Dr. Darrell Ezell is an accomplished professor, administrator, author, and corporate strategist. He is the founder and principal consultant of Heritage Solutions, a full service management consulting firm. Notably, his recent appointment included serving as the inaugural Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville's Cummings Research Park.  As a social scientist and educator, he previously served as V.P. for Academic Affairs of Claremont Lincoln University. A native of Alabama, Ezell earned his Ph.D. in England from The University of Birmingham. He completed additional studies at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, and Alabama A&M University.  An expert in diplomacy and inter-cultural relations, Ezell begin his career as an intern at the Walt Disney Company, leading to his time at the U.S. Department of State and William J. Clinton Foundation/Clinton School of Public Service.  He later served on faculty at Louisiana State and Tulane Universities teaching political science and international studies.  In 2017, Ezell was inducted into the Morehouse College Collegium of Scholars and served as a United Nations Global Expert in conflict resolution. An Eagle Scout and servant leader, he is a member of the Schmidt Futures Task Force on Synthetic Biology and the Bioeconomy and Innovate Alabama’s Council on Outdoor Recreation.