Dr. Chastity D. Gaither serves as Executive Director and Senior Principal Consultant of Core Elements Higher Education Resource Center, where she provides strategic leadership and consulting expertise to educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community partners seeking to strengthen programs, improve outcomes, and expand opportunities for students and the communities they serve. With more than two decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Gaither brings extensive expertise in professional development, program development and implementation, curriculum design, college and career readiness, organizational strategy, and student success. A trained researcher and experienced practitioner, she is known for her ability to translate research and theory into practical strategies, programs, and solutions that organizations can put into action.
Throughout her career, Dr. Gaither has collaborated with K–12 schools, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, and public and private-sector partners. Her work extends beyond the United States, including international teaching and consulting engagements in Indonesia and South Africa.
Dr. Gaither earned her PhD in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University and her Master of Science in Higher Education from Drexel University. She also holds an MBA in Management Information Systems with an Accounting Specialty and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Davenport University. Her continued professional education includes advanced study through the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she completed Post-Secondary Success: In Schools, Communities, and Families.
Through Core Elements, Dr. Gaither combines scholarship, strategy, and more than two decades of professional experience to help organizations move from ideas to implementation, developing programs, strengthening systems, and creating educational opportunities designed for meaningful and sustainable impact.
