Jessica a. Merritt, Phd - President and co-founder
BIO
Dr. Jessica Merritt is the president and co-founder of Care Based Leadership, LLC. With almost 20 years of experience working in the diversity, equity, and inclusion field, she brings a unique level of depth to the leadership, research and training components of the organization. Her earned degrees include a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Cultural Anthropology from The College of Wooster; a Master’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Black Studies from Eastern Michigan University; and a PhD in Social Foundations of Education with a minor in Research and Measurement at The University of Toledo. Dr. Merritt's experience with non-profit entities, educational institutions, and large corporations provides a unique lens through which she filters the needs of each client.
Additionally, Dr. Merritt serves in her community on non-profit boards, on volunteer committees, and taking advantage of service opportunities. In 2023, Dr. Merritt was honored as the Inaugural Vibrant Pittsburgh DEI Innovator Award Winner. This award was in recognition of her leadership and expertise in the creation of unique DEI methods of training and developing a one of a kind quantitative DEI assessment. Prior to Dr. Merritt operating as the co-founder and president of Care Based Leadership, she served as a faculty member for 14 years. In her faculty role, Dr. Merritt has been recognized for her teaching ability and dedication to students by receiving various higher education awards including being selected as a Frederick Douglass Teaching Scholar and receiving the Lancelot C. Thompson Advisor of the Year Award.
Dr. Merritt has the ability to make complex and morally charged topics easy to understand. She has the ability to facilitate difficult and necessary conversations. Her dissertation and academic research centers the efficacy of teaching methods utilities to teach issues of diversity. Her academic and practical experience provides a unique foundation for creating unique and sustainable solutions for each client that partners with Care Based Leadership, LLC. Dr. Merritt is the proud momma of Hannah and Nia Spradley. They serve as her drive to create a more inclusive world in which they grow up.
