IDEA Leaders
IDEA Leaders (formerly known as the Diversity Leaders Group, or DLG) is a university-wide collective of senior diversity leaders, representing ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University’s schools/colleges and major administrative units, who have primary responsibility for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability (IDEA) in their areas.
The group is convened by OIDI, a central unit within the Provost’s Office. IDEA Leaders form a knowledgeable advisory body for OIDI’s Vice President and Associate Provost/CDO and work with OIDI on navigating challenges and advancing initiatives. Working together as a brain trust, we move forward ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University’s strategic goals and institutional commitments to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability.
Roles and Responsibilities
IDEA Leaders are charged both within their respective units and institutionally to:
- Advise on IDEA policies, rules, and guidelines (PRGs) in their units and support the broader institutional decision-making on IDEA PRGs
- Disseminate information, best practices, and key initiatives happening across the university to their units.
- Serve as a catalyst for IDEA creativity and innovation
- Establish accountability benchmarks for and ensure progress toward strategic IDEA goals
Appointment
IDEA Leaders are often the first point of contact for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability efforts within their unit. Appointments are made by the unit’s highest-ranking leadership (e.g., Dean, VP), who is a key partner in advancing organizational change and process with particular attention to how IDEA shows up at every level of the structure.
2024-2025 IDEA Leaders
College/School/ Major Unit |
Unit |
Name |
Title |
| Alumni Relations & Development | Alumni Relations & Development | Lisa Gabrielle Williams | Executive Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion; Alumni Relations & Development |
| Bienen School of Music | Bienen School of Music | Thomas Crespo | Assistant Dean Student Affairs Music, Administration; Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music |
| Feinberg School of Medicine | Feinberg School of Medicine | Tameka Brannon | Director Diversity, Inclusion & Outreach, Deans Office; Feinberg School of Medicine |
| Feinberg School of Medicine | Lurie Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine | Amber Townsend | Manager, Diversity and Inclusion FSM Cancer Center |
| Information Technology | IT Admin Systems Application Development & Operations | Maureen Veronica Knight-Burrell | Associate Director, Applications Development & Operations, IT Admin Systems Application Development & Operations |
| Kellogg School of Management | Kellogg School of Management | Christopher Marosi | Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion - Student Experience at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Kellogg |
| Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications | Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications | Robert Brown | Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Outreach, Administration; Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications |
| ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Pritzker School of Law | ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Pritzker School of Law | Samantha Woo | Interim Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion |
| NU-Qatar | NU-Qatar | Maria Lombard | Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs |
| Office of Human Resources | Office of Human Resources | Janet Walzer | Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff |
| Office of the Ombudsperson | Office of the Ombudsperson | Sarah Klaper | University Ombudsperson |
| Office of the Ombudsperson | Office of the Ombudsperson | Kamaria Porter | Associate Ombudsperson |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Jasmine Gurneau | Director, Native American and Indigenous Affairs |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion/Women's Center | Sarah Brown | Director of Women's Center, Women's Center |
| Office of the Provost | The Block Museum of Art | Lisa Corrin | Ellen Philips Katz Executive Director, Block Museum |
| Office of the Provost | Office for Research | Cassidi Hunkler | Instructional Designer Research Training |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Anthony McCray | DEI Communications Specialist |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Hilary Zimmerman | Director for Diversity Initiatives, Evaluation & Assessment |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Jamiece Adams | Facilitator & Program Manager, IDEA Education & Training |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Leona Quist | Executive Assistant, Institutional Diversity and Inclusion |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Majida Kargbo | Director of IDEA Education & Training |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Michelle Manno | Interim Chief Diversity Officer and Assistant Provost for Diversity and Inclusion |
| Office of the Provost | Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion | Oslo Brewster | IDEA Facilitator |
| Procurement and Payment Services | Procurement and Payment Services | Peter Braithwaite | Director of Procurement Diversity and Community Engagement |
| School of Communication | School of Communication | Tamekia Scott | Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Outreach |
| School of Education and Social Policy | School of Education and Social Policy | Kimberly Scott | Associate Dean of Innovation and Program Development, Executive Director, MSLOC & ELOC, School of Education and Social Policy |
| School of Professional Studies | Graduate Programs, School of Professional Studies | Soo La Kim | Assistant Dean Graduate Programs, School of Professional Studies |
| School of Professional Studies | DEIJ Team | Lito P. Lomahan Jr. | Web Admin |
| School of Professional Studies | Distance Learning, School of Professional Studies | Reba-Anna Lee | Assistant Dean of Distance Learning, School of Professional Studies |
| Searle Center for Advancing Learning & Teaching | Searle Center for Advancing Learning & Teaching | Veronica Womack | Associate Director, Inclusive Learning Communities, |
| Searle Center for Advancing Learning & Teaching | Searle Center for Advancing Learning & Teaching | Jennifer Keys | Director, Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching |
| Student Affairs | AccessibleNU (ANU) | Elisa Flores | Assistant Director, Evanston Campus |
| Student Affairs | Student Affairs | Lesley-Ann Brown-Henderson | Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs & Chief of Staff |
| Student Affairs & Campus Inclusion and Community | Campus Inclusion and Community (SA) | Tab Wiggins | Assistant Vice President of Campus Inclusion and Community |
| Student Affairs & Campus Inclusion and Community | Campus Life (SA) | Kelly Bencola | Director of Leadership Development & Community Engagement |
| The Graduate School | The Graduate School | Sheehan Fisher | Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion |
| University Athletics | University Athletics | Maria Elena Sanchez | Senior Associate AD/Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Univ Athletics - Administration |
| University Libraries | University Libraries | Steven Adams | Librarian, Academic Engagement: ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University Library |
| University Libraries | University Libraries | Rashaad Barnett | New Associate Director of Culture and Inclusion for Libraries |
| Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences | Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences | Matthew Johnson | Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs; Kenneth F Burgess Professor of Anthropology |