Gladys Gary Vaughn is currently employed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and serves as Chief of the Employment Branch in the Compliance Division. She joined the Federal Service in May 1998 as National Program Leader for Human Sciences Research in the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (now National Institute for Food and Agriculture). At USDA, she designs and leads outreach programming for minority, socially disadvantaged and under-served farmers and ranchers and serves as Chief of the Cultural Transformation Division. Prior to joining the Federal Service, she was a senior staff member at AAFCS for more than 21 years, and served as director of research, public affairs, grants and fund development. Vaughn holds the Bachelor of Science degree from Florida A&M University, a Master of Science degree from Iowa State University, a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Maryland, and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Fontbonne University in St. Louis. Her life’s work has focused on the well-being of farm and refugee families, children, families, and the contributions and legacy of women’s organizations. She has authored and co-authored grants totaling more than $12 million for innovative, award-winning and widely replicated programs on school-aged child care, adolescent pregnancy prevention, family planning, and nutrition education for children. She is author or co-author of award winning curricular focused on nutrition, 4-H, and prevention of adolescent pregnancy; has published in professional journals and popular literature, and is co-author of two signal books which help fill a critical intellectual void in the historical record of the contributions of Black Women. She has traveled extensively to 52 states and territories, and 37 foreign countries, and serves or has served on the boards of national organizations including Habitat for Humanity International, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the Black Women’s Agenda and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Over her 50-year career, she has earned a reputation as a compassionate writer and orator, one who is outspoken on professional and societal issues related to diversity, inclusion and social justice.