Lori Patton Davis, Ph.D.is one of the most highly respected, accomplished, and influential scholars in the field of higher education. She is a tenured full professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University and Chair of the Department of Educational Studies. Patton Davis is also past president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. She is best known for her important cross-cutting work on African Americans in higher education, critical race theory, diversity initiatives on college campuses, girls and women of color in educational and social contexts, and college student development and graduate preparation. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and other academic publications appearing in highly-regarded venues such as The Journal of Higher Education, Teachers College Record, Journal of College Student Development, Urban Education, and International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (QSE).

Her research has been cited in multiple publications and funded by grants from the Spencer Foundation, Lumina Foundation, American Psychological Foundation, and an array of other entities. She has served on seven editorial boards for journals in education and was previously associate editor of QSE. She was the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division J Equity and Inclusion Officer for six years. The American College Personnel Association (ACPA) members elected her to a two-year term as the inaugural Director of Equity and Inclusion on the Association’s national governing board. She has received many national awards for her scholarly contributions and was recently recognized in the Edu-Scholar Rankings among the top 200 educators in the US. She is a frequently sought-after expert on a wide range of education topics. The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, Huffington Post, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and dozens of other media outlets have quoted her and featured her research. She has also advised university presidents and other senior administrators, philanthropic foundation executives, culture center directors, and educators in urban K-12 schools.