Janice Branch Hall named Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Janice Branch Hall has been appointed as the inaugural assistant dean for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for the Pamplin College of Business.

As assistant dean, Dr. Hall will lead the college’s efforts in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) for all Pamplin stakeholders, including undergraduate and graduate students, employee groups, and alumni. According to Hall, this will involve envisioning, reimagining, and translating strategic directions into concrete goals and plans that enhance the recruitment, development, and success of all stakeholders, including efforts to enhance the experiences of underrepresented and underserved populations.

A key component of her work will be to collaborate with college and university leadership to ensure DEIB efforts align with the vision and goals of the Pamplin College of Business and the broader Virginia Tech community. Hall will partner with stakeholders to achieve the goals outlined in Strategic Priority 5.6 (Build a model inclusive community) of Pamplin’s Strategic and Implementation Plans and to inspire Pamplin citizens to adopt growth mindsets where DEIB becomes everyone’s responsibility. 

Hall joined Virginia Tech and the Pamplin College of Business in 2019 as the first director of diversity and inclusion. In that role, she led efforts that enhanced recruitment, retention, and the overall success of underrepresented teaching and research faculty. In 2020-21, Pamplin increased underrepresented minority assistant professors by 100 percent and women assistant professors by 43 percent from the previous year. These collaborative efforts have led to greater feelings of community amongst members of these populations according to feedback shared with Hall.

Prior to her work at Pamplin, she led diversity initiatives for the Wake Forest University School of Business and the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville (UTK), where she served as assistant director for academic support and partnerships for the Office of Diversity and Community Relations.

She has facilitated engagement opportunities and leadership workshops for the Argentinian Fulbright Scholars Program, the UTK Professional Development Conference for Women, the SEC Business Diversity Officers Group, the Virginia Tech Faculty Women of Color Conference, and various student and professional organizations.

A Richmond, Virginia, native, Hall received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of William and Mary, a master’s in management from Wake Forest University, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from UTK.

Her research centers around DEIB in business education, specifically illuminating the voices of underrepresented and underserved populations in this context. Her dissertation study explored the lived experiences of Black women faculty in predominately White business schools, the findings of which will no doubt lend themselves to her role as assistant dean.