Heather Washington has been appointed executive director of the American Sociological Association – EurekAlert

Washington, DC – The American Sociological Association (ASA) announced on Friday, November 1, 2024, the appointment of Heather Washington as its executive director. The ASA Council voted unanimously to support her appointment following a unanimous recommendation from the ASA Finance Committee in August. As of May 2024, Washington has served as interim executive director of the ASA.

The appointment is historic for the ASA; Washington is the first person of color and the first graduate of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) to be appointed as ASA’s executive director.

“Heather is the whole package—someone who truly understands sociology and the ASA from top to bottom, inside and out,” said ASA President Adia M. Harvey Wingfield. “She is an inspiring and dynamic leader, and we couldn’t be more excited to witness the association progress under her leadership.”

Washington has been an integral member of the ASA since 2021, contributing to the association’s growth and success. She initially joined the ASA as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), where she led the MFP and spearheaded efforts to achieve the association’s DEI goals. Most recently, she held the position of Associate Director, where she continued to lead the DEI while serving as the Principal Investigator of two major grants: the National Science Foundation-funded ASA Doctoral Dissertation Research Enhancement Grant and the Recognition Project and awarding a Community Involved Tenure and Promotion Scholarship funded by the William T. Grant Foundation.

Washington holds a PhD and MA in Sociology from The Ohio State University. Prior to joining ASA, she was a tenured Associate Professor of Sociology and an accomplished researcher and educator. Washington is an ASA MFP Fellow (Cohort 38) and recipient of the Minority Fellowship of the American Society of Criminology. Additionally, she is a graduate of the Ronald E. McNair Postgraduate Achievement Program and was recognized as an Emerging Scholar by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education in 2018 for her contributions to academia and her efforts to create a more just society .

As executive director, Washington will oversee the operations of the ASA, lead its staff, and work closely with the ASA Council to fulfill its mission of supporting sociologists in their work, advancing sociology as a science and profession, and encouraging the contributions of sociology to society.

“I am honored to serve an organization that has greatly influenced my career as a sociologist,” Washington said. “The historic significance of this appointment is not lost on me. I stand on the shoulders of past MFP Fellows and the visionaries who conceived the program 50 years ago. As executive director, I am committed to increasing the diversity of voices among our members and working collaboratively with ASA leaders and members to advance ASA’s mission.”

ASA extends its enthusiastic congratulations to Heather Washington and looks forward to a bright and prosperous future under her leadership.