About Us
About the Office of Inclusive Excellence.
Meet Our Staff.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence at NJIT will intentionally think about and consider inclusion, equity, diversity, belonging, and student success, and work to address DEIB challenges and barriers.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence at NJIT will integrate DEIB and educational quality efforts into the institutions mission and institutional operations.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence at NJIT will take an active role and responsibility in dismantling systemic inequities that impact any member of the institution.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence at NJIT will partner with others across the institution to fully integrate DEIB at the institution where all members at the institution see themselves in being part of the change process.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence at NJIT will address DEIB across programs, curriculum, process, and procedure; grounded in research and measured with specific outcomes.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence at NJIT will:
- prioritize changing and redesigning systems,
- foster collaborations and partnerships,
- understand the value add for DEIB and how excellence across all areas of the university cannot be achieved without inclusion,
- recognize how the inclusion of individual and group cultural and social differences enhances the university.
Meet the Staff
Chief Diversity Officer
David.Jones@cp55586.com
Biography: Named by DiversityGlobal Magazine as a 2023 Top 15 Champion of Diversity, Dr. David Jones is a leading voice for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and a highly respected and sought-after diversity leader with nearly 20 years of experience building effective multi-year Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) operational strategies and executing a vision using project management skills. Dr. Jones is dedicated to creating a more inclusive workplace culture and often uses his personal story to influence his commitment to addressing systemic inequities and oppression. Dr. Jones firmly believes we cannot accept the mistreatment and disenfranchisement others experience, particularly those who have been historically marginalized by an unjust society and system – that we must come together across our differences to get into “good trouble” and create change today for a better tomorrow. He challenges those he meets to learn more about one another, accept one another and unify against injustice.
Director
Rachel.walker@cp55586.com
Fun Fact: Rachel loves Beyonce!
Biography: Rachel Walker (she/her) is the Director for the Office of Inclusive Excellence. As a Queer Black woman and first generation student from Norwalk, CT, Walker has a passion for supporting historically excluded populations through providing equity and access. Walker served as the Associate Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Compliance at Ramapo College where she oversaw the Multicultural Center, bias reporting, programming, training and other initiatives regarding equity and diversity. Walker holds a Master of Education degree from Rutgers University, New Brunswick and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Eastern Connecticut State University.
Aaliyah Rathore
Associate Director
Program and Education Coordinator
kody.guedes@cp55586.com
Kody Guedes (He/Him/El) is the Program and Education Coordinator for the Office of Inclusive Excellence. Kody has experience in Diversity Education, Residence Life, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Campus Activities and Access Programs. Kody joins us from the University of the Arts’ Office of Student Life, and from Stevens Institute of Technology’s Office of Student Culture and Belonging. Kody is a proud Latino, gay, cis-male from Paterson, NJ; a proud first-generation graduate from two New Jersey public Hispanic Serving Institutions; Montclair State University (M.A. in Higher Education) and William Paterson University (B.A. in Communications).