Nina Lyon-Bennett

Nina Lyon-Bennett is a Professor and Assistant Dean for academics in the School of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Human Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). Lyon-Bennett fosters a spirit of excellence in fulfilling the school’s academic mission, assists the dean/director in developing and implementing policies and procedures, and provides training and professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and students. Through the management of the academic enterprise, she focuses on a holistic approach to student success and academic excellence, creating a culturally inclusive environment that supports a sense of belonging.

 Lyon-Bennett earned her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Georgia and her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Sociology from Clark College and Atlanta University. She completed graduate certificates in Social Gerontology, Women’s Studies, and Family Financial Planning. As an outstanding grant writer,  Lyon-Bennett has secured over $30 million in external funding to support student success, recruitment, retention, peer-to-peer mentoring, and persistence to graduation. She is a 2023 Fellow in the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute, a mentor for the 2023-2024 Leadership Fellows Program with the Board on Health & Human Sciences, board chair for LEAD21, chair of the Diversity Catalyst Committee for innovation, chair of the UAPB Title IX hearing committee, member of UAPB’s IRB committee, and a 2014 Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI) graduate. Lyon-Bennett is co-editor of a forthcoming book, Women of Color in Higher Education Leadership: Ascension, Barriers, Opportunities, and Challenges.