OUR TEAM
DEDICATED TO CULTIVATING A VIBRANT AND INCLUSIVE CAMPUS WHERE EVERY MEMBER FEELS
VALUED, RESPECTED, AND EMPOWERED TO SUCCEED.
VALUED, RESPECTED, AND EMPOWERED TO SUCCEED.
Each member of our team brings unique expertise and perspectives to the table, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment that drives positive change. Together, we are committed to upholding the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Purdue Global. Get to know the passionate individuals who drive our commitment to fostering a diverse and equitable community.
Tiffany G. Townsend, Ph.D.
Vice President of Organizational Culture and Chief Diversity Officer
Dr. Tiffany G. Townsend is the vice president of organizational culture and chief diversity officer for Purdue Global. In this role, she supports Purdue Global’s mission and strategy by fostering a learning environment that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable for all students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Townsend earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Spelman College; her Master of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology (MPhil) and her Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical Psychology from George Washington University.
With nearly 30 years of higher education experience, Townsend served most recently as the chief diversity officer for Augusta University. She has held faculty positions at Penn State University and Georgetown University Medical Center. Townsend also served as senior director of the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs (OEMA) for the American Psychological Association (APA), while also working as a clinical psychologist with the Veterans Administration serving veteran and active duty service members, youth, families, and adults.
As a clinician and scholar, she has worked to ensure that all individuals regardless of ethnicity, sex, or socio-economic status have access to the knowledge and resources necessary to facilitate healthy functioning and overall wellbeing. Her work has been featured in several journals, books, and media outlets including the Washingtonian, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Townsend currently serves as the president of the Georgia Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (GADOHE) and was selected as a fellow with the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE).
Kristin Early, Ph.D.
Director, Inclusive Excellence and Strategic Initiatives
Dr. Kristin Early is the Director of Inclusive Excellence and Strategic Initiatives within the Office of Organizational Culture and Inclusive Excellence at Purdue University Global (PG). She has been with PG (formerly Kaplan University) since 2009, previously serving as a faculty member in the graduate public safety program. As a research criminologist, she has dedicated her career to examining systemic inequities in the American justice system. In the wake of recent concerns over police brutality and racial bias, Dr. Early collaborated with a team at PG to revise curricula to examine law enforcement practices and accountability through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and developed graduate-level curricula on inclusive leadership in public safety.
She served as member of the Steering Committee for the Purdue University (West Lafayette) Equity Task Force and as the co-chair of the PG Equity Task Force. In these roles, she advanced DEI efforts by developing strategic plans and success metrics, analyzing student and faculty composition and persistence data, participating in the Gardner Institute’s Equity in Retention Academy, and co-authoring the initial PG Global Institutional Retention Plan. Dr. Early received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, her master’s degree from the University of Baltimore, and her doctorate from Florida State University.
