Faculty and staff
- Grace E. Harris, Ph.D.
- Susan T. Gooden, Ph.D.
- Nakeina E. Douglas, Ph.D.
- Michelle D. Hawkins
- Kasey Martin
- Monica Behney
- Melissa McDonald
- Kashea Pegram
- Loren Pritchett
- April Sheppard
Grace E. Harris, Ph.D.
Grace E. Harris, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor in the Center for Public Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University and provides direction and oversight for The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute. The VCU Board of Visitors established the leadership institute in May 1999 to honor her 32 years of exemplary service to the university and her retirement as provost and vice president of academic affairs. Prior to becoming provost in January 1993, Harris held the position of vice provost for continuing studies and public service. On two occasions — in 1995 and 1998 — she served as acting president of VCU.
Harris joined the university in 1967 and held a variety of faculty and administrative posts, including dean of the School of Social Work from 1982 to 1990. She had formerly been employed as a social worker, supervisor and executive director in public and nonprofit social service agencies in Hampton and Richmond, Va.
Harris received her Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, graduating with highest honors. She attended Boston University in 1954-55 and received her Master of Social Work from Richmond Professional Institute of the College of William and Mary in 1960. She received Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in sociology from the University of Virginia in 1974 and 1975, respectively.
Active in community organizations in the Richmond area, Harris has served on numerous boards, task forces and commissions. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Virginia Health Care Foundation and the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Appointments, of which she has been a member since its establishment by former Gov. Mark Warner in 2002. She also was vice chair of Warner’s transition team — Put Virginia First.
Susan T. Gooden, Ph.D.
Susan T. Gooden, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Institute and a professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU.
She has published numerous scholarly articles and book chapters in the areas of social equity, welfare policy and postsecondary education. Gooden has conducted several research studies for MDRC and other national research organizations. She teaches courses in public policy and administration, social equity and public policy analysis, research methods, and social welfare policy.
She serves as an associate member of the Standing Panel on Social Equity in Governance of the National Academy of Public Administration and as a member of the Academic Advisory Council for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Gooden was also elected to the national policy council of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management and the executive council of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
Prior to her current academic appointment, Gooden was an associate professor at the Center for Public Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech, where she received early promotion and tenure and served as founder and director of the Race and Social Policy Research Center. She has served as a visiting scholar-in-residence at the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was class valedictorian of the 2005 class of the VCU Leadership Development Program. A native of Martinsville, Va., Gooden received her Doctor of Philosophy from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Nakeina E. Douglas, Ph.D.
Nakeina E. Douglas, Ph.D., is the Director of the Institute. Douglas earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration and Public Affairs from the Center for Public Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech. She has a Master of Social Work degree from Radford University and received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Virginia Tech.
Prior to coming to VCU, Douglas served as a research and evaluation associate at the National Science Foundation. In addition, she was also an adjunct professor at George Mason University in the Department of Public and International Affairs. Douglas’ teaching and research focus on public policy processes, analysis and evaluation, program evaluation, comparative state politics, social research methods, women and leadership and the intersection of race and social policy.
Michelle D. Hawkins
Michelle D. Hawkins, Business Manager for the Institute, is primarily responsible for managing the fiscal and administrative support functions of the institute. She brings more than 14 years of service from various state government roles. Hawkins is a 2008 graduate of VCU, receiving an undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies with a self-designed emphasis in advocacy for minorities. She received an A.A.S. degree in marketing from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
Hawkins was a member of the 2007 class of the HIGHER Ground Women’s Leadership Development Program, as well as the 2008 class of the Minority Political Leadership Institute. She is a notary public and active member of the Old Dominion Chapter of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals. She is certified as a Virginia contracting associate and is a member of the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing.
Kasey Martin
Kasey J. Martin is a Research Associate at the Institute. She is a doctoral candidate in Public Policy and Administration at VCU. Martin’s major research interests are the areas of social justice and equity--policy solutions, strengthening community capacity, addressing race relations and structural inequities, educational access and attainment for low income, first generation, and student of color and health disparities. She values community-based participatory research and action-oriented research that is focused on solutions to inequities.
In addition to her work at the Institute, Martin also works as a consultant with MDC Inc. and MDRC two social policy research organizations involved in the Achieving the Dream initiative. She is involved in the structural inequity and evaluation work of the initiative.
Previously, she worked at the Race and Social Policy Research Center at Virginia Tech where she gained experience in writing grant proposals, conducting qualitative interviews and focus groups, working with community organizations and assisting in report writing. Martin is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) a national leadership honor society and Pi Alpha Alpha, a national honor society for public affairs and administration.
Monica Behney
Monica Behney, a Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute, is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration at the L. Doulgas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English writing and French from Butler University in Indianapolis, where she received the Allegra Stewart award for Outstanding Graduating English Major. Since graduating, Behney has been dedicated to building a career in the nonprofit sector, most recently working at the Richmond SPCA and at Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) of Richmond, Inc.
Behney continues her involvement in the nonprofit sector through her volunteer work at the Richmond SPCA and at ROSMY, Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth.
Melissa McDonald
Melissa McDonald, a Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute, is a graduate of Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va. At RMC, she received her bachelor’s degree in economics and business. While attending, she was inducted into Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics society. Currently, McDonald is pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning at VCU.
She has a very diverse background, having worked in retail, radio and sales. Now that she has experienced the corporate world she wants to move forward and help society in a more positive way. Within her degree, McDonald intends to focus on the environmental and international aspects of planning. Being a child of the military, McDonald has moved often and seen many parts of the world. She enjoys traveling to foreign countries and hopes to incorporate this into her career.
Kashea Pegram
Kashea Pegram, a Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute, is currently pursuing a Masters in Criminal Justice at VCU. Most recently, Pegram was a probation officer assistant with the Henrico County Corrections Program. Previously, she served as a research assistant for faculty members in the department of psychology. Pegram earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from VCU.
Kashea Pegram, a Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute, is currently pursuing a Masters in Criminal Justice at VCU. Most recently Pegram was a probation officer assistant with the Henrico County Corrections Program. Previously she served as a research assistant for faculty members in the department of psychology. Pegram earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from VCU.Loren Pritchett
Loren Pritchett is a student worker at the Institute. She is an undergraduate student in the mass communications program majoring in print journalism with a minor in African-American studies.
April Sheppard
April Sheppard is a student worker at the Institute. She is an undergraduate student in the mass communications program majoring in strategic advertising with a minor in marketing.
