Dr. Phyllis West is the Director of Social Justice Initiative at Governors State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Paine College and two master’s degrees (one in public health, the other in social work) from Tulane University, before earning her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Additionally, Dr. West consults in corporate and nonprofit spaces on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB), organizational wellness and conflict resolution. In 2022, she was certified as a Restorative Justice practitioner.