Dr. Valerie Kinloch, Johnson C. Smith University

Dr. Valerie Kinloch aspires to build community support and raise the national profile of her alma mater, Johnson C. Smith University. In August 2023, the ’96 alumnae became the university’s 15th president. Before then, she served as dean of the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh and held positions such as associate dean and professor at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She recently served as president of the National Council of Teachers of English. In her scholarly work, Kinloch has published nine books and several essays and articles; she researches the literacies of Black people in urban and rural contexts, and she examines equitable forms of teaching, learning, and leading.