Prior to earning his Ph.D., Harris worked as a high-level aide to the Governor of New York, where his influence helped shape a host of social and economic reforms, including drug law reform, reform to New York City’s Racial Profiling policy, economic justice initiatives such as the 2010 Business Diversification Act, the state’s first Chief Diversity Officer, and the creation of the nation’s strongest Minority and Women-Owned Business program.

It is important to note that Dr. Harris comes to the American academy with a wealth of professional and civic experiences as a former senior aide to Governor David A. Paterson, a retired criminal investigator formerly with the New York State Police, a former drill sergeant with the United States Army Reserve, and a dedicated mentor of young people with a long history of mentoring diverse populations and advocacy for equity and inclusion. These experiences are brought to bare in his scholarship, in the classroom, speaking engagements on issues of race, politics, public policy, and American democracy, and mentorship of emerging leaders.