Jean Elliott worked for Virgina Tech from 1999-2015. She retired in 2015 as Communications Manager for the Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Prior to working at Virginia Tech, Elliott served as the Sports Information Director at the College of William and Mary and Brown University.

As an employee of Virginia Tech, Elliott was a visible advocate for the LGBTQ community. In 2005, she worked with professors Jeff Mann and Carol Burch-Brown to establish the annual "Gay in Appalachia" event, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ experience in rural communities through visual and performing arts. In 2009, Elliott worked with the LGBT faculty/staff caucus to establish an Ally of the Year Award and the Lavender Commencement Ceremony for LGBTQ+ students at Virginia Tech.

Elliott has been recognized for her work advocacy work by Equality Virginia, which named her an "Outstanding Virginian" in 2012. Elliott received the Presidential Principles of Community Award, Virginia Tech's highest honor for diversity and inclusion work, in 2014.

Sources:

http://www.equalityvirginia.org/dinner-2016/outstanding-virginians/jean-elliott/

http://www.roanoke.com/news/education/higher_education/virginia_tech/longtime-virginia-tech-diversity-advocate-retires-to-nature-and-family/article_685e5819-16ec-5e36-ad8a-60a026f72f89.html