George R. Greenidge Jr. is a visiting fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at Georgia State University, where his current research focuses on the economic development of Black geographies and the impact of displacement and gentrification on its residents. Greenidge has served in several capacities throughout his career in the nonprofit, government, philanthropy, and education fields.In his capacity as a non-profit executive, academic, and consultant, Greenidge has also pursued diversified partnerships with national and local policymakers, foundations, high-wealth individuals, corporations, and community leaders to support his positive youth development work. His research focuses on the use of qualitative research methods in policy development and program evaluation.

He has worked as an economic fellow at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, an urban fellow with the GSU College of Law’s Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitan Growth, GSU's Urban Institute, and with GSU’s inaugural field school research projects as a team leader and interviewer in urban housing policy. ⁠⁠In October 2022, he was appointed as an Affiliate Faculty/Researcher at Boston University's Center for Antiracist Research by the Founder and Director Ibram X. Kendi. In this position, Greenidge conducts research and plans programmatic activities in the area of socioeconomic class and race with a focus on residents from urban neighborhoods. In his leadership roles, Greenidge provides vision and oversight of university- and community-wide DEIJ efforts, ensuring unison toward its collective goals. Through his work in higher education, Greenidge guides DEIJ programming and initiatives, integrates inclusive pedagogy, and collaborates on student recruitment, enrollment, and retention.

Greenidge holds a master’s degree in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University Graduate School of Education and a bachelor’s in Political Science/International Studies from Morehouse College. Most notably, he was president of the Boston Empowerment Zone, a federally funded HUD initiative aimed at economic investment in U.S. urban neighborhoods, and the founder and executive director of the Greatest MINDS/National Black College Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit focused on providing alumni mentors to college and high school students. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Recently, Greenidge was awarded the inaugural 2022 American Sociological Association’s Community & Urban Publicly Engaged Scholar Award for his convening and advocacy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programming efforts in urban communities and cities. In addition, Greenidge was recognized by the United Negro College Fund and the Boston Red Sox with their inaugural Homecoming Award for his lifelong commitment to providing mentorship to over 10,000 high school and college students pursuing college degrees in Boston, MA and Atlanta, GA.

In his free time, George enjoys the sport of triathloning, traveling abroad, collecting vintage comic books, listening to world and house music, and taking pictures of urban neighborhoods, downtown architecture, and city landscapes.