Terri Givens is a Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She was the Provost’s Advisor on the Strategy to Address Anti-Black Racism at McGill University from 2021-2024, where she supported the provost’s offices work to increase the hiring of and support for Black faculty, staff and students. She is formerly the CEO of the Center for Higher Education Leadership and has worked with a variety of colleges, universities and ed tech companies on issues related to innovation and excellence in higher education. As the author of the bestseller Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides, and her most recent book Reckoning: Creating Positive Change through Radical Empathy, she is a sought after consultant and speaker on issues related to leadership and inclusion. She has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, politics, international affairs, and nonprofits. She is an accomplished speaker and uses her platform to develop leaders with an understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion, while encouraging personal growth through empathy.

Terri has held leadership positions as Vice Provost at the University of Texas at Austin and Provost of Menlo College (first African American and woman); as well as professorships at University of Texas at Austin, and University of Washington. She was the founding director at the Center for European Studies at the University of Texas and led the university’s efforts in Mexico and Latin America as Vice Provost for International Activities as well as curriculum development. She has worked with a variety of organizations at the international level, including the German Marshall Fund, attending the annual Brussels Forum, the US State Department, Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders, and the Helsinki Commission.