Dr. Sybol Anderson is Director of Diversity in Research Programs at National Medical Fellowships, Inc., where she leads initiatives to promote equity in clinical research. A social and political philosopher by training, specializing in liberal theory and the philosophy of race, Anderson’s commitment to building inclusive communities has been a central part of her career for over 15 years. 

Anderson earned her Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University. As Associate Professor of Philosophy at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, she founded and directed the DeSousa-Brent Scholars Program, an academic and leadership program for students from underrepresented groups. Alumni have earned graduate degrees from Oxford University, Columbia University, and other prestigious institutions. In 2013 the Maryland General Assembly voted unanimously to establish the DeSousa-Brent Scholars Completion Grant. 

She served as Executive Director of Equity & Inclusive Diversity at the College of Southern Maryland and as Chief Diversity Officer at Loyola University New Orleans. She is a co-founder of The Spirit of Jazz & Democracy and The Spirit of Innovation & Freedom, where artists and scholars apply jazz to promote inclusive democracy and innovation.