Gregory J. Vincent is an accomplished educator and attorney. A native of New York City and the son of West Indian immigrants, Vincent was nurtured in a household grounded in education, faith, and service. His father, Cyril Vincent, was an electrical engineer and executive, while his mother, Gloria Vincent, was a community school board member and counselor. These foundational influences instilled in him a love of learning and a devotion to public life.
Vincent is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science and earned a full academic scholarship to Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where he distinguished himself as a scholar-athlete. He earned a B.A. in history and economics and was honored with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award. He later became the 16th President of his alma mater.
A legal scholar and practitioner, Vincent earned a juris doctor from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and a doctorate of education from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was named Educator of the Year in 2016. He served as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio, Director of Regional and Legal Affairs for the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, and Vice President and Lead Counsel for Bank One.
In higher education, he served as Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, a role in which he led one of the nation’s largest diversity divisions. He was also a leading voice during the landmark Fisher v. University of Texas case, defending the institution’s race-conscious admissions policy before the U.S. Supreme Court. Vincent served as the 21st President of Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama from 2022 to 2024.
Vincent is Founding Executive Director of the Education and Civil Rights Initiative at the University of Kentucky and served as Program Chair of the Ph.D. Senior Diversity Officer Specialization.
A lifelong advocate for equity, he co-founded Vincent Strategies, a global DEI consulting firm, and founded Gregory Vincent Law, specializing in civil rights and education law. His board service includes leadership roles with the Austin Area Urban League, Communities in Schools, and the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
A Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Vincent chaired the fraternity’s Commission on Racial Justice and was recognized for his exceptional leadership and civic contributions with numerous proclamations and honors, including the distinction of Kentucky Colonel and commemorative days in Austin, Baton Rouge, and Louisville.
He served as Grand Sire Archon of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc. from 2018 to 2020. Vincent shares this journey with his wife, Kim Wilson Vincent, an attorney, entrepreneur, and DEI strategist. Together, they have six children.
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