Dr. Tatia Daniels Granger was inducted as Averett University's 17th president on August 1, 2026.
With her appointment, Granger becomes the second woman to serve as president of Averett and the first black president in the institution’s 167-year history.
Granger brings more than three decades of higher education and leadership experience as both an administrator and faculty member. Most recently, Granger has served as a clinical associate professor in organizational behavior for the College of William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business since 2017 and previously was an adjunct professor with the department for four years. Granger was William & Mary’s inaugural ombuds from 2008-2016.
In addition to her roles at William & Mary, Granger has served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown, and was the vice president for enrollment services at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she oversaw significant growth in enrollment. She previously served as chief of staff to the Chief Financial Officer at Duke University, where she gained critical insight into effective fiscal management. In addition, Granger was the director at James Madison University’s Center for Multicultural Student Services and was the assistant dean for undergraduate admission at UVA. Additionally, Granger launched her own executive coaching practice in 2015, Granger Leadership Practice, where she has partnered with leaders at all levels in transforming their performance in order to help transform their organizations.
Granger is a three-time graduate of the University of Virginia, earning her Ph.D. in higher education and leadership, her M.Ed. in social foundations of education and her Bachelor of Arts in French. She also completed the leadership coaching certificate program at Georgetown University followed by earning the professional coaching certification (PCC) from the International Coach Federation.
Originally from the Roanoke Valley, Granger joins the Averett family with her husband, Earl T. Granger III. The couple have two adult daughters, and a spirited Labradoodle.
