Dr. Roberta J. Wilburn is an award-winning diversity and inclusion expert who champions diversity, equity, and inclusion while inviting people to enhance their intercultural skills and build authentic relationships with people from diverse backgrounds to promote cross-cultural understanding. She is a bestselling author, motivational speaker, diversity trainer, cultural coach, and racial justice advocate that works with people who are serious about uncovering their hidden biases and doing the necessary work to become culturally sensitive and responsive advocates and allies. Using her R.E.A.L. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Framework she teaches and encourages others how to embrace cultural differences, disrupt racist practice, and foster collaborative relationships with people from diverse backgrounds using an Afro-centric and faith-based perspective so they can excel in a diverse and inclusive world. Dr. Wilburn is also the President and Co-founder of Wilburn & Associates, LLC a consulting organization that focuses on diversity training, intercultural coaching and assessment, courageous conversations, and cultural events. Dr. Wilburn has more than thirty years of experience in higher education including majority institutions, HBCUs, secular and religious affiliated colleges; at both the graduate and undergraduate level. Dr. Wilburn was asked to return to Whitworth as the Interim Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, after retiring following fourteen years of service. She is now Associate Dean Emerita following her encore retirement.
As a transformational servant-leader, she has always tried to have her hands on the pulse of local and national concerns, and it has been recognized by others locally and nationally. In 2023 she was selected to be included in the 125th edition of the Marquis Who’s Who in America for Excellence Diversity and Inclusion Training. In November 2022, she received the Grassroots Project Award for Cultural Leadership in her community. She is also the recipient of the designation of a Lilac City Legend and Strong Woman Achieving Greatness for Women’s History Month in March 2021. In the fall of 2016, her diversity work was validated when she became the recipient of the YWCA Women of Achievement Carl Maxey Racial and Social Justice Award and the following year, she received the 2017 Insight Into Diversity Giving Back Award for Administrators in Higher Education.
She had conducted numerous workshops and professional presentations locally, nationally and internationally, on various topics related to diversity. Her research has led her to pursue and acquire two international grants spanning Africa, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic; receive two invitations to present her research on women of color at the Oxford Round Table in England. She is the author of numerous publications. She is married to James Wilburn, Jr. and they have 3 adult children and three grandsons.
