Yolandra A. Plummer is a distinguished scholar and program director at the University of the District of Columbia, specializing in public administration, human resources management and digital literacy. With a Ph.D. in Public Administration, she leads research on work readiness for low-income populations and has secured multiple grants, while also contributing to numerous publications and presentations on topics ranging from digital health records to public transportation's role in the care economy.
Experience
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration: Public Administration and Public Policy, Magna Cum Laude, Howard University
Roles
Program Director, Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship Ph.D. Program, UDC, 2024-Present Vice-Chair, Institutional Review Board, UDC, 2020-24 Principal Investigator, Paving Access Trails to Higher Security (PATHS) grant, UDC, 2013-Present
Courses Taught
Human Resources Management Public Personnel Management of Government Organizations
Expertise
Principal Investigator and Program Director for PATHS program: Case Management Supervision Convene a three-day Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program conference for 400+ district employees
Research Focus / Works in Progress
Work readiness and digital literacy of low-income populations; gender and transportation; qualitative methods
Leadership
Program Director, UDC Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship Ph.D. program, 2023-Present Vice-Chair, UDC Institutional Review Board, 2024-Present Principal Investigator and Program Director, UDC PATHS grant program, 2013-Present Chair, UDC IRB, 2020-23
Impact
Selected Publications
Anyu, J., Plummer, Y., & Malone, D. ( 2024). Beyond the digital transition evaluating the challenges and implications of the new electronic health records system at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. World Journal of Business and Management.
Anyu, J., Plummer, Y. and Malone, D. (2024). The US Department of Veterans Affairs: Disparities in disability compensation approval rates for ethnic minority veterans, what is the way forward? Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 14, 64. https://doi.org/10.5296/jpag.v14i1
Passman, D., O’Hara, S., & Plummer, Y. (2024). Understanding the role of public transportation in supporting the care economy in Washington, D.C. USA. Sustainability, 16(3), 1288. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031288
Plummer, Y. (2021). Telehuman services improves the engagement of low-income populations. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 11, 56. https://doi.org/10.5296/jpag.v11i3.18789
Plummer, Y. (2023). Integrating immersive technologies into the business school curriculum. Northeast Decision Sciences Institute 2023 Conference, Washington, D.C.
Plummer, Y. (2020). Strengthening community-based workforce services in a pandemic.Annual District of Columbia Department of Human Services Capacity Building Workshop, Washington, D.C.
Plummer, Y., & Hua, J. (2018). Are low-income people resilient to cyber terrorism?49th Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, Chicago, Illinois.
Selected Grants
D.C. Department of Human Services. (2013). Paving access trails to higher security. D.C. Department of Human Services. (2021). SNAP payment accuracy conference. National Science Foundation. (2024). Catalyst research on broadening participation in STEM – Employing neo-constructivism transitions through educational robotics into STEM.
Recognitions
Advocate/Ambassador Award, University of the District of Columbia, 2024 Service Award, Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities, 2024 Alan G. Penczek Service-Learning Faculty Award, Transform Mid-Atlantic, 2022
