Dr. Tashni-Ann Dubroy Delivers Powerful Message of Resilience and Empowerment

Alabama A&M University celebrated its 3rd Annual International Women’s Day event with a packed audience at the Knight Center, where students, faculty and staff, alumni, and community leaders gathered to honor and uplift women of excellence. The keynote speaker, Dr. Tashni-Ann Dubroy – acclaimed academic, entrepreneur, and executive – delivered an inspiring message about perseverance, purpose, and the power of advocating for oneself.

Dubroy, whose journey spans from a young immigrant from Jamaica to a global technology analyst, entrepreneur, professor, and university president, captivated the audience with her personal story of overcoming obstacles. She spoke candidly about her early struggles, including being rejected by Ivy League schools, attending a community college by chance, and navigating male-dominated corporate spaces.

“When I came here to the United States I was 17 years old,” DuBroy shared. “I remember my mother had already migrated. She came to me in our garage back home and she said ‘Tash, I’m going to America for two weeks because I need to make some money for the family.’ My parents were recently divorced and now she was a single mother with five kids. I did not see my mom again for two years. As I got older I understood the sacrifice my mom had made. I applied to every Ivy League school and was rejected by all. But I was accepted to a school I hadn’t even applied to, Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York. I made the decision to move where I am planted.”

Her resilience led her to graduate as valedictorian, earn her MBA and doctorate and eventually rise to become the President of Shaw University at just 34 years old. She later served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Howard University before resigning to become the Chief Operating Officer at Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation), a leading global organization dedicated to Type 1 Diabetes research and advocacy.

Dubroy highlighted the importance of self-confidence and setting ambitious goals, recalling how she was struggling when she was in graduate school and her good friend Tiffany’s habit of writing motivational sticky notes around her home inspired her to do the same.

“Everywhere I turned, she had affirmations: ‘Tiff, you will graduate in 2007. Tiff, you are smart. Tiff, you are beautiful.’ I thought she was mad, but she was doing great. So, I went home and put my own sticky notes up, ‘Tash, you are cute. Tash, you are smart. Tash, you’re more beautiful than Tiffany and you will graduate in 2007.’ We both walked across that stage as the only two Black women at North Carolina State University with Ph.D’s in Physical Organic Chemistry.”

Dubroy also shared her experience as an entrepreneur, detailing how she co-founded Tea and Honey Blends, a natural haircare company, and the hard lessons she learned about customer needs, marketing, and persistence.

Beyond her personal story, Dubroy urged the audience to boldly negotiate salaries, speak up in male-dominated rooms, and embrace the challenges that come with leadership.

“Know your worth and negotiate your salaries. That increases your earning potential over time, reflects your value, and sets a precedent for the future. You owe it to yourself to as least ask.”

For the first time, the event also recognized outstanding women at Alabama A&M with the inaugural Women of Excellence Awards, celebrating leaders across different categories:

• Student Woman of Excellence: Mya Gibbs, senior computer science major and 75th SGA President.
• Staff Woman of Excellence: Kristeen Baker, Assistant Director, Health and Counseling Center.
• Faculty Woman of Excellence: Dr. Jeannette Jones, University Distinguished Professor, Faculty Senate President and Trustee.
• Alumna Woman of Excellence: Dr. Bridgette Long Hickey, U.S. Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel and healthcare advocate.

Closing the celebration, Dubroy reflected on her greatest role, and talked about her 15-year-old daughter.

“Being a mother comes first. Having a positive attitude is everything else.”