乔·尤班克斯 hails from New Orleans, La., and joined 皇冠8868会员登录 Valley College as the executive director of Climate, Culture, Diversity and Belonging in 2023.

Fueled by his firsthand experience with health disparities in the Deep South, Joe led Diversity, Equity, 包容 and Belonging at Community Health Care in Tacoma, 洗. He led the charge for systemic equity, building impactful instructional practices that fostered inclusivity and established the organization's first DEIB Council, a crucial step towards dismantling barriers and promoting belonging.

A son of the Crescent City, 乔·尤班克斯 witnessed the stark realities of social injustice firsthand through the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. This early exposure ignited a passion for reform, leading him to major in Political Science at the University of Mississippi. There, he challenged entrenched narratives surrounding Black poverty, spearheading a student-driven campaign against Confederate flag displays.

Fueled by his dedication to public service and policy, Joe continued his education with a master's in Leadership in Diversity and 包容 at the University of Kansas. While there, he played a pivotal role in establishing the first criminal defense office in Douglas County, Kan., an initiative that ultimately gave rise to the Kansas Holistic Defenders, championing the rights of underserved communities.

Joe volunteers for the National Association for Public Defense, Special Olympics Kansas, and the ACLU of Kansas. Joe is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.