Demetria Scott is a seasoned professional with thirty years of experience in business diversity. As an Officer in UAB's Small Business Development, she manages the Academic Small Business Alliance (ASBA) Bridge to Success Internship Program. Recognizing the need to support small businesses in addressing their talent challenges, Demetria has facilitated opportunities for UAB students to gain professional work experience. Over the past decade, she has identified, recruited, and developed partnerships with local and small businesses in the greater Birmingham area, pairing them with UAB students to strengthen their talent pipelines and meet human resource needs.

Under her leadership, more than 150 local and small businesses have participated in the ASBA Program, and the team has successfully recruited over 285 student interns through proactive outreach efforts. Demetria’s unwavering dedication has not only benefited these businesses by providing them with vital talent but also enriched the students' professional lives, with many internships leading to full-time employment, thereby contributing to the economic vitality of the community. Demetria’s work at UAB and in the Birmingham community is marked by her quiet but powerful impact. Her initiatives have played a significant role in fostering a stronger, more prosperous community by supporting the attraction, development, and retention of small businesses and future employees.

Her contributions have earned her several awards from UAB, community organizations, and advocacy groups, recognizing her visible commitment, compassion, and continuous devotion to enhancing the growth of local small and diverse businesses and students. In July 2022, Demetria was honored with the President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award.

Demetria is also a proud mother to her son, Johnathan DeMarco Scott, and daughter-in-law, Jessica Gardner Scott. She is an active member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church-Rising, where she serves on the Steward Board, Myrtle J. Glover-Women’s Missionary Society, and as a finance team member.