Jan 22, 2010 9:43:33 AM

Kimberly Ford has been promoted to a director position within the diversity and inclusion staff at the NCAA national office.

Ford, who has been with the diversity and inclusion staff since that office was established in 2005, will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies, policies and programs to facilitate a diverse and inclusive environment for student-athletes. She also will play a lead role in developing a critical mass of under-represented coaches, athletics administrators and sports officials within the NCAA membership. 

Ford joined the national office staff in 2001 as an assistant director of professional development after a one-year internship at the national office. Ford in fact began managing the national office's internship program shortly after her arrival. In addition to managing the diversity and inclusion aspects of grant programming in Divisions II and III, she also served as a liaison for the national Division II Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Ford also oversaw the NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males and Females. 

Since then, Ford has been a liaison to the Committee on Women's Athletics and recently was elected to serve on the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators nominating committee.

Before joining the NCAA, Ford served as an academic counselor at Baylor while earning her master's degree in education. Ford also earned her undergraduate degree at Baylor, where she was a scholarship student-athlete in track and field.