The Leadership Team
Dr. Reggie Smith,
Chief Operations & Innovation Officer
Dr. Smith, a leader in distributive learning, was the first African American President and then Chairman of the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) in 2009 and 2010 respectively, and has been recognized for his distinguished service in supporting distance learning. He has been featured and profiled in several magazines, newspapers, and television/multimedia programs reaching an audience of millions to include C-SPAN, Black Enterprise, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, USA Today, Year in Computing, Education Week, eLearn,Videoconferencing Insight, e-Learning, Profiles, the Achiever, the Washington Sun, the Root, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology and Teleconference magazine. He is truly a forward-thinking educational entrepreneur and a major player in BGDF's innovation engine. Dr. Smith received his B.S. in English Communications from Lincoln University in PA, his M.A. in International Management from the University of Maryland University College, and his Ph.D. in Education from Capella University.
Dr. Dijanna Figueroa,
Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Dijanna Figueroa has made a career of exploring the mysteries of the deep. She was featured in James Cameron’s documentary Aliens of the Deep, which follows Cameron and NASA scientists as they explore some of the deepest parts of the ocean and learn about the unique life forms that inhabit those spaces. Committed to spreading the joy and wonder of the ocean to all people, she works behind the scenes as a marine science consultant for various film and multimedia production companies. Dr. Figueroa holds a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of California Santa Barbara. She is excited to join the Black Girls Dive Foundation team as the Chief Academic Officer. In this role she has oversight of the strategic direction of teaching and learning. Her forward thinking, commitment, and passion to making ocean science accessible to all people authentically aligns with the mission, vision and values of Black Girls Dive Foundation.
