Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D.
About Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D.
Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D., is the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and President of the Maximus Foundation, and a Public Anthropologist in Residence at American University.
Title
Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D., holds the title of Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Maximus and also serves as the President of the Maximus Foundation since 2022. Additionally, she is a Public Anthropologist in Residence at American University, starting her tenure in 2020.
Education and Expertise
Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D., received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and an M.T. in Teaching Middle/Secondary Biology from Hampton University. She earned her M.A. in Public Anthropology and a Ph.D. in Anthropology, with a concentration in Race, Gender, and Social Justice, from American University. Additionally, she holds a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Studies from The Johns Hopkins University. Her academic background underscores her expertise in anthropology, race, gender, social justice, and nonprofit strategy.
Professional Background
Dr. Cherry's career includes extensive experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. She has been with Maximus since 2020, initially serving as Senior Director of DE&I before being promoted to Vice President. Prior positions include Professorial Lecturer at American University (2015–2020), Program Manager for the Public Education Initiative on Migration and Displacement at the American Anthropological Association (2013–2014), and History Keepers Program Coordinator at the Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center (2012–2014). She also held roles at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of Maryland Global Campus, and Phoenix Cultural Resources, LLC.
Achievements
Dr. Cherry has been recognized for her contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly within Maximus. Her leadership has driven significant organizational improvements in DE&I. In 2024, she was honored with the Top 50 DE&I Professional Award at the OnCon Icon Awards. Her scholarly contributions extend to studying African American and American Indian relations and tackling contemporary social issues through public anthropology.
Specializations
Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D., specializes in the study of African American and American Indian relations, with a focus on race and racism. She has a strong background in museum studies, contributing to the understanding and presentation of cultural heritage. Additionally, she engages in genealogy research, exploring family histories and cultural identities.