Dr. Nickey Woods is the associate dean for student life, diversity, inclusion and belonging, and dean of students for the JD program. She joined USC Gould School of Law in 2021 as the inaugural assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Her professional expertise includes diversity, equity and inclusion; universal design for learning (UDL), student resilience and retention; learning and motivation; and disability advocacy. Woods previously served as a director in student affairs at UCLA and as an assistant dean in UCLA’s Graduate Division.

A first-generation college student, she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at UCLA, where she was an honor roll, all-conference member of the women’s basketball team. She earned a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in cross-cultural teaching at National University and a doctorate in educational leadership, with a concentration in educational psychology, at the USC Rossier School of Education.