architecting Programs and Creating Opportunity

To me, effective leadership is an act of creation. It means identifying a need and architecting a lasting solution—whether that involves launching a new academic department, pioneering a statewide policy, or founding a company to bring research to the marketplace. I operate with an entrepreneurial mindset and have consistently functioned as a builder, designing innovative programs and systems that generate new opportunities for students and communities.

This approach is not about incremental change; it’s about fundamental transformation—establishing new structures where none previously existed.

Architect of Academic Innovation

My academic leadership is defined by a consistent ability to develop forward-thinking, interdisciplinary programs aligned with the evolving needs of students and industry. These initiatives have delivered tangible institutional value and opened new career pathways.

At Jackson State University (JSU), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), I served as Associate Dean and Chair, where I spearheaded the creation of a new interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Data Sciences. The program has generated an estimated $8–10 million in new university income, enrolled nearly 89 new students annually, and established strategic partnerships with Amazon, IBM, and Dell.

In the same role, I led an initiative that increased freshman enrollment in Computer Science and Engineering by nearly 30%, while also raising incoming SAT scores—a rare accomplishment that reflects improved program quality and appeal.

I also created dual enrollment programs for high school and junior high students and developed new master’s specializations in high-demand fields such as Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and Bioinformatics.

At the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), I developed the first Professional Master’s Degree in Computer Science & Technology in Arkansas—an accelerated, one-year graduate program designed for working professionals. As Chair, I served as Principal Investigator and chief architect of over $7.3 million in external funding for the department. I also created the first high school computer science curriculum in Arkansas and grew departmental faculty from 10 to 18.

Building Statewide Systems for Equity

My leadership has extended beyond institutional boundaries to statewide policy reform. As Senior Associate Director at the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, I played a central role in creating the Statewide Reverse Transfer System. This policy enables students who transferred from a two-year college to a four-year university without earning an associate’s degree to transfer their university credits back to the community college and be awarded the degree retroactively. This approach provides a valuable credential that recognizes their progress and increases workforce mobility.

I also expanded the Arkansas College Transfer System (ACTS) to improve articulation between public institutions and helped secure $1.4 million in funding to support math pathways for underprepared students.

High-Impact Leadership Summary

The table below highlights several of my most significant leadership achievements, demonstrating the breadth and depth of impact across academia, state policy, and entrepreneurship.