Dr. Lori A. Watson grew up in Greenville, Mississippi, where she was profoundly influenced by the leaders and educators in her family. Her father was the first Black notary public as well as proprietor of the first “Negro-owned” commercial laundry in the state of Mississippi. Her uncle was the first Black man to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama. As a result, Lori learned the value of pride and perseverance, and through the nurturing of her mother and aunt, who were both teachers, she learned the importance of education.

After high school graduation, Lori received her B.A. in Health and Physical Education from Tougaloo College, a Historically Black College in Tougaloo, MS. There she was captain of the women’s basketball team and pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She received an M.S.Ed. in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Jackson State University, another Historically Black College. In 2012, Lori earned her Ed.D. from California State University East Bay in Hayward, CA. Her doctoral dissertation topic was, “Wow, they care right?” Making Schools Safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Students.

During her twenty-plus years as an educator, Lori was a teacher, basketball coach, and school administrator at both the elementary and secondary levels. Formerly, Lori worked as an Equity Transformation Specialist with Courageous Conversation, a consulting agency committed to achieving racial equity. She coached and facilitated nationwide, helping individuals and organizations, uncover personal and institutional biases in order to elevate racial consciousness and move toward systemic racial equity transformation. In the Spring of 2020, Lori decided that she was ready to step out and do her own thing, and founded Race-Work, LLC. As the C.E.O., she continues to partner with numerous K-12 districts across the country, universities, non-profits, private companies, and both small and large corporations across the nation.

Lori resides in Oakland, CA, where she has lived for nearly 20 years.