Belmont University
Demonstrators sitting at the McLellan’s lunch counter, 1960. Photograph courtesy of the Nashville Public Library.

Dr. Lori Baker

Peace Summit: A Reflection on the Past, A Call to Action

Dr. Lori Baker

Dr. Lori Baker

Executive Vice President for Aspirational Excellence, Belmont University

Dr. Lori Baker serves as Belmont University’s Executive Vice President for Aspirational Excellence. In this role, she connects daily operational efforts to the strategic visioning work of the Office of the President. She leads the goal-setting efforts of the university, executive communication, Whole Person Formation, Data-Informed Social Innovation, Integrative Approach to Health and Wellness, Fast Forward, Educational Innovation and Belmont Online, Global Health Innovation and Global Engagement.

Prior to joining Belmont, Dr. Baker served as a vice provost at Baylor University. In that role she was responsible for drafting the university’s academic strategic plan, Illuminate, supported by a comprehensive 1.1-billion-dollar campaign called Give Light. This effort transformed Baylor into a Research 1 institution. Dr. Baker is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences where she specializes in molecular and skeletal analyses. Her passion has been the identification and repatriation of deceased international migrants who perished in the United States border region. Dr. Baker has advised governments and agencies, including pivotal work for several Latin American Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, and she has been an invited keynote speaker at many international venues such as The Hague Peace Palace, Amnesty International and the International Association of Forensic Sciences. In addition to working nearly 600 forensic cases, Dr. Baker's work has been featured by numerous media outlets.

Her work has garnered many awards, including the Baylor University Outstanding Young Alumni Award, ICPC Foundation Global Impact Award and the Passion In Science Award for Humanitarian Duty. She was also a finalist for the “Texan of the Year” award, named one of the 150 most remarkable alumni for Baylor University, and was named among the top “50 Women Leaders in Education” by Women We Admire. In 2024 Dr. Baker was named one of the “Top 5 Most Inspiring Leaders in Education” by CIO Views.