Appointments, Retirements, and Searches

  • Office for Diversity and Inclusion Appointments

    Greetings from the Office for Diversity and Inclusion! We hope that the start of the fall semester and your return to campus have been successful and safe so far. As you get settled into the semester, we wanted to remind you that ODI, including the Cultural Centers, is here to provide support to our collective efforts to make UConn a more welcoming and inclusive community.

    This year ODI will continue to offer online and in-person diversity and inclusion programs, initiatives, events, and resources to the UConn community.  To assist us in that endeavor, we are excited to introduce new and returning members of the ODI team:

    • Velda Alfred-Abney, who continues her 20-year career at UConn by joining ODI as our Executive Assistant (ODI Central Office).
    • Elise Delacruz, who is serving as Assistant Director of the Women’s Center and as Director of the Violence Against Women Prevention Program (Women’s Center).
    • Dr. Jonelle Reynolds, who has been appointed as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, with a primary focus on UConn employees related priorities (ODI Central Office).
    • Michael Vidal, who has joined ODI from Clarke University. He will be the Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, with a primary focus on student related priorities (ODI Central Office).

    We would also like to welcome members joining us for the 2021-2022 academic year:

    • Neda Izadi, who is serving as a part-time Specialist for the new Middle Eastern Cultural Programs (MECP).
    • Kaylee Mootz, who is serving as the Program Coordinator for the Native American Cultural Programs (NACP).
    • Kiara Ruesta-Cayetano, who is serving as Program Specialist for the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center (PRLACC).
    • Patrick K. Russell, who is serving as the ODI Communications Coordinator (ODI Central Office).

    Please join us in extending a warm welcome to each of these team members, as well as to the rest of the UConn community returning this Fall. We look forward to seeing you at our events throughout this year! You can find information about our programming, initiatives, and events by visiting our website at https://diversity.uconn.edu/.

    For more information, contact: ODI at diversity@uconn.edu