American University’s General Counsel Traevena Byrd to Chair the National Association of College and University Attorneys Board of Directors

As AU’s general counsel, Byrd oversees the provision of legal services for the university, corporate governance, and board operations. She also serves as the university’s Vice President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees. She is a member of the president’s cabinet and chief legal advisor to the university’s executive officers and Board of Trustees.

"We are thrilled to have Traevena serve our organization in this capacity. She has been a trailblazer in her campus legal work and is the perfect candidate to lead NACUA’s board of directors," says NACUA's President and CEO Ona Alston Dosunmu. "We look forward to working with her to support NACUA's members."

As a deeply committed member and engaged volunteer leader of NACUA since 2002, Byrd previously served as a member-at-large and secretary of the Board of Directors. She has also held leadership positions on the Committee on Membership and Member Services, the Committee on Program for Annual Conference, and the Committee on Legal Education. In recognition of her extraordinary service to both NACUA and to institutions of higher learning, she was awarded the Distinguished Service Award, NACUA’s highest honor, in 2023.

“Since 2019, Traevena has shown a strong commitment to AU as vice president, general counsel, and board secretary. I am confident she will bring the same dedication as NACUA’s chair,” says Gina Adams, chair of AU Board of Trustees. “Traevena’s legal expertise and understanding of current campus climate issues will elevate NACUA’s mission and support a growing network of attorneys in higher education nationwide.”Byrd previously served on the accreditation commission for the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. She also serves as Chair of the Children’s Law Center in Washington, D.C., as a member of the University of Iowa Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Arts and Sciences, and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in African American World Studies with honors and her Juris Doctorate.

Byrd is a frequent contributor on higher education legal issues, most notably about free speech and student protest. She has presented at numerous associations and organizations including NACUA, the Association for Student Conduct Administration, the American Council on Education, the Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education, the National Association of College and University Business Officers, the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, the Council of Graduate Schools, and National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“I want to congratulate Traevena on the honor of being named chair of NACUA,” says Jonathan Alger, 16th president of American University. “I have had the privilege of getting to know her and her demonstrated service to the higher education legal community through my own work as chair of NACUA from 2011-2012.”