Dr. Irene Owens is the former Dean of the North Carolina Central University School of Library and Information Sciences (2005-2016). She earned tenure at the University of Texas at Austin (2001) where she was founder of the Diversity Committee. Owens is also a founding member of the SILS Alumni for Inclusion and Diversity Committee (SAID) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is also a member of the Adjunct Faculty. Since her role as Dean she has served on the Advisory Board of an IMLS Grant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, entitled, “The Library Diversity Institute.” She has edited two books, both of which she wrote chapters. Other experiences include serving on the Editorial Board of Libraries and Culture at the University of Texas at Austin (1998-2005), and the Board of Governors of the UNC-CH Press (2012-2015).