Dr. Rashawn Ray is Vice President at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Executive Director of the AIR Equity Initiative, where he leads efforts to advance research, policy, and community-driven strategies that promote equity across education, health, and social systems. He is also a Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, known for his scholarship on structural inequality, policing, and the social impacts of technology. Throughout his career, Dr. Ray has guided large-scale research initiatives, advised policymakers, and translated complex social science insights into actionable solutions that support fairness, accountability, and evidence-based reform.