Join the Black Student Association for Black Men Trailblazers Event on Feb. 20

Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. PST | 6:30 p.m. EST

The Fielding community is invited to attend the Black Student Association’s Black Men Trailblazers: A Presentation of Black History and Beyond on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. PST | 6:30 p.m. EST. The event is moderated by Nathan Smith and will feature: Orlando L. Taylor, Ph.D., Distinguished Senior Advisor to the Fielding President, Principal Investigator, and Executive Director of the National Science Foundation-funded Center for the Advancement of STEM Leadership (CASL); Christopher L. Edwards, Ph.D., a Clinical Psychologist, Research Psychoneuroendocrinologist, and adjunct psychology faculty at NCCU; and Anthony “AGee” Greene, School of Psychology doctoral faculty at Fielding.

Orlando L. Taylor, Ph.D.

Orlando L. Taylor, Ph.D.

Prior to his appointment as Distinguished Senior Advisor to the President of Fielding Graduate University, Dr. Orlando L. Taylor served as Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Research at Fielding, where he was also the Principal Investigator and Director for an NSF-funded grant to advance women in the STEM fields into leadership positions at the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities and at Tribal Colleges. He continues to lead several NSF-funded initiatives at Fielding. Prior to joining Fielding, he served in several senior leadership positions at Howard University, and as President of the Washington, D.C. campus of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He was one of the architects of the American Association of Colleges & University (AAC&U) National Science Foundation-funded Preparing Critical Faculty for the Future project, where he continues to serve as a Senior Fellow.

Dr. Taylor is the author of numerous publications within his discipline and in higher education and is recognized by many as a national leader in graduate education. He is the Past President of the Consortium of Social Science Association and the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools. He has served as a member of numerous national boards in higher education, including the Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools, which he chaired. Currently, Dr. Taylor is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Huston-Tillotson University and a member of the Research Council of the Research Foundation for the State University of New York.

Dr. Taylor received a Ph.D. degree from the University of Michigan and has been a recipient of that university’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He received his undergraduate degree from Hampton University and a master’s degree from Indiana University. He has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Purdue University, Indiana University, Ohio State University, Hope College, DePauw University, Denison University, and Southern Connecticut State University.

Christopher L. Edwards, Ph.D.

Christopher L. Edwards, Ph.D.

Christopher L. Edwards, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist and Research Psychoneuroendocrinologist who retired from Duke University Medical Center in February 2018 and joined NCCU as an adjunct shortly thereafter. In the departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Dr. Edwards was the Medical Director of the Biofeedback Laboratory, and Director of the Chronic Pain Management Program at Duke University Medical Center. He is an expert in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic disorders where pain is a primary symptom, particularly among Black and other minority populations.

Dr. Edwards has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and other contributions to science, and has given more 400 national and international professional presentations. He received the lifetime achievement award for his contributions to understanding biopsychosocial factors associated with Sickle Cell Disease. He is the recipient of many other awards and accolades at the local, national and international levels. He has sat for interviews in reputable non-scientific publications like the Wall Street Journal as well as local and national publications and television.

Dr. Edwards held concurrent faculty positions in the Department of Psychiatry, Divisions of Medical Psychology and Hematology at Duke University Medical Center while maintaining appointments in the Durham Veterans Hospital, and the Duke Pain and Palliative Care Center. He also held academic appointments at North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T State University, and North Carolina State University to name a few, and was most noted for his multidisciplinary approach to science, clinical practice, and educating the next generation of professional.

Dr. Edwards is now an adjunct professor of psychology at NCCU.

Anthony “AGee” Greene, Ph.D.

Anthony F. Greene, Ph.D.

Anthony F. Greene, Ph.D., (aka AGee) is a Licensed Clinical and Health Psychologist and joined the faculty of the Clinical Psychology doctoral program of Fielding Graduate University in 1994. He received his doctorate in Clinical & Health Psychology from the University of South Florida in 1988.  After obtaining his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1977, he received his Master of Arts in Physical Education from the University of Florida in 1979. Dr. Greene has published works in multicultural psychology and health psychology and his service to the Fielding Graduate University community has included being a past Chair of the Senate Leadership Committee, Faculty Trustee, and member of the Inclusion Council in addition to many other committees. His clinical and research interests include health psychology, interpersonal violence, multicultural competence, eco-psychology and mentoring. He has been an artist all of his life, and loves drawing, painting and other creative endeavors. He is obsessed with all things green and believes it to be more than a color, but a way of life that draws growth, health, life, prosperity, wealth, sustainability, and wellness.

Nathan Smith– Sergeant in Arms

Nathan L. Smith

Nathan L. Smith is a third-year Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at Fielding Graduate University and the Sergeant in Arms for the Black Student Association.  Nathan is also a Marie Fielder Center graduate research fellow, a qualitative lab research assistant, and a professional development seminar representative at Fielding.  Nathan’s qualitative dissertation will explore the lived experiences of Black Identifying Males Exposed to Community Violence.

Nathan received his Associate’s degree from Gateway Community College and his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Psychology from Albertus Magnus College.  Nathan also graduated with his Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Fordham University, obtained a post-graduate certificate in Addiction Counseling from Albertus Magnus College, and a Master’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical Psychology.

Nathan is also a licensed clinical social worker, licensed alcohol and drug counselor, and certified clinical trauma professional.  Nathan’s professional experience includes working as the Senior Director of Clinical Services in the non-profit sector with young and older adults diagnosed with mental health and/or substance abuse disorders to develop independent living skills and foster resiliency through adversity.  Nathan is an adult psychiatric emergency services clinician and child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient clinician at Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital.  Nathan is also a clinical program supervisor and LCSW licensing supervisor at Marrakech Incorporated.  Nathan is also an undergraduate psychology, sociology, and human services associate faculty member at Post University and a research assistant at Syracuse University/Burton Blatt Institute.

Nathan has experience developing social and life skills groups, residential programming, community engagement, and facilitated self-care training for helping professionals, psychological/physical behavior management, first aid, and CPR.  Nathan’s clinical interests include an eclectic approach grounded in psychoanalytic theory/psychodynamic therapy and other cognitive modalities to treat trauma symptoms, anxiety and depression in African American young adults and older adults.  Nathan’s research interests include understanding the experiences of Black men, community violence exposure, male sexual violence victimization and black masculinity identity development.  Nathan’s goals are to become a licensed trauma psychologist with an emphasis on black/African American trauma experiences.