Leah Turner, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) is a first-generation scholar, Hall of Fame student-athlete, and proud HBCU alumna of West Virginia State University. After completing two STEM degrees, she went on to earn her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Ohio University as a Southern Region Educational Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholar. Her primary academic interests involve research on the college choices of first-generation and other underrepresented student populations to address prominent higher education issues such as access, retention, degree completion, student involvement, and satisfaction. Her career portfolio includes positions in career development, youth outreach, student affairs, athletics, academic affairs, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Turner is passionate about creating systemic, inclusive change in STEM culture through programs that support the development and engagement of underrepresented student populations. In her current capacity at the University of Texas, Jackson School of Geosciences, she leads several initiatives focused on broadening participation in STEM. GeoFORCE Texas, designed as a 4-year high school diversity outreach program, earned the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) in 2015 for its innovative approach to broadening participation for diverse students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) —the highest such honor from the United States government. She also serves as co-PI on a National Science Foundation (NSF) GOLD-EN EAGER grant that focuses on mentorship of undergraduates and training a cohort of faculty and staff to be champions of diversity, bringing diversity to scale at the Jackson School. Her professional priorities are focused on connecting organizations with opportunities to engage and support the development of young diverse talent toward leadership in STEM professions.