Brittney Pemberton
Credentials: Ed-GRS Fellow
Brittney (she/her) is a 4rd-year Ph.D. student in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis program at UW-Madison working alongside Dr. Rachelle Winkle-Wagner. As an interdisciplinary scholar, her research explores the role that intimate relationships (e.g., friends, family, romantic partnerships) play in Black women academics’ work/health (im)balance as well as their experience of gendered and racialized stress through politics of care labor and valorization of productivity in academia.
Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Brittney received a dual Bachelor’s degree in Human Development (B.S.) and Psychology (B.A.) from SUNY-Binghamton and a Master’s degree in Higher Education with a concentration in Student Affairs from Boston College. Brittney is the eldest daughter of Caribbean immigrants who spent most of her childhood growing up in a small town on Long Island, NY. Her favorite pastimes include listening to podcasts, social dancing, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Awards and Service
Marilyn Gaddis Travel Fellowship 2025.
AERA Graduate Student Council Certificate of Appreciation, 2025).
ELPA Certificate of Recognition, 2025.
AERA Division J Graduate Student Representative At-Large, 2024-2025.
Member of LEADS Executive Board (ELPA Graduate Student Organization), 2024-2025.
Health Policy Research Scholars (HPRS) Fellowship Recipient, 2023
Publications
Benson, J., Washington L. F., Pemberton, B., Winkle-Wagner, R., & Goosby, B. (under review). The Paradox of Black Joy: Black Women Academics’ Navigation of Tenure-Track Faculty Positions.
Wallace, J., Pemberton, B., Benson, J., Greer, C.D. (under review). Black Love: A dialogue on the tensions and possibilities of loving communion within the academy.’;
Jama, S., Pemberton, B., Winkle-Wagner, R., Quince, H., & Goosby, B. (under review). “I have kids, and that’s my priority:” Black Motherhood in the Academy.
Projects
Health Profiles of Black Women Faculty (Co-PI Rachelle Winkle Wagner and Bridget Goosby), Project Manager.
Pemberton, B., Magasano, D., Winkle-Wagner, R. & Goosby, B. (in preparation). “Don’t let it get in the way of work”: Black women academics’ navigation of romantic relationships.
Carpenter, A., Benson, J., Lewis, T., Pemberton, B., Feraud-King, T., Chinkondenji, C., Henry, D. (in preparation). Black safety and joy: Visualization of resistance and resilience for Black collegians.
Wallace, J., Pemberton, B., Benson, J., Greer, C.D. (in preparation). Black Love: A dialogue on the tensions and possibilities of loving communion within the academy.’
Benson, J., Pemberton, B., Washington, L.F., Winkle-Wagner, R. Goosby, B. (in preparation). The paradox of Black joy: Black women academics’ navigation of tenure-track faculty positions.
Health Profiles of Black Women Faculty (Co-PI Rachelle Winkle Wagner and Bridget Goosby), Graduate Research Assistant for research project exploring the Black joy and safety.
Teaching
TA: ELPA887: Diversity and Inequality in Higher Education (001) FA24 (Fall 2024)
TA: ELPA940: Critical Theories and Data Analysis (Spring 2025)
TA: ELPA824: Field Research Designs & Methodologies in Educational Administration (Spring 2025)
Presentations
American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, April 23-27, 2024.
Association for the Study of Higher Education Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, November 20-23, 2023.