Diversity Advisory Council

Each school may appoint 1 faculty member, staff member, or student. School representatives are appointed by their Dean.

• Appoint up to 1-2 depending on size. The following areas each appoint up to 2 individuals.
• Administration & Finance
• External Affairs
• Office of the Provost
• Units reporting to the Office of the President

• AVP/Chief Human Resource Officer
• Executive Director, Intercultural Leadership & Engagement Center
• Director, Educational Support & Disability Services
• School designated diversity and inclusion leaders
• Executive Director of DEI, Administration & Finance

• Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, and University Student Government Association may each appoint 1 representative.
• Additional Representatives
• Alumni (1)
• Dean/VP (1)
• Community member/partner (1)
• Graduate Student Association (1)
• Faculty/staff affinity groups (up to 3)
• Student affinity groups (up to 3)
• Health Sciences/Human Services Library (1)
• Post-doctoral fellow (1)

• Each member shall serve a 2-year term.
• Students serve a 1-year term, with the possibility of a 2nd year.
• Re-appointment to an additional 2-year term possible. Maximum term: 4 years.
• Ex-officio members not subject to terms of service.

Sarasi K. Desikan, MD – Co-Chair
Assistant Professor and Vascular Surgeon, UMSOM
Associate Clerkship Director for UMSOM Surgical Rotation
President, UMB Faculty Senate
Co-chair of VAMHCS Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Council              
Council Member on UMB President's Council for Women
Commissioner, Baltimore City Women’s Commission

Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA – Co-Chair 
Vice President 
Chief Inclusive Excellence and Institutional Effectiveness Officer
Vice President, and Professor, School of Graduate Studies
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Professor, University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies

Nikki Akparewa, MSN, MPH, RN
Clinical Instructor
Family and Community Health
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Patty Alvarez, PhD
Chief Student Affairs Officer and Vice President
Adjunct Faculty Member, School of Graduate Studies
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Sean Brooks
Graduate School Recruiter
University of Maryland, Baltimore
School of Graduate Studies

Courtney Jones Carney, DPA, MBA – Ex Officio Member 
Assistant Vice President | Division of Student Affairs
Office of Student Success, Leadership, and Engagement
Program Director & Assistant Professor | School of Graduate Studies
MS - Leadership for Organizational Change 
University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies 

Neijma Celestine-Donner, J.D., MSW, LCSW-C – Ex Officio Member 
Associate Clinical Professor
Associate Dean, Strategic Initiatives and Organizational Engagement
Office of Access, Strategic Initiatives and Support (OASIS)
University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work
Teaching Faculty
University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies

Briana Clark, MPAdm
Director of Research Administration
Office of Administrative Services
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Yvette Conyers, DNP, MS, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS – Ex Officio Member
Assistant Professor
Family and Community Health
Associate Dean, Strategic Engagement and Impact
Office of Strategic Engagement and Impact
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Herty Cortez Diaz
Director, International Risk Management | International Operations
University of Maryland, Baltimore | Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation

Eric Davis
Program Administrative Specialist
Dental Technician
University Maryland School of Dentistry

Shani Fleming, MSHS, MPH, PA-C – Ex Officio Member 
She/Her/Hers
Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Values and Strategic Initiatives
University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies

Anique Forrester, MD
Associate Professor
Director, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship
Chief, Engagement for Dept of Psychiatry
Division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Mari Fujimoto
PharmD Student
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Reetta Gach, MS, MBA – Ex Officio Member 
She/Her/Hers
Director
Office of Inclusive Excellence and Institutional Effectiveness 
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Matthew Gottlieb
Coordinator, Records & Registration
University of Maryland, School of Law

Danielle Harris, LCSW-C
Director of Community Engagement Operations
Office of Community and Civic Engagement
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Ibrahim Ahmed El-Imam, MBBS, MPH
PhD Candidate, Epidemiology and Public Health
University of Maryland School of Medicine
President, International Student Organization (ISO)

Ann Kim, JD – Ex Officio Member
Director of Educational Support and Disability Services
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Russell McClain, JD, BA – Ex Officio Member 
Law School Professor,
Associate Dean of Institutional Engagement and Experience,
Director, Academic Achievement Program
University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law 

Ian Mills
Graduate Student Association Representative

Malika Monger, MPA, PHR – Ex Officio Member 
Associate Vice President 
Chief Human Resource Officer
Human Resource Services
Office of Administration and Finance
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Neeraja Murali, DO, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Emergency Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Vice President Faculty Senate

Rhea Roper Nedd, Ph.D., M.A. - Ex Officio Member
Assistant Vice President
Office of Inclusive Excellence and Institutional Effectiveness
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Nicole Palmore, MSW – Ex Officio Member
Executive Director of the Office of Employee and Organizational Success
Office of Administration and Finance 
University of Maryland, Baltimore

JP Pierre, MSc, SPHR, PMP – Ex Officio Member
Director Office of Health Strategy and Engagement
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Sandra Quezada, MD, MS, AGAF – Ex Officio Member 
Professor of Medicine
Associate Dean for Medical School Admissions 
Associate Dean for Health Strategy and Engagement
University of Maryland School of Medicine 

Dawn Roberts, EdD – Ex Officio Member
Associate Dean
Organizational Wellness & Engagement
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Maryland School of Dentistry

Tanya Robinson, MS
HR Specialist
Health Sciences and Human Services Library
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Kalea Selmon
Office of Values and Strategic Initiatives
University of Maryland
School of Graduate Studies

Scott Stafford
Director of Academic Affairs
University of Maryland School of Social Work  

Chanel F. Whittaker, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, CPDC - Ex Officio Member
Professor
Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research (P-SHOR)
Associate Dean for Institutional Excellence and Engagement
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Erica Worell
University Student Government Association Representative