Friday, February 19, 2021

[Rackham] L.E.A.D.: Chief Diversity Officers as Anti-Racism Advocates

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LEAD, Leading Equity And Diversity, is a series of conversations where attendees have the opportunity to hear from a diverse group of guests who lead and/or support DEI and social justice initiatives. Given the events of the past year—including the racial disparities exposed by COVID-19 and the social justice uprising against racism—the role of the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) has taken on an even greater importance and visibility. Many organizations have experienced an increased demand to address anti-racism specifically. In this webinar, we will explore the interplay between anti-racist and diversity work. Featured guests will share personal experiences in their roles as diversity officers, including the rewards, challenges, successes, lessons, and advice for others who are or aspire to be in diversity officer roles.  

Access Real-Time Translation (CART) captioning services will be available.

SPEAKERS

 

Robert M. Sellers

Robert M. Sellers, received his Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Howard University and his doctorate in personality psychology from the University of Michigan. He is responsible for overseeing the University’s five-year strategic plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and serves as a principal adviser to the president as a member of the university’s executive leadership team. Sellers works with the provost on matters related to diversity at the university as well as a broad range of academic issues including the budget, faculty tenure and promotions, and student enrollment. He oversees operations of three central administrative units. Sellers provides strategic leadership to increase access and success for all students, recruit and retain diverse faculty, and develop academic programs that prepare all students for success in a diverse world. Prior to joining the Provost’s Office, Sellers was chair of the University of Michigan Department of Psychology. His research interests include ethnicity, racial and ethnic identity, personality and health, athletic participation, and personality. He has published several research articles and book chapters that examine factors associated with the psycho-social development of African American student athletes.

 

Katrina Wade-Golden

Katrina Wade-Golden is Deputy Chief Diversity Officer within the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (ODEI), as well as Director of Implementation for the Campuswide Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Strategic Plan. She brings over 25 years of administrative and research experience working with complex longitudinal datasets and has broad expertise leading research and strategy engagements in the corporate, higher education, and non-profit sectors, utilizing a wide range of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Wade-Golden possesses particular expertise in the areas of measurement, questionnaire design, social psychology, organizational dynamics, institutional diversity, and complex data analyses.

Her research interests are in the areas of organizational behavior and management, strategic planning, leadership development, change management, the impact of diversity and affirmative action on organizations, conflict resolution, stress, and work-family conflict.

She has published numerous articles, essays, monographs, and reports in these areas, and has published a book (2013), The Chief Diversity Officer: Strategy, Structure, and Change Management (co-authored with Damon A. Williams), that chronicles the work of an ongoing research project focused on chief diversity officers at nearly 800 institutions across the country, and is the first publication to fully explicate the role of chief diversity officers in higher education.

Wade-Golden has presented at hundreds of national, regional, and local conferences on issues related to diversity and multiculturalism, organizational change, gender, racism, and affirmative action. She holds the Ph.D. and Master's of Science degrees in industrial/organizational psychology from Wayne State University, and a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan in psychology, with an emphasis in human resources and organizational development. Wade-Golden has been consulted by a wide array of higher education, private sector, and corporate institutions.