Ajhanai Keaton

Ajhanai Keaton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport Management at the Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2024–present), following a prior appointment at the University of Louisville’s sport management program (2022–2024). His research focuses on critical qualitative methodologies, organizational behavior, and the intersection of race, gender, and media in sport institutions.

Education:

• BA in Sociology, Colorado State University (2015)
• M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, University of Texas at Austin (2017)
• PhD in Learning, Leadership, and Educational Policy with a focus on Sport, University of Connecticut (2020)

Research Interests:

• Racialized organizational structures and strategies
• DEI leadership in sport governance
• Intersectional analysis of media and social politics
• Anti-racist and equity-centered institutional transformation

Recent work emphasizes institutional critique of racialized systems and DEI practices across sport sectors, with notable contributions to understanding Black women’s leadership in sport organizations and the legitimacy dynamics of industry disruptions like LIV Golf’s rivalry.

Scientific Awards:

• College Sport Research Institute Emerging Scholar (2023)

Advising and Grants: While formal student advisee listings are unavailable, Keaton’s research actively engages doctoral candidates in critical sport studies. No grant details explicitly mentioned in provided texts.

Labs/Teams: No formal lab affiliations explicitly stated, though collaborative projects with co-authors suggest involvement in interdisciplinary research networks focused on sport sociology and organizational studies.