Jeff is the last of nine children born to the late Jake and Leola King in Union City, Tennessee. He graduated with a bachelor’s in political science from Middle Tennessee State University and received his master’s in student personnel services in higher education from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
Jeff’s professional journey started in the United States Air Force as a Flight Operations Manager at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. His path as an educator led him to historic Wilberforce University where the great W.E.B. Dubois taught. Jeff served in many capacities as an educator, including director of housing, associate director of admissions, associate director of the Black Cultural Center at Vanderbilt University and chief diversity officer at Vol State Community College and Otterbein University. DEI work has always been a focus even before it was called DEI.
At Wilder, Jeff will provide leadership and coordination to the DEI efforts. He will collaborate with Wilder Research staff to build and manage a strategy to improve and integrate DEI efforts into our functioning. This will include programming, training, community collaboration, and infusing DEI principles across all staff policies and practices.
Jeff is married to Amanda King who is a native of Columbus, Ohio. She has worked as a social worker in many positions, most recently focused on serving the HIV/AIDS impacted communities in Columbus and Nashville. Jeff has a son and grandson in Louisville, Kentucky and is also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
