Gloria Hartley serves as the Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, supporting all areas of the college, including Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) and the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station (VAES). In this role, she acts as a liaison to USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and represent Virginia Tech in national and regional civil rights compliance workgroups. Gloria works closely with faculty, staff, and leadership to ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws and to foster a respectful, accessible, and equitable environment across the college’s programs and operations. Her work centers on aligning policies and practices with institutional values and regulatory requirements while providing guidance, training, and support to advance access and fairness.

Gloria is a civil rights compliance professional and disability policy specialist with experience spanning higher education, government, and organizational systems. She oversees compliance related to nondiscrimination, accessibility, language access, and civil rights requirements associated with land-grant and Extension programming. Previously, she served at Virginia Tech as a Case Manager and ADA Accommodation Specialist in the Office for Equity and Accessibility, where she supported senior leadership in developing and implementing legally compliant accommodation processes, including during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

In addition to her work in higher education, Gloria served as a Senior Civil Rights Consultant in the private sector, providing strategic guidance on civil rights compliance, workplace abuse prevention, and psychological health and safety. She also serves as the Disability Policy Advisor for End Workplace Abuse.

Gloria is a disabled combat veteran of the United States Navy. During her active-duty service, she provided air defense support and later legal support through the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. She pursed a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Saint Leo University and a master’s degree in Homeland Security Policy from East Carolina University. Her work reflects a commitment to civil rights compliance as both a legal obligation and a foundation for institutional accountability, public trust, and equitable access.

Hokie Spotlight: Veteran Q&A: Gloria Hartley remains committed to 'the fair treatment of all'