A climate of inclusive excellence is crucial for the recruitment, retention, success and satisfaction of the very best faculty, staff and students. A permanent dean’s level committee, the Inclusive Excellence Council (IEC), was established in Fall 2019 to address these issues within the context of public health education. The Council is necessary to ensure our School will be well-equipped to address these needs in a strategic manner. It is comprised of faculty, staff and students from across the School. Faculty and staff were nominated by their respective departments and serve 3-year terms. Students are selected through an online application process and serve one- or two-year terms.

The IEC is responsible for:

  • Monitoring and evaluating the progress of the strategic priorities listed in the inclusive excellence action plan.
  • Advising on and coordinating activities that support and strengthen a climate of inclusive excellence within our School.
  • Advising faculty, staff and students regarding issues of diversity and climate within the School.
  • Serving as chair(s) of action plan subcommittees that lead schoolwide efforts to meet our stated goals.
  • Providing updates on Council activities to their units and serving as a liaison regarding inclusive excellence.
  • Periodically revising the inclusive excellence action plan as needed.

Inclusive Excellence Council Co-Chairs

Elizabeth French

Elizabeth French, MA Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives

Dr. Kim Ramsey-White

Kim Ramsey-White, PhD Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence

Jeffrey Simms

Jeffrey Simms, MSPH Assistant Professor and Director of Student Life and Alumni Relations, Department of Health Policy and Management

Inclusive Excellence Council

Andrea Bankoski

Andrea Bankoski, MPH IT Manager, Department of Epidemiology

Deborah Baron, MPH, MIA PhD candidate, Department of Health Behavior

Dr. Adrial Bryan

Adrial Bryan, PhD Inclusive Excellence Program Coordinator

Monika Caruso

Monika Soria Caruso, CRA Contracts and Grants Manager and Pre-Award Administration, Department of Biostatistics

Julie Daniels

Julie L. Daniels, PhD Professor, Department of Epidemiology; Professor, Department of Maternal and Child Health

Jonathan Earnest

Jonathan Earnest, MA, CHC, CPT Director of Admissions

Tiffany Farina, CRA, CFRA Director of Finance and Administration, North Carolina Institute for Public Health and the Public Health Leadership Program

Elizabeth French

Elizabeth French, MA Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives

Annie Green Howard

Annie Green Howard, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics

Jon M. Hussey

Jon M. Hussey, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Maternal and Child Health

Dr. Alexia Kelley

Alexia Kelley, PhD Assistant Dean for Research

Manal Khan

Manal Khan Grants Manager, WI

Sarah Kitchens

Sarah Kitchens, MaEd Awards and Funding Coordinator

Mary Beth Knight, PhD Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Pamela Lee

Pamela Lee, MA Strategic Initiatives Coordinator, Dean's Office and Academic Affairs

Dr. Deytia Lima Rojas

Deytia Lima-Rojas, PhD Assistant Dean for Strategic Analysis and Business Intelligence (SABI)

Dr. Laura Linnan

Laura Linnan, ScD Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

OJ McGhee

O.J. McGhee, MA Associate Director, Instructional Media Services Manager and End-user Support

Branson Moore

Branson Moore, MA Associate Director for Strategic Marketing

Annette Raines

Annette Raines Human Resources Consultant

Dr. Kim Ramsey-White

Kim Ramsey-White, PhD Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence

Dr. Kurt Ribisl

Kurt M. Ribisl, PhD Jo Anne Earp Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Health Behavior

Dr. Dana Rice

Dana Rice, DrPH Assistant Professor, Public Health Leadership Program

Gretchen Senez

Gretchen Senez, MS Assistant Dean, Human Resources

Jeffrey Simms

Jeffrey Simms, MSPH Assistant Professor and Director of Student Life and Alumni Relations, Department of Health Policy and Management

Sarah Thach

Sarah Brill Thach, MPH Assistant Professor, Public Health Leadership Program

Dr. Kimberly Truesdale

Kimberly Parker Truesdale, PhD, MSPH Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition

Naya Villarreal

Naya Villarreal, MPH Gillings Global Health Associate Director

William Vizuete

William Vizuete, PhD Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Not pictured:
Guatam Aggarwal, alumnus, Department of Biostatistics
Eric Brown, PhD candidate, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Katie Grimes, PhD candidate, Department of Health Policy and Management
Hillary Hecht, PhD candidate, Department of Health Policy and Management
Jessica Roe, MPH candidate, Department of Health Behavior
Natalie Rotelli, alumna, Department of Biostatistics

IEC Subcommittees

Efforts led by the IEC are organized around the inclusive excellence action plan. The current subcommittees are advocacy, curriculum, communications, diversity and training.

Advocacy

Purpose: Advocate on behalf of students for living wages, fairness in hiring practices and greater transparency regarding employment opportunities.

2021-2022 Members:

  • Jonathan Earnest, Co-Lead
  • OJ McGhee, Co-Lead
  • Andrea Bankoski
  • Tiffany Farina
  • Jon Hussey
  • Crystal Isler
  • Sarah Kitchens
  • Pamela Lee
  • Jeffrey Simms

For more information, please contact Jonathan Earnest, earnestj@email.unc.edu and/or OJ McGhee, oj_mcghee@unc.edu.

Communications

Purpose: Develop and improve approaches to communicating about inclusion, equity and anti-racism efforts at Gillings.

2021-2022 Members:

  • Branson Moore, Co-Lead
  • Naya Villarreal, Co-Lead
  • Elizabeth French
  • OJ McGhee
  • Kimberly Parker

For more information, please contact Branson Moore, branson@email.unc.edu and/or Naya Villarreal, naya@unc.edu.

Curriculum

Purpose: Evaluate and improve anti-racist and equity components in student learning during orientation and across the curriculum.

2021-2022 Members:

  • Elizabeth French, Co-Lead
  • Dana Rice, Co-Lead
  • Jonathan Earnest
  • Hillary Hecht
  • Pamela Lee
  • Laura Linnan
  • Derrick Matthews
  • Jessica Roe

  • For more information, please contact Elizabeth French, eafrench@email.unc.edu and/or Dana Rice, danarice@unc.edu.

Representation

Purpose: Evaluate and improve efforts surrounding the recruitment and retention of Gillings faculty, staff and students from diverse backgrounds

2021-2022 Members:

  • Trinnette Cooper, Co-Lead
  • Gretchen Senez, Co-Lead
  • Guatam Aggarwal
  • Crystal Isler
  • Manal Khan
  • Deytia Lima-Rojas
  • Kurt Ribisl
  • Jeffrey Simms

For more information, please contact Gretchen Senez, gmarie@email.unc.edu and/or Trinnette Cooper (she/her/hers), coopert@email.unc.edu.

Research

Purpose: Dismantle racism and promote equity throughout the research enterprise

2021-2022 Members:

  • Alexia Kelley, Co-Lead
  • William Vizuete, Co-Lead
  • Deborah Baron
  • Eric Brown
  • Monika Caruso
  • Trinnettee Cooper
  • Annie Green Howard
  • Alexia Kelley
  • Mary Beth Knight
  • Kurt Ribisl
  • Natalie Rotelli

For more information, please contact Alexia Kelley, alexia_kelley@unc.edu and/or William Vizuete, vizuete@unc.edu.

Training

Purpose: Develop, implement, and evaluate trainings, including strong anti-racist and equity-driven components, for faculty, staff, TAs and other members of the Gillings community.

2021-2022 Members:

  • Adrial Bryan, Co-Lead
  • Mary Beth Knight
  • Katie Grimes
  • Annette Raines
  • Dana Rice
  • Sarah Brill Thach
  • Julie Theriault

For more information, please contact Adrial Bryan, adbryan@email.unc.edu.

How to Join

Interested in joining either the inclusive excellence council or one of its subcommittees? For more information or to ask questions, contact the Inclusive Excellence Team at sph_inclusive_excellence@unc.edu.

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Gillings Admissions: 233 Rosenau Hall, (919) 445-1170
Student Affairs: 263 Rosenau Hall, (919) 966-2499
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