Dr. Richard Anthony Baker’s involvement in equal opportunity matters spans more than 20 years. Starting as a student then as entry-level staff, Dr. Baker has worked at every level of equal opportunity compliance. He eventually became the chief equal opportunity officer for the third-largest university system in Texas. After serving in that role for eight years, Dr. Baker transitioned to Rice University in August 2019 and is now the Executive Director for People, Equity and Talent Development. In that role, Dr. Baker manages three units within Human Resources: Employee Relations, Access Equity and Equal Opportunity, and Organizational and Talent Development. Dr. Baker also teaches "Foresight in Social Justice" in Rice's Glasscock School of Continuing Studies' Master of Liberal Science program. Additionally, Dr. Baker is the Immediate Past President of the Board for the American Association for Access, Equity, and Diversity (which is the oldest operating national association serving equal opportunity professionals) and has the distinction of being the first African-American to obtain a doctorate of jurisprudence and graduate degrees in Public Administration (M.P.A.) and Higher Education (Ph.D.) from Texas Tech University.