Abigail Claire Tilton

Abigail Tilton is no stranger when it comes to serving others. In any role she attains, bettering the lives of others has been a critical component of her life’s work. From the time her undergraduate career began, she has devoted her time and energy into social work, focusing particularly on individuals living with HIV/AIDS. She served as the Founding Executive Director of AIDS Services of North Texas and oversaw an agency that provided a holistic array of services ranging from prevention services to primary health care. Her career reflects a strong tie to the welfare of Texas residents, and ensuring that those placed in her charge are given the utmost care and consideration, no matter what her title or who her dependents are.

After the completion of her dissertation, Abigail spent over a decade educating students with the same values that drive her to work as hard she does every day. And her efforts in education haven’t stopped. While Abigail in her role as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas Woman’s University no longer spends a lot of time in the classroom, her campaigns are as active as ever. From serving as Title IX liaison, to obtaining funding for the Center for Women’s Leadership in Business, Politics, and Public Policy, to leading committees formed for the purpose of creating a welcoming environment for diversity and inclusivity, she puts every ounce of effort into making it a success.

Most notably, Abigail is currently part of the comprehensive team spearheading Texas Woman’s University’s efforts to combat sexual assault on college campuses. While one in five women are likely to be victimized, the campaign doesn’t focus only on them. Instead, they are working to eliminate sexual assault, point blank, and work with any survivors of such experiences. And they’re not working alone, either – universities across Texas are taking part, as well as organizations unaffiliated with any place of higher education who want to join the conversation. It’s an inclusive movement, and one that seems tailored to Abigail, with her intensive background in policy and grant-writing.

Abigail establishes helping other people as a top priority, wherever she is and whatever she’s doing, which is more than evident from the list of accomplishments under her name. And as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, she is in more of a position than ever to see through the creation of policies that improve the lives of so many others.