Dr. Valerie Lee was the Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Previous to serving in these positions, she chaired the department of English for seven years and chaired the department of Women's Studies for 2 years. Dr. Lee has been teaching at Ohio State since 1998. Professor Lee is the author of The Prentice Hall Anthology of African American Women's Literature (2006), Granny Midwives and Black Women Writers: Double-Dutched Readings (1996), Invisible Man's Literary Heritage: Benito Cereno and Moby Dick (1978), and of articles and reviews on African American literature and theory, and multicultural pedagogy. . She is also co-author of Women’s Studies Directors’ Handbook (2002). Recipient of the OSU Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award and the OSU Distinguished Service Award.