Paulette Dillard

Paulette R. Dillard is an American academic administrator and medical technologist. She is the 18th president of Shaw University.

Early life and education Dillard is from Mount Airy, North Carolina. She graduated from Barber–Scotia College and completed a M.B.A. at Belmont University. Dillard earned a M.S. in biology at Tennessee State University. She completed a Ph.D. in cell biology at Clark Atlanta University.

Career Dillard began her career at International Clinical Laboratories in Nashville, Tennessee. She was a scientist for 25 years in the field of diagnostic laboratory medicine. She is a medical technologist certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology. Dillard was also co-director of Shaw's enrichment programs for the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Infrastructure in Minority Institutions project. She became interim president in July 2017. On September 8, 2018, she succeeded Tashni-Ann Dubroy as the 18th president of Shaw University. In addition to her presidential duties at Shaw, Dr. Dillard is a member of various extracurricular associations, such as the Carolina Small Business Development Fund (CSBDF) and the Dorothea Dix Conversancy. Dr. Dillard serves on the boards for the Carolina Small Business Development Fund and the Dorothea Dix Conservancy.