MEL RUTHERFORD, PHD, is an experimental psychologist specializing in social perception. He earned his B.A. from Yale University and his Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Human Development at The University of California, Santa Barbara, followed by a Fulbright Fellowship with Simon Baron-Cohen at Cambridge University. His leadership journey spans academia, advocacy, and precedent-setting legal action. As a transman, Mel was a plaintiff in Rutherford v. Ontario, winning the right to be listed on his children?s birth certificates. Mel was called to chair his department when it was in crisis and quickly learned what a Glass Cliff leadership opportunity would require of him. With compassion and integrity, Mel Rutherford fosters inclusive environments where people thrive in academia and in leadership.