Biography

Shirley Strong, M.Ed., M.A., is a social justice educator and advocate committed to increasing equity and inclusion in higher education and healthcare for underserved and vulnerable populations. She has worked in higher education, philanthropy and social justice for over 35 years, including eight years as Dean of Students and Director of Diversity at CIIS and five years as Chief Diversity Officer at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, California. Currently, Ms. Strong serves as senior advisor to the Structural Competency Working Group (SCWG), a cross-section of health professionals who train health organizations to recognize and address structural racism in health care and to develop policies and procedures to improve health equity. She is committed to integrating spirituality with activism in the service of the Beloved Community, as envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other prophetic leaders.