N. J. Akbar, Ph.D. Email & Phone Number

Akron, Oh, Us

Akron, Ohio

Develop and deliver diversity, equity and inclusion training for staff professional development on implicit bias, race conscious decision-making and policy development.• Design strategic planning and priority setting process for clients aimed at maximizing impact and sustainable practices.• Curate bespoke consulting services creating affirming organizational culture, race and culturally sensitive incident response and messaging, organizational equity assessments and team culture building processes.• Supported organizations develop their strategic priorities and strategic plans centered on equity.• Secured $400,000 in contracts in support of government, nonprofits, for profit and large scale matrixed organization’s DEI strategy, research and learning and development needs and coordinating with legal departments on bias responses.

Akron, Ohio, United States

Serve as chief administrator and Executive secretary for the Political Action Committee comprised of 22 Black elected officials serving as Judges, School Board members and officers, County Council President, City Council members, State Representative, State Senator and US Congresswoman. Responsible for supporting press releases, organizing meetings with elected and community leaders with the committee and setting strategic priorities.

New York, New York, United States

As Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, provide executive level leadership on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging matters for the organization and lead the team consisting of two Deputy Chief Equity and Inclusion Officers. Designed and instituted a co-created new vision and program model for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB); Led the development and execution of an organization wide listening tour on current opportunities and prevalent upcoming EDIB challenges; Increased presence, branding and budget allocation for the 15 Employee Resource Groups as the executive sponsor; Conceptualized the design, communication, educational development process for a decentralized diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic planning process in collaboration with the Chief Strategy Officer; Led the re-evaluation of the equity, diversity, culture and belonging suite of training programs; Served as an expert on panels assisting organizations navigate the current landscape amplifying the DEI narrative; Collaborated with Chief People Officer weekly on culture and belonging needs for the organization; Managed $1.1 Million annual departmental budget to support staffing, programming and other initiatives.

Kent, Ohio, United States

As Associate Vice President, serve as the senior deputy to chief diversity officer; assist the Vice President in leading the division on administration of strategic planning, assessment, research and climate; co-lead the university bias reporting system establishment; oversee regional campus engagement for diversity initiatives collaborating with all eight campuses; lead the University Diversity Action Council; develop, lead and coordinate the university-wide diversity, equity and inclusion strategic planning process for the entire system; establish goal progress monitoring system through the DEI Index, the university’s equity scorecard; serve as the divisional representative to student retention, persistence and graduation; direct diversity, equity and inclusion assessment and research efforts.

Kent, Oh

Oversee TRIO McNair Scholars Program, TRIO Student Support Services, Success Coaching, centralized Academic Diversity Outreach offices. This role also supports the Academic Diversity Outreach network in the ten academic colleges within the Division of Academic Affairs. Assisted in the development and establishment of the network.Supervise three director level positions directly and indirectly supervise 16 full-time and graduate staff within those departments.

Led the ground up development of the office for outreach and retention services for students of color in the College of Education, Health and Human Services. Develop pipeline programs with area school districts in Northeast Ohio to motivate, encourage and recruit more students of color to enter the teaching profession, more specifically attend Kent State's Teacher Education program.

* Coordinate university interdisciplinary learning initiatives by collaborating with faculty and administrators. * Develop and direct a leadership development program for the university provost designed to give entering freshmen intentional leadership opportunities.* Coordinate and expand the Faculty Referral: Early Alert system for the 8 campus system.* Coordinate assessment activities for programs in conjunction with the Research, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness office.* Collaborate with university entities (academic advising, learning support services, residence services, and career services) to assist in coordinating university persistence initiatives.* Coordinate and lead collaborative efforts with university entities (library services, advising and career services) to design intentional sophomore initiatives and programs.* Assist in the review of the university academic policies such as probation and coordinate university efforts.* Teach a section of the Destination Kent State: First Year Experience course.* Assist with Destination Kent State: Welcome Weekend programming and execution.* Serve on the university crisis management team.* Serve as a university hearing officer.* Serve on the university collaborations and professional development committees for Kent Academic Support and Advising Association (a professional development organization for academic support and academic advising units).

Akron, Ohio, United States

Akron, Ohio, United States

Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Serve as chief administrator for the day to day operations of the new nonprofit with target sites in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Denver. Assist with grant writing and coordinating advocacy education and training expanding membership. Develop and distribute monthly communications to network of supports. Advocating for educational equity legislation successfully passing in California.

Ann Arbor, Michigan

The ELMP program is a comprehensive mentoring program for young black males ages 12 – 17 in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti, MI area. The program is committed to the development of black young men academically, socially and personally with a central focus on higher education and service to mankind. ELMP aims to prepare young men to become the most respected and sought after socially conscious, college educated, black men who are leaders of our communities, schools, businesses, politics, churches and families.

Manage overall program and supervise eight Resident Advisors and an Assistant Supervisor.

Manage caseload of approximately 300 students on probation, first year, and transfer students. Assist student with their academic success skills.

Advise students on the student conflict resolution process. Manage a student conduct caseload.

*Assist with data collection, entry, and participant recruitment for research on adolescents coping methods and parental practices.* Assist with data entry for research focused on African American stressors, coping measures, and blood pressure.* Co-author manuscript on the correlation between parenting practices and adolescent externalizing and internalizing behaviors and coping styles in African American youth.* Present research at local and national conferences that was recognized with outstanding research awards at each level.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Cultural Foundations Of Education

Sociology of Education & Multicultural Education

M.A., Higher Education Student Affairs

B.S., History And English (Secondary Education)

Activities and Societies: New Student Orientation, Chair-Community Creed Task Force, President of Commuter Student Association, Alpha Phi.