Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, February 2025 – Southern University System has appointed Dawn Mitchell Harris as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), bringing extensive experience in human resources leadership, policy development, and workforce management in the education and public administration sectors. In her new role, she will oversee HR strategy, talent development, compliance, and employee relations across the only historically black university system in the United States.
Prior to this appointment, Dawn Mitchell Harris served as Human Resources Director at Southern University and A&M College – Baton Rouge for over six years, where she played a critical role in workforce planning, HR operations, and compliance initiatives to support faculty and staff development.
Before joining Southern University, she was a Human Resources Specialist at the Louisiana Board of Regents, where she contributed to statewide HR initiatives and talent policies.
Her career also includes over eight years at the Louisiana Division of Administration, where she held multiple roles, including Human Resources Supervisor and Director of Client Services. In these positions, she managed HR mandates, facilitated workforce training, and led strategic HR planning for state agencies.
Earlier in her career, Harris served as Human Resources Supervisor at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and held leadership roles in the private sector, including East Coast District Manager at PHNS.
Dawn Mitchell Harris holds an MBA in Human Resources from the New York Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Sport & Fitness Management from Troy University. Her academic background has provided her with a strong foundation in strategic HR leadership, workforce planning, and employee engagement.
About Southern University System
Founded over 136 years ago, the Southern University and A&M College System is the only historically black university system in the United States, comprising five campuses:
- Southern University at Baton Rouge
- Southern University at New Orleans
- Southern University at Shreveport
- Southern University Law Center
- Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center
The system offers two-year, four-year, graduate, professional, and doctorate degree programs and is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC).
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