Pavithra is a Tamil (Indian) American social scientist and scholar with a PhD in Cultural Studies. Her research and professional interests focus on creating meaningful, intentional, and intersectional access and inclusion across different types of institutions. Her dissertation investigated the sociocultural determinants of poor South Asian American mental health outcomes in Research Triangle, NC, remaining attentive to disparities across gender, caste, and other social markers of difference. She utilizes comprehensive qualitative methodologies, including surveying, interviewing, focus groups, and ethnography, in her work. Pavithra currently serves as Associate Director for Assessment with the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment at Howard University.