Dr. Ebony Speakes-Hall is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is also the founder of Dr. Ebony Speakes-Hall and Associates, where she offers clinical services and individual and corporate coaching. In addition, Dr. Ebony consults with businesses and nonprofits in diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Dr. Ebony, a beacon of dedication, currently serves as Associate Professor and Field Director of Social Work for Ohio Dominican University. She is the former Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the College of Allied Health at the University of Cincinnati (UC), where she also held the position of Associate Professor of Social Work. Her commitment to social justice further exemplifies her role as the First Black Woman President of the ACLU of Ohio and former Vice-President of the National Association of Social Workers. Dr. Ebony’s advocacy extends to LGBTQ+ rights, criminal justice reform, and child welfare reform. Her candid talks on the dynamics and issues facing black women and girls in America have made her a sought-after motivational speaker.

Dr. Speakes-Hall’s influence extends globally as she serves as the Warner Music Group Global DEI Institute faculty member. This unique institute, the first in the music industry, is centered around education, innovation, culture, social impact, and research. Dr. Ebony’s role involves collaborating with top DEI experts worldwide and providing content expertise and professional development opportunities to staff in the United States, Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, and Australia, showcasing the breadth of her global impact.

Dr. Ebony is a member of the Advisory Council for the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership (KGCCWL) at Union Presbyterian Seminary, recognizes the significance of centering Black women’s scholarship and wisdom as viable sources and resources for theological education and the broader global community. The mission of KGCCWL is to nurture the soul work of Black women and cultivate new pathways for whole communities. The vision of KGCCWL is to become the premier catalyst illuminating and embodying womanist theory and practice around the globe. The six high-priority initiatives – womanist wellness, wisdom, witness, worship, wares, and works – represent the holistic interconnections that make womanist leadership possible.

Ebony Speakes-Hall completed her Doctorate in Clinical Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Her research explored “Situational Risks Factors Associated with Child Sexual Abuse in the Black Church and the Interventions to Keep Black Children Safe.” She also holds a Master of Science in Social Administration from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. In 2006, she received her Master of Divinity Degree in Theology from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA. In 2003, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies at Cincinnati Christian University in Cincinnati, OH.