Biography
Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D. is a professor of counseling psychology at Howard University, the chief of research for concentric educational solutions, and the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Negro Education. He also serves as the executive editor of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Research, published by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. He has authored over 100 scholarly works, including 4 books.
Toldson's media appearances on MSNBC, CNN, and NPR highlight his commitment to public discourse. He wrote the Brill bestseller, "No BS (Bad Stats): Black People Need People Who Believe in Black People Enough Not to Believe Every Bad Thing They Hear about Black People." Toldson was named one of the nation's top 200 most influential education scholars by Education Week’s Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings. Previously, he served as the director of education for the NAACP and has been the principal investigator for more than 20 NSF grants totaling over $11 million. The Washington Post described him as a leader "who could conceivably navigate the path to the White House," Newsweek Magazine listed him among "30 leaders in the fight for Black men," and Diverse: Issues In Higher Education called him the "Problem Solver." His research and commentary have also been featured in CNN.com, The New York Times, The National Journal, Essence Magazine, US News and World Report, The Grio, and Ebony Magazine.
Toldson also served as the president of the QEM Network and was appointed by President Barack Obama as the executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs. He is active on social media, providing public commentary, and has given over 200 research presentations in 41 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and internationally in Canada, the Dominican Republic, Scotland, South Africa, France, and Spain. He is an art collector and has over 100 unique works of art in the home he shares with his wife, Marshella, and their two children in Washington, DC.
