Dr. Talitha Washington serves as Executive Director of the Center for Applied Data Science & Analytics (CADSA) at Howard University, where she leads the center’s efforts to harness the power of data to address society’s most pressing challenges through groundbreaking research, expanded educational pathways, and globally impactful innovation. She holds the Sean McCleese Endowed Chair in Computer Science, Race, and Social Justice, is a Professor of Mathematics, and co-chairs Howard’s AI Advisory Council, which guides the university’s AI strategy across research, academics, and enterprise initiatives. 

Previously, Dr. Washington served as a Program Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation and as President of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). Her research spans applied mathematics, dynamical systems, data science, artificial intelligence, and STEM education.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Spelman College, including a semester abroad at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara in Mexico. She completed her master’s and Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Connecticut, which later awarded her an honorary doctorate in science. Dr. Washington is a Fellow of the AWM, the American Mathematical Society (AMS), and the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS).