Briana Auvonne Savage is an educator, collaborator, organizer, graduate student researcher, higher education policy scholar and lifelong learner. She is a Ph.D. candidate in the Higher Education Administration & Policy department at the University of California, Riverside and a Research Associate at the UCR Center for Athletes' Rights and Equity (CARE). Briana received her Master of Education from USC Rossier in Postsecondary Administration & Student Affairs (PASA), and received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Political Science with a double minor in Public Policy and Education Studies.

During her time at UCLA Briana volunteered, through the Community Service Commission, as a mentor and tutor for students attending low-income elementary and middle schools in Los Angeles. Following her undergraduate career, Briana became a long-term substitute teacher for LAUSD, and has served in that position for seven years. In addition to being an educator, Briana interned for Cal Poly Pomona Athletics, UCLA Athletics, and worked for the USC Bovard Scholars program while pursuing her master's degree. These experiences gave her the opportunity to serve special interest populations in higher education and increase her awareness of the fact that more work needs to be done to bridge the disconnect between K-12 and postsecondary education systems.

Committed to making higher education accessible for historically marginalized groups, while also retaining those students until matriculation, Briana's research focuses on decreasing educational gaps between socioeconomic and racial groups through hands-on, grassroots programs that support underserved students; creating a system that is equitable; and enhancing the quality of underserved students’ education.  More specifically, she is committed to breaking down stereotypes placed upon Black male student-athletes, as well as assisting those athletes in identity development outside of their athletic abilities. 

Briana strongly advocates for the promotion of leadership skill building activities, career exploration, and the idea that student-athletes are more than the number on the back of their jerseys. She plans to continue to do research that promotes student-athlete development, specifically for Black males, by helping them develop a sense of self; navigate the academic enterprise; utilize campus resources; and gain skills and experiences that will generate success in any career path following the end of their athletic careers.