Carleitta Paige-Anderson currently serves as Program Director for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) in the Division of Human Resource Development at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Her academic journey began at Virginia Union University (VUU), where she developed a passion for basic science research and earned a BS in Biology. After obtaining a PhD from Wake Forest University and completing a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, she returned to VUU. Over the years, she established a research program investigating biochemical signaling mechanisms in disease-causing bacteria and viruses. By leveraging her scientific expertise to integrate research into the academic curriculum, she was selected as a 2013-2014 Senior Fulbright Scholar in Surabaya, Indonesia at Universitas Airlangga. At VUU, she also served as the founding director of the VUU Center for Undergraduate Research, Dean of the University College, and Vice-President for Student Development and Success. Her collective efforts are rooted in enhancing the research and education capacities of HBCUs, a community she is excited to serve in her current role. Paige-Anderson attributes much of her success to the support of her family and friends.