ALISON DAHL CROSSLEY PHD
Clayman Institute
Stanford University
I am the Executive Director of Stanford's Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research. The Clayman Institute conducts cutting-edge gender research, invests in scholars, and partners with groups outside academia to advance our vision of equity.
As the Executive Director, I lead the Institute's team and all of our administrative functions. Responsible for the Institute's fundraising, donor engagement, and community outreach, I enjoy building bridges and communities. I have strengths in strategic planning, change management, and managing during periods of uncertainty. I have a track record of communicating clearly about inequality and intersectionality, and telling compelling stories about research to draw in heterogeneous audiences. I am a skilled public speaker, and I have been featured as an expert on NBC Bay Area. My research has been covered by the Women's Media Center, the New York Times, NPR's Brian Lehrer Show, and Curve.
My scholarly areas of expertise are gender, social movements, and feminism. I am the author of the books "Feminism in the United States: A Concise Introduction," (Routledge, 2024) and "Finding Feminism: Millennial Activists and the Unfinished Gender Revolution" (NYU Press, 2017). I recently co-edited the book "Feminist Frontiers: Readings on Gender, Sexuality, and Society, 11th edition" (Bloomsbury, 2025).
I hold a BA from Smith College (Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude, highest honors), an MA in Media and Communications from the University of London, Goldsmiths College, and an MA and PhD in Sociology (emphasis in Feminist Studies) from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
As the Executive Director, I lead the Institute's team and all of our administrative functions. Responsible for the Institute's fundraising, donor engagement, and community outreach, I enjoy building bridges and communities. I have strengths in strategic planning, change management, and managing during periods of uncertainty. I have a track record of communicating clearly about inequality and intersectionality, and telling compelling stories about research to draw in heterogeneous audiences. I am a skilled public speaker, and I have been featured as an expert on NBC Bay Area. My research has been covered by the Women's Media Center, the New York Times, NPR's Brian Lehrer Show, and Curve.
My scholarly areas of expertise are gender, social movements, and feminism. I am the author of the books "Feminism in the United States: A Concise Introduction," (Routledge, 2024) and "Finding Feminism: Millennial Activists and the Unfinished Gender Revolution" (NYU Press, 2017). I recently co-edited the book "Feminist Frontiers: Readings on Gender, Sexuality, and Society, 11th edition" (Bloomsbury, 2025).
I hold a BA from Smith College (Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude, highest honors), an MA in Media and Communications from the University of London, Goldsmiths College, and an MA and PhD in Sociology (emphasis in Feminist Studies) from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
