Dr. LaToya Owens is a visionary leader who is skilled in strategic and data-informed design and decision-making, as well as organizational development and solutions-based work in education and nonprofit spaces. She is an experienced thought leader on topics ranging from inclusive research practices to K-16 career pathways and culturally informed evaluation and assessment. Dr. Owens has developed a number of innovative experiences to impact curriculum development, ensure equitable educational policies, and develop culturally competent evaluation frameworks and tools for diverse communities. She was the first recipient of the Georgia State College of Education and Human Development Dean’s Fellowship and the Georgia State University Provost’s Dissertation Fellowship. Dr. Owens is currently the director of Learning and Evaluation at the UNCF Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute and largely focuses on  strengthening institutional career placement and student persistent outcomes at historically black colleges and universities. She also works as an instructor of research, measurement, and statistics in the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University.