Blane Harding is the former Director of Diversity Engagement for the Office of Inclusion and Diversity at Virginia Tech University and currently serves as a national consultant.  

He also served as the Director of Advising, Recruitment, and Retention for the College of Science at the University of Nevada, Reno from 2017-2020 as well as the Director of The Cultural Center at the University of Nevada Reno from 2015-2017. He previously served as the Director of Multicultural Affairs at the University of Kansas. Mr. Harding is also a consultant and has worked with over 60 institutions of higher learning across the country.

He retired from Colorado State University, after 24 years of service, in 2012 where he served as the Director of Advising, Recruitment, and Retention for the College of Liberal Arts. Professor Harding has taught courses in African American history and Ethnic Studies for the past twenty-five years. Mr. Harding has also served as a retention faculty member with the Council for Opportunity in Education which oversees the national TRIO programs. He is a faculty member and past Chair of the Summer Institute Advisory Board for the National Academic Advising Association as well as the former Chair of the Multicultural Concerns Commission.

Mr. Harding has published several articles on diversity, multicultural advising, and advisor training. Mr. Harding has presented at national conferences on various topics that focus on African American, Latino(a), Bi-racial, Native American, and Asian/Pacific Island students in higher education. He has published several articles on diversity, multicultural advising, and advisor training. These include a chapter titled “Students with Specific Needs” in Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook October 2008 and “From Bridges to Coalitions: Collaboration Between Academic Advising Units and Offices that Support Students of Color”, NACADA 30 Anniversary Monograph Series, August 2009. His most recent publication co-authored with Marsha Miller is titled “Cultivating the Potential in At-Risk Students”, NACADA Pocket Guide Series.

Mr. Harding is the 2018 Leading Light Award Winner presented to a NACADA member in recognition of significant contributions to diversity within NACADA.