LaKeya Hardy
- Deputy Director of NIH Graduate Partnerships Program
- Program Director of OITE-PEP
LaKeya Hardy is the Deputy Director of the Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP) and Director of the Postbac Enrichment Program (PEP) in the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education, supporting pre-professional trainees within the OITE. LaKeya is passionate about supporting diverse trainees as they navigate their early career training in the biological and biomedical sciences. As a trained researcher and experienced program director, she harnesses her diverse skill set to develop and implement programming tailored to the unique and evolving needs of the OITE students.
LaKeya received her B.S. in Biology from North Carolina A&T State University and her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has developed and led several pre-doctoral training programs from extramural postbacs (UNC PREP) to undergraduate summer research. She also co-organized community STEM projects like STEM Unity Day for K-12 students in urban NC communities. She has extensive experience supporting trainees at many stages of education and training, from primary school through graduate training.