Florastina Payton-Stewart, PH.D.

Dr. Florastina Payton-Stewart is the inaugural Faculty Administrative Fellow for Diversity & Inclusion in the Office of Academic Affairs.  She is Xavier alumna. Dr. Payton received her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1999 and her Ph.D. in Bioorganic Chemistry from Tulane University in 2007. She held a postdoctoral position at Tulane University School of Medicine from 2007-2010. She has dedicated her career to exposing and nurturing individuals and undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). She has mentored undergraduates, postgraduates and junior faculty members. Dr. Payton-Stewart provides support for faculty, coordinated junior faculty mentoring program and faculty development workshops, and supports diversity and equity initiatives within the college. Currently, Dr. Payton-Stewart serves as a member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Scientific Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) and National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE). 

 

As the Faculty Administrative Fellow for Diversity & Inclusion for the XULA Supporting Transformation: Intersectional Directions to Engender Success (STrIDES) NSF ADVANCE grant, Dr. Payton-Stewart’s work focuses on identifying, implementing and supporting institutional transformation centered on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; creating sustainable policies and procedures that support hiring processes; retention practices; and cultural competency and the creation of a more just and humane society at Xavier University of Louisiana. In particular, she will:

• Work with the University officials to conceptualize, define, assess, nurture, and cultivate diversity as an institutional and educational resource;
• Implement Climate surveys and utilize data to identify, prioritize, and inform transformational change strategies, particularly regarding women of color;
• Research, develop, and implement standardized search and hiring procedures for objective recruitment of faculty;
• Conduct seminars centered on diversity issues to bring awareness to challenges of African American women faculty;
• Bring external consultants to train Division heads and Department chairs on issues centered on diversity and inclusion;
• Conduct multiple workshops each year to discuss topics of interest to minority faculty with the goal of helping to facilitate building a strong mentoring network;
• Support inclusive practices for all faculty and staff, the breadth of engagement is such that we anticipate positive impact on personnel practices across identities and employment functions across campus.