Dr. Chapman's Bio

Dr. Ravá Shelyn Chapman is a native of Denver, Colorado. She has 20 years of organizational development experience with a focus on program design and evaluation.  She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Alabama State University. She has a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver. She has a Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities with a concentration in Africana Women’s Studies at Clark Atlanta University. Her dissertation titled, “In Our Mothers’ Garden”: Ethnobotanical Agency and Wellness Among Black American Women Gardeners born Between 1950-2000” highlights the importance of ecological engagement for well-being. She is committed to cultural preservation and community development. Her research interests include Africana Studies, Africana Women’s Studies, African American Studies, Black Indigeneity Studies, Biocultural Studies, Community Development Studies, Environmental Justice Studies, Ethnobotany, Therapeutic Horticulture, Institutional Research, and Sustainability.  She is founder of The Womanist Laboratory: A Humanists Research and Praxis which offers research for institutional development for community organization. With a small team of researchers, the lab also conducts research projects and community engagement programs to enhance biocultural diversity as well as the sustainability and resiliency of indigenous peoples and the planet.