We are so excited to announce Dr. Ajia Meux as SWCHRS/NCORE's new Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Projects! Ajia returns to SWCHRS/NCORE after two years in OU Advancement/Foundation, where she supported the operations and execution of the LEAD ON Campaign, OU’s $2B fundraising campaign.  

Ajia received her Ph.D. in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma in May 2024. Her research philosophy informs an agenda that focuses on both pro-social and critical analyses of Black representation—that is, how the lives of Black people are made better and worse through media and communication. With that philosophy in mind, her research focuses on the relationship between communication, culture, identity, and power in corporate philanthropy, activist, and visual representation contexts.

Before transitioning into communications, Ajia worked as a social worker clinician in the Washington, DC, area and with the Department of Defense, focusing on sexual, domestic, and combat trauma. Her commitment to racial and social justice is primarily influenced by her work as a social worker, as she recognizes the inherent dignity and worth of human beings and their contributions to the world.  Aside from her Ph.D., Ajia holds an.MA from the University of Oklahoma (2018), MSW from Howard University (2005), and a BS from California State University, Fresno (2001). She is originally from Oakland, CA.

Please help us welcome Ajia to her new role!