Professional Title/s
Dean of Inclusive Excellence : Associate Professor of Community & Justice Studies : Associate Professor of Black StudiesBiographical Information
Heather Moore Roberson, Ph.D. (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a strategic visionary and transformative leader with over 15 years of experience teaching and leading in higher education. She is proud to serve as the Dean of Inclusive Excellence at Allegheny College. Dr. Roberson is an award-winning leader, teacher, and researcher who advances initiatives related to race, equity, and justice in higher education. The Office of Inclusive Excellence encompasses various offices and initiatives including the IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Social Justice) Center, Title IX, Sustained Dialogues, and the RISE (Reach, Inspire, Support, and Engage) Program for historically underrepresented students. She has published articles on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Academic Leader and facilitated presentations on culturally relevant leadership for the Council of Independent Colleges and Leadership in Higher Education conferences. In 2024, Heather was listed as one of the top 100 Black Trailblazers in the state of Pennsylvania by City & State Magazine—named for leaders in politics, business, and education. Prior to serving as the College’s senior diversity officer, she served as the Director of Faculty Diversity and Inclusion (2021-2022). She is a tenured member of the faculty in Community & Justice Studies and Black Studies, and is the first Black woman in the College’s history to attain tenure. She is the recipient of the Thoburn Award for Teaching Excellence and continues teaching courses on race, identity, and education in the United States. As a scholar and lifelong learner, she conducts research in pop culture, Black Studies, Education, and Black youth masculinity. In 2024, her edited collection Thinking about Black Education: An Interdisciplinary Reader (with Dr. Hilton Kelly, Elon University) won the Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award.
Heather received two Bachelor’s degrees in Educational Studies and American Studies from Trinity College (Hartford, CT), a M.A. in American Studies from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in American Studies from Purdue University in 2015.