Champions of Diversity

The awards are presented annually to students, faculty and staff who exemplify the university’s values of DEI in an exceptional manner. Congratulations to those who received the 2020-21 Champion of Diversity awards. 

Events

UCDEI supports cultural and identity-based celebrations and similar activities throughout the academic year.

Social Media

UCDEI maintains an ongoing and active presence on Instagram and Facebook. Follow us and participate in the dialogue.

President’s annual DEI update

“I believe having a cabinet-level executive focused exclusively on these issues is a first step. Pacific will be one of only two West Coast Conference universities to have a vice president for DEI."

President Christopher Callahan
Elizabeth Trayner
Co-chair, staff
Elizabeth Trayner

Elizabeth “Liz” Trayner (she, her hers) serves as Director of Equitable Rights & Responsibilities/Title IX Coordinator. Dr. Trayner’s core values are equity, integrity, community, servicing others, respect, and continual improvement. Liz has a strong commitment beyond compliance. She is committed to providing a comprehensive approach to administering an equitable process for responding  to sexual misconduct, identity-based harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. She has over 20 years of experience in a wide range of areas withing higher education.

Elizabeth received her Ed. D. in Higher Education Administration from University of Southern California, her M.M. in Vocal Performance, and her B.M. in Music Education both from The University of South Dakota. Dr. Trayner has presented on the regional, national, and international level on inclusive hiring practices, igniting best practices in sexual misconduct, universal design, messages we’ve learned about race, dis/ability awareness, exploring spirituality, LGBTQ+ 101, minimizing bias, civil rights investigator training, breaking down the wall of identity stereotypes, Title IX Advisor Training, Title IX Decision Maker Training, exploring spirituality, experiences of international students, leadership and supervision, and more. She has been published on topics including fostering safe, engaging campuses for lesbian, gay and bisexual students, the development and implementation of global partnerships in student affairs, recommendations for non-discriminatory approaches to address criminal and disciplinary history in the college/university admissions process, and how ensure the parties have process advisors.

Co-chair, faculty
Susan Giraldez

Susan Giraldez is an Assistant Professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Language & Literature..  A former Assistant Dean of College of the Pacific, she has served as Chair of the Academic Council and is a past Chair of the Department of Modern Language & Literature.

In addition to her role as Co-Chair of the UCDEI, Dr. Giraldez is a board member of El Concilio California. She is the advisor to the Spanish language Honor Society Sigma Delta Pi and continues to serve on the Academic Council. She is the 2011 recipient of Pacific’s Enough is Enough Award for the Campaign to End Social Violence. In 2014 and 2018 she was named Outstanding Professor of the Year by Latinx Students.

Professor Giraldez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts and Spanish from University of the Pacific, a Master of Arts in Spanish from Middlebury College and a Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature from University of California Santa Barbara. Prior to joining the faculty at Pacific in 1993 she taught as a lecturer at University of California Berkeley and worked as an Assistant Editor for McGraw-Hill Publishing.

Susan Giraldez

Faculty

Susan Giraldez, Associate Professor of Modern Language & Literature

Ahmed Kanna, Professor of Ethnic Studies Program

Larry Levine, Professor of Law

Melanie Felmlee, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics & Medicinal Chemistry

Cynthia Dobbs, Professor of English

Elisa Chavez, Professor of Dentistry


Staff

Elizabeth Trayner, Director of Equitable Rights and Title IX Coordinator

Melissa Yamanaka, Diversity and Outreach Manager for Dental Admissions

Valerie James, Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions, Financial Aid & Diversity Initatives

Allison Dumas, Associate Vice President for Equity and Academic Partnerships

Randall Ogans, Enterprise Applications Developer

Mariam El-menshawi, Director for California Victims Legal Resource Center and Adjunct Professor

Jessica Tinklenberg, Executive Director for Center for Teaching & Learning

Mario Enriquez, Director for Center for Identity and Inclusion

Daniel Nuss, Services for Students with Disabilities Director

Deborah Freeman, Director of AA/EEO

Kelli Page, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations

Leonard Perry, Men’s Basketball Head Coach

Mike Klocke, Senior Director of Media Relations

Marge Grey, Associate Vice President of University Strategic Communications

Tracy Patton, Executive Officer and Advisor to Vice President for Student Life

Jessica Bilecki, Sustainability Director

Christian Cardona, Assistant Director for Undergraduate/Graduate Enrollment

Ronda Marr, Director for Procurement Services

Daniela Romero, University Financial Analyst

Marylou Bagus-Hansen, Instructor for Service Learning


Students

Jose Flores-Jimenez, ASuop DEI Director

Namorrah Ward, Social Justice Advocate for the Office of DEI