As Vice President for Legal Affairs and Organizational Strategy at Austin Peay State University (APSU), I oversee the institution's legal matters, public relations and marketing, and strategic initiatives. I joined APSU in 2017 as general counsel and secretary to the board and was promoted to vice president in 2019. In 2020, I led APSU through the COVID-19 pandemic as interim president, making me the first Black president of the more than 95-year-old institution. I have also served as an adjunct professor of education law at Belmont University's College of Law.With nearly 15 years of experience in the education sector, I have a passion for advancing equity, excellence, and innovation in higher education. I have also contributed to the development of state and federal education policies and regulations, working as a general attorney for the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, as general counsel for the Tennessee State Board of Education, and as a district policy advisor for Metro Nashville Public Schools. I have been recognized as a leader and innovator in my field, receiving multiple awards and honors, including the 2021 40 Under 40 by the Nashville Business Journal.