Meet Dr. A

Dr. Amina Gilyard James is an organizational scientist, speaker, and author with a passion for curating safe spaces. Dr. Amina is new to podcasting but not new to elevating narratives that are often underrepresented or misrepresented. Her advocacy spans decades, from a 4th grade class trip to the NY state capitol where she lobbied to have a disability ramp built at a local library to co-founding her high school's first African-American Support Group (AASG) to serving as Miss Black District of Columbia USA in her 20s to publishing a dissertation on Black women executives' professional identity in her 30s. In recognition of her efforts, Dr. Amina has been named by the Washington Wizards as an Outstanding Community Leader in Health & Wellness and the Leadership Center for Excellence as a 40 under 40 honoree (Arlington, VA). She is currently an adjunct professor in the Organizational Leadership and Learning graduate program at The George Washington University.

 

Dr. Amina is also the founder of INFLUENCE|OD—a consultancy that transforms organizations by effectively leveraging the diversity and strengths of their employees. She specializes in sustainable inclusion, leadership development, and coaching strategies. You can learn more and schedule a consultation at https://www.influenceod.com.

 

In 2019, Dr. Amina published her first book—Power 31: A working guide to goal setting and progressing with purpose. She also penned a chapter titled The Leadership Challenge: Success Strategies for Black Millennials in the book Reaching Senior Leadership: 10 Growth Strategies Every Government Leader Should Know.

 

Dr. Amina earned a doctorate in Human & Organizational Learning from the George Washington University, a master's in Health Education from the Pennsylvania State University, and a post master's certificate in Grief, Loss, & Life Transitions from the George Washington University. In addition, she holds a Certificate of Mastery in Diversity & Inclusion from the Georgetown University and the Office of Personnel Management, she is a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths Coach, and Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).