Dr. Paris Andrew is a cross-sector strategist advancing academic pathways, workforce development, health professions advising, healthcare access, STEAM education, higher education, and nonprofit innovation. She leads efforts to recruit, develop, and retain a healthcare workforce in rural and health professions shortage areas. Dr. Andrew oversees programs supporting expanded pathways into health careers for students from under-resourced communities. She has directed multi-million-dollar initiatives, including those supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At Duke University, she served as Director of Partnerships and Engagement for the Duke Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) and as Project Director for Project Launch Plus, a nationally recognized program expanding computer science access in economically under-resourced schools. The initiative was built upon Project Launch, funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Jacob K. Javits Grant. She also led the Young Scholars Program and served as a Belonging Strategist with the Scratch Foundation, the world’s largest creative computing platform for youth, developed by MIT’s Media Lab. As an executive leader of the North Carolina Alliance for Health Professions (NCAHP), Dr. Andrew supports the development of a sustainable, community-responsive health workforce, contributing to the Sullivan Alliance’s work within the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to align workforce development with the needs and experiences of local populations. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from UNC Greensboro, an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from NC State University, and a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from East Carolina University.
Why Mo-saiq
In her transformative years of childhood, Paris often wondered why her family chose to drop her off at a distant elementary school rather than simply letting her take the bus with friends to her neighborhood school. She would soon learn that her parents worked hard to identify a school they felt would expose her to what they perceived as better education. They applied, and Paris got accepted into a gifted and talented (GT) magnet elementary school. As an eventual researcher and practitioner working in the outside of school time (OST) gifted education space, Paris often pondered “In what ways, if at all, did her parents exercise social capital despite being from an underserved background?” Paris’ mother would soon share that a societal influence to her decision was that she knew of the Principal who was an active member of legacy-minded organizations and well-respected in our community. Upon reflection, Paris was reminded of Khalifa, a researcher who found that when principals have visibility and advocate for community issues, they gain increased buy-in, trust, and positive interactions between school and community. Paris is a beneficiary of these experiences that culminated in her trajectory as an exemplary student in the Health Sciences and as a talented leader in the Healthcare Industry forging pathways into the STEM workforce for youth and adults from underserved communities.