Tabitha Grier-Reed, associate dean for graduate education and faculty development at the College of 成人直播 and Human Development, University of Minnesota (UofM), Twin Cities, will begin Aug. 5, pending a tenure vote by UofL鈥檚 CEHD faculty and approval by the UofL Board of Trustees.

“Dr. Grier-Reed brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our institution, and I am confident that she will contribute significantly to the continued success and growth of the College of 成人直播 and Human Development,” said Provost Gerry Bradley.

A licensed psychologist, she spent 16 years in the faculty ranks at UofM in the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning and most recently in the Department of Family Social Science before joining the dean鈥檚 office in 2021.

Prior to her academic career, she worked as an adviser for TRiO Student Support Services for five years. She is past president of the Minnesota Psychological Association, a fellow of the American Psychological Association and a distinguished teaching professor at UofM. With her research primarily centered in higher education, Grier-Reed鈥檚 scholarship focuses on the well-being of diverse young people, including the cultivation of spaces that promote flourishing and cultural health.聽聽聽聽

鈥淒eep alignment and noble purpose culminated in my decision to join CEHD at UofL, an environment that shares my commitment to diversity and inclusion, student success and advancing educational outcomes, especially for first-generation, Pell-eligible college students,鈥� Grier-Reed said.

She earned a PhD and master of arts in educational psychology from UofM Twin Cities Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology Program in the Department of 成人直播al Psychology. Grier-Reed also attended Tuskegee University where she earned a bachelor of science in psychology.

鈥淚 am ready to lead with agility, respect, integrity and transparency. Let鈥檚 live out our Cardinal values and create a community of care for our students, staff and faculty as we co-create the future of CEHD,鈥� Grier-Reed said.

She started her undergraduate studies away from Louisville, but eventually came back, deciding to see if and how UofL could聽align with her goals of working with the environment in some capacity. When she began college, geology was her major of choice, but it wasn鈥檛 offered at UofL.

鈥淲hen I transferred to UofL, I had to change my major to fit something I was interested in,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淚 went to the geography and geosciences department, and that allowed me to see the human side of geology.鈥�

That “human side of geology” became ingrained in the rest of Johnson鈥檚 time at UofL. During college, Johnson had the opportunity to travel abroad four times, to Iceland, Trinidad and Tobago, Nepal and Belize, meeting and working with people who shared her passion.

Each trip came with a different 鈥渉uman side鈥� of the environmental studies she was studying. In Iceland, Johnson completed a writing internship with others and became a contributor to a book titled .

In Trinidad and Tobago, Johnson traveled with a group from the Pan-African studies department and did an independent study on hydrocarbons. In Nepal, she focused on geosciences and geohazard. Her final abroad trip to Belize allowed her to facilitate an environmental education lesson plan for local high schoolers.

鈥淭he first time I studied abroad with a geography internship, I found more passion for the idea of representation in this industry and how humans impact the environment and earth,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淯ofL helped me a lot with traveling and studying abroad.鈥�

Just like in college, Johnson is still exploring what this vast field can provide for her and others. As a field ambassador for , a position that was created for Johnson, some of her work includes increasing the diversity, inclusion and outreach for the organization.

鈥淲hat I do is try to help reconnect and connect young adults and members of underserved communities, specifically communities of color, to explore nature and Bernheim,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淚 also want to encourage them to consider green jobs in order to diversify this field. By working at Bernheim, I鈥檓 helping to show young adults and children that there can be representation within this type of field.鈥�

Being allowed to show her passion to those who may look like her is just one way Johnson is impacting Bernheim. Her hope is that people also look toward roles like her and recognize that they can be financially feasible and welcoming.

鈥淭here are a lot of people and communities not working in this area because they don鈥檛 feel it鈥檚 welcoming or they don鈥檛 see people like them doing the same work,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that people realize they can do green and environmental jobs, and those positions are just as acceptable as any other job.鈥�

Johnson notes UofL provided the outlets and organizations she needed to thrive. One such organization was , a program that helps students who are low-income, first-generation, or students with disabilities achieve a bachelor鈥檚 degree.

鈥淚t was through TRIO that I actually started to appreciate the campus, the city and the college community,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淚 had so many resources, whether it be social, academic, or financial. TRIO helped me with the study abroad programs. I give a lot of credit to TRIO because the staff was really passionate about seeing everyone succeed.鈥�

In addition to being a part of TRIO, Johnson credits her level of preparation to professors within her department. The opportunities to study abroad was no doubt impactful, but it took some specific courses to help Johnson with that next step into the professional world.

鈥淚n my senior year, my thesis professor was really helpful for preparing me for a career in environment and research,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淲e as students learn that research would be a part of our field, but it wasn鈥檛 until that class that I truly felt confident and prepared professionally to conduct research.鈥澛�