Following her graduation from the Department of Communication, Dr. Kimberly Harden received her M.A. in Communication from Gonzaga University and later her Ed.D. from Concordia University. She founded Harden Consulting Group LLC in 2019 to provide training and coaching to educators and organizational leaders to create diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environments. According to Harden, this award taught her that not everyone views mentorship as a normal part of their job, but that for her, it’s part of her essence. In her remarks, she shared that to whom much is given, much is required. Until recently, Harden worked as a Communication instructor at Seattle University, but left to focus on her work as a DEIB strategist. Last July, she published the book “The Allyship Challenge: How to Move Beyond Performative Allyship and Become a Genuine Accomplice,” which guides readers through her framework of Ally–Advocate–Accomplice, offering actionable steps to become a more inclusive and understanding individual and colleague. According to one of her nominators, “Dr. Harden was a college dropout. She was an adult learner with a full-time job and responsibilities when she chose to enroll in UW Evening Degree Program … She is very transparent about her journey because she wants people to know that ‘a dream delayed is not a dream denied’ and that life is not linear.”