Tia Sherèe Gaynor, Ph.D. is an associate professor in leadership and management at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at University of Minnesota. Prior to joining the UMN faculty, Dr. Gaynor was an associate professor of political science and founding director of the Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation at the University of Cincinnati.
Tia is a community-engaged scholar whose work uses an intersectional lens to focus on the ways identity-based narratives shape decision-making in public and nonprofit organizations. Her most recent work sits at the nexus of mindfulness and management in exploring avenues toward equity and justice.
She holds a PhD and MPA from Rutgers University – Newark and a BA from Rutgers University – New Brunswick.
Tia was introduced to UAA, as a graduate student, in 2011. Since then, as a member, she has served UAA as a member of the Best Book Award Committee and has attended and presented her research at several of the conferences. Tia has built both personal and professional relationships through her connection with UAA.
As a board member, Tia hopes that she can continue work that supports community-engaged scholarship and researchers, especially early career scholars. She is also interested in supporting efforts to strengthen UAA as an inclusive and accessible organization, one that invites and welcomes a wide range of individuals and scholars including but not limited to members of directly impacted communities, undergraduate and graduate students, and scholars representing Indigenous identities and those residing in the Global South.