Ansley Booker, Ph.D. is a native of Eatonton, Georgia. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar from Georgia Southern University in 2008, a Master of Science in pharmacy from the University of Georgia in 2013, and her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Mercer University in May 2019. Her dissertation focused on African American/Black women who had obtained STEM graduate/doctoral degrees in computer science, engineering, and physical science. She has published and presented extensively on the experiences of African American women and minority students in STEM education and student affairs. Her writings are featured in the books The Table, Gumbo Females of Color Book 2, Seeing the Hidden Minority: Increasing the Talent Pool through Identity, Socialization, and Mentoring Constructs, Fraternal Organizations, and Mentoring: Valuable Compacts for Young Black Males, and Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls. Her passion for STEM was highlighted in her 2019 TedTalk at the University of Georgia entitled Unhidden Figures: Uncovering Our Cultural Biases in STEM. Dr. Booker was the previous Director of the Mercer University Educational Opportunity Center (Federal TRiO Programs) and is the inaugural Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives.  

In addition to being a passionate scientist and educator, Ansley is also an award-winning, international speaker, author, and consultant. When she is not developing a STEM curriculum for high school and collegiate students as an adjunct professor, she has mentored and volunteered for numerous programs in the Macon and Statesboro communities, including Our Girls Rock, Too!: Girls Mentoring Program in Statesboro, GA, and Real I. M. P. A.C. T. Center, Inc.- a local non-profit to ensure young girls 3rd-8th grade are exposed to STEM disciplines in Macon, GA. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Leadership Macon Alumni Board, Tubman African American Museum, and Storytellers Macon. She is a co-chair for the Georgia Southern Middle GA Alumni Network and a member of the Georgia Southern Young Alumni Board, the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy Alumni Board, and the Mercer University African American Alumni Board. She is a proud member of the Junior League of Macon, Macon (GA) Chapter of the Links, Inc., the Macon Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc., and is President of the Career Women’s Network. Dr. Ansley Booker is a graduate of Leadership Macon 2019, the Urban Leadership Academy Cohort 3, and Middle Georgia Regional Champions.