Dr. Joy Gaston Gayles is a Professor of Higher Education and Senior Advisor for the
Advancement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the College of Education at North Carolina
State University. Dr. Gayles is nationally recognized for her research and scholarship on women
and people of color in STEM fields and her work in the area of intercollegiate athletics in higher
education. Issues of equity, inclusion, and justice undergird the collective body of her work.

Dr. Gayles is one of the primary thought leaders in her field of study and was recently named as
one of 25 innovative women leading higher education in DIVERSE: Issues in Higher Education
magazine. She is currently serving as President of the Association for the Study of Higher
Education (ASHE), the primary professional association for studying post-secondary education
issues.

Dr. Gayles is nationally known for her work in partnership with the National Center for Faculty
Development and Diversity (NCFDD) the largest faculty development center in the United
States. In addition, she serves as a faculty success coach and campus workshop facilitator. To
date, she has coached well over 100 faculty across the country and conducted over 50 campus
workshops on topics such as mentoring, tenure and time management, mid-career faculty
success, and writing through resistance.

Over the course of her career, she has won numerous awards for her scholarly contributions
and for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. In 2020 she received the
Chancellor’s Creating Community Award for Outstanding Faculty at NC State and was named
University Scholar in 2018, two of the highest faculty awards at NC State University. She also
received the Zenobia L. Hikes Woman of Color in the Academy Award for advancing the
development of young women of color in their pursuit of excellence. She is a community builder
at heart and values engaging in work that makes a real difference in the lives of others.