Lawrence Drake, II, PhD
Media Psychologist | Former Dean of Business & Entrepreneurship
Dr. Lawrence Drake is a seasoned global executive, scholar, and educational leader operating at the natural convergence of enterprise business, applied psychology, and media innovation. With a distinguished career spanning more than 50 years, Dr. Drake has lived and worked in over 60 countries, directing high-stakes operations across multinational corporations, non-profit institutions, and fast-growth entrepreneurial ventures. Today, he channels this vast global experience into higher education, serving as the Dean of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Bethune-Cookman University.
Prior to entering academic administration, Dr. Drake built an esteemed career in corporate America, culminating in his retirement from The Coca-Cola Company as Managing Director and President/CEO of the $1B West Africa division of Coca-Cola Africa. His corporate record also includes senior executive roles with PepsiCo, Cablevision Systems Corp., Kraft Inc., and the Executive Leadership Council. This background established his reputation as a highly skilled corporate executive with deep expertise in global leadership, marketing management, complex international negotiation, and long-term business planning. An active proponent of commercial innovation, Dr. Drake has also successfully leveraged his business development acumen to bring several early and mid-stage startup ventures to market, including Haven Media Group and Dolman Technologies.
While a traditional view might suggest a division between corporate commerce and the social sciences, Dr. Drake views them as intrinsically linked by human behavior, believing that any successful enterprise depends entirely on understanding how people think, connect, and react. This perspective led him to pursue advanced scientific study in psychology, specializing in media psychology to explore the intersection of cognitive science, applied psychology, and immersive media technology. His published research and public presentations focus heavily on media effects, learning behavior, and cognitive outcomes, with a particular emphasis on empowering Black men and communities of color. Through his work, he explores how media representation and digital innovation can be leveraged to enhance learning equity and collective agency.
Dr. Drake's commitment to organizational health, executive development, and community impact is further reflected in his extensive history of board governance. He serves or has served on the boards and executive committees of multiple prominent civic, educational, and cultural institutions, including the Executive Leadership Council, the California Science Center, Crystal Stairs Inc., the National Conference for Community and Justice, Jarvis Christian College, Vine & Oak Foundation North America, and Nehemiah Project Ministries International. Additionally, as an active leader within the American Psychological Association (APA), he frequently contributes his strategic insights to the advancement of the Society for Media Psychology and Technology (Division 46).
Dr. Drake holds a PhD in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Media Psychology, focused on immersive learning, from Fielding Graduate University. He earned his MBA from Rockhurst University, where he was designated an executive fellow, and completed his foundational undergraduate studies with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Georgia State University. Blending academic rigor with decades of multinational chief executive experience, he offers a unique and highly informed perspective on leadership and human behavior.