Dr. Elsie Scott Biography

Elsie L. Scott, Ph.D.

Biography

 

Elsie L. Scott, Ph.D., is the president and chief executive officer for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF).  The CBCF Board of Directors named Dr. Scott to the position in February 2007 after she had served as interim president for six months. She joined the staff in 2005 as vice president for research and programs.

Dr. Scott has overseen the successful launch of several CBCF projects intended to broaden and elevate the influence of African Americans in the political, legislative and public policy arenas, as well as their overall condition and well being. They include Spirit of Healthy Living, a diabetes awareness program designed to support church-based health ministries in improving congregants’ knowledge of type 2 diabetes prevention, management and treatment options; the Black Health Empowerment Project (BHEP), an obesity-awareness program; and Avoice: African American Voices in Congress, a virtual library designed to capture and preserve the contributions of black lawmakers for future generations. Under her leadership, the signature internship program has been expanded to include the Semester in Washington program through George Washington University, and the number and types of scholarships offerings have increased.

She served as executive director of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives for five years before being recruited for the position of Deputy Commissioner of Training for the New York City Police Department. She has held senior and supervisory roles in the police departments of Detroit and the District of Columbia and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She has also taught political science, urban studies and criminal justice at several universities, including Howard, Rutgers, Central Florida and North Carolina Central.

A native of Louisiana, Dr. Scott earned a B.A. from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, a M.A. from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. from Atlanta University. She has advised mayors, community groups, and police and other officials – as well as written many articles and monographs – on matters involving crime and police and the black community, women’s issues, hate violence, management and training, and race and poverty.

Dr. Scott serves on the Board of the John H. Scott Memorial Fund, a family foundation established to preserve the legacy of her father, a civil rights activist in segregation-era Louisiana.