Dr. Pearson has over 30 years of experience in higher education and leadership. She comes to us from the Office of the Chancellor where she served as the inaugural Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) since 2020. Dr. Pearson was instrumental in transforming the function where she secured a $9 million allocation from the Pennsylvania General Assembly; executed the first-ever systemwide Climate Survey for students, faculty, and staff; oversaw the annual systemwide DEI Summits, initiated systemwide DEI training for students, faculty, and staff; and launched an online dashboard that publishes critical DEI metrics at the system and university levels. She also has a plethora of experience in her roles as Vice President of Academic Affairs at State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), Interim Provost and Assistant Provost at Winston-Salem State University, and Associate Academic Dean at the University of Denver.

Dr. Pearson holds a Ph.D. in Administration & Supervision of Education (Emphasis: Higher Education) from Marquette University; an M.S. in Education Administration (Emphasis: Higher Education Leadership) from Concordia University; an M.A. in Conflict Resolution from the University of Denver and a B.A. in Human Services from Pace University, New York.