Rochelle Gilbert

Dr. Rochelle Gilbert is the Executive Senior Director of University Relations and Advancement under the Office of the President and Dean for the Center for Social Change. She is responsible for championing social change, advocating academic excellence, promoting, and upholding the values of inclusiveness, encouraging community engagement, and designing and executing strategies to foster mutually beneficial partnerships with university stakeholders. In her role in OTP, she also has oversight of Government and Community Relations, Talks for Good Initiatives, and Alumni Chapters. She works closely with central university stakeholders to foster inter-institutional collaborations.

Responsible for promoting and upholding the values of civility, championing academic excellence, inclusiveness, community engagement, and providing resources, advocacy, and crisis management for all students, Dr. Ro has provided oversight for the establishment of Professional Development Communities for student leaders, Career Resource HUBs, and new student organizations.

Dr. Ro has over a decade of administrative and leadership experience at Walden. Preceding her current administrative leadership appointment, Dr. Ro served as Dean of Student Affairs for over 50,000 students, providing oversight of Career Planning and Development, Student Life, Leadership, and Engagement, Alumni Engagement, Student Judicial and Restorative Services, OMBUDS, Student Counseling Services, and Student Wellness and Disability Services. She was responsible for promoting and upholding the values of civility, championing academic excellence, inclusiveness, community engagement, and providing resources, advocacy, and crisis management for all students. She supervised the establishment of Communities of Practice, and Professional Development Communities for student leaders, Career Resource HUBs, the Readers for Good Book Club, and new student organizations.

She joined the Walden family in 2010, previously serving as the Senior Director of Academic Residencies, Dr. Gilbert provided strategic planning and implantation of residency programming and oversight for faculty and staff support in delivering online learning of residency goals and learning outcomes. She led the pandemic necessary pivot of on-ground Residency experiences to fully virtual events creating renewed delivery experiences.

Dr. Ro has served as a Positive Leadership Champion, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee representative, and President’s Council for Student and Alumni Employees. She has served as an advisor for Walden’s chapters of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Divine Nine Alliance, and Virtual Fulbright Chapter. Dr. Ro is a member of Chi Sigma Iota, Golden Key International, and Tau Upsilon Sigma Honor Societies. However, she is most proud to be a Walden Alumni Ambassador, where she shares the exceptional experiences of being a Walden Alum and Mentor.

Dr. Ro’s research interests include women’s leadership in higher education administration, mental health in communities of color, and the superwoman syndrome. Dr. Gilbert earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Louisiana Monroe and a Master’s in Educational Leadership & Administration. She also earned an Executive MBA and Master’s degrees in Clinical and Mental Health and School Counseling from Walden University.

Education

EdD, University of Louisiana Monroe

MS, Walden University

MBA, Walden University

MEd, University of Louisiana Monroe

BA, University of Louisiana Monroe

Awards / Honors

Executive Leadership Certification, National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), 2020

Advanced Leadership Certification , National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), 2020

Advisor Spotlight – National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), Walden Univeristy Divine Nine Alliance, 2020

Outstanding Service Award through Social Action – Louisiana , , 2019

Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in the Area of Speech , , 2018

Outstanding Woman of Purpose , , 2016