Brookdale Community College administrators have named Angela Kariotis as the college’s first director of diversity and inclusion.
According to a press release, the position will elevate and accelerate the college’s 21st century vision for inclusive excellence.
Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, is the county college of Monmouth County.
“We are fortunate to bring Angela Kariotis here to the college from Seton Hall. She already has a national name from her ‘Walking the Beat’ initiative where she helps train police officers on diversity issues,” said David Stout, president of Brookdale Community College.
“Our employees have been working on many initiatives to enhance equity and inclusion throughout our community, but there is much more to do,” Stout said.
Kariotis will coordinate and advise on activities in departments and academic programs throughout the college to develop, integrate and articulate Brookdale’s commitments to a more diverse and inclusive community, according to the press release.
She will manage the Community College Opportunity Grant program, creating programs and services that attract and retain marginalized and economically challenged students.
Kariotis’ recent position was with the Center for Faculty Development at Seton Hall University, teaching anti-racist pedagogy, story circles between faculty and students for empathy, and training on managing difficult discussions in the classroom.
There she was co-director of the Diversity Coalition, a faculty group dedicated to equity, diversity and inclusion on campus, facilitating programming.
She has three tenets that move her: collaboration, change is non-negotiable and abandoning the status quo, according to the press release.
“Racism is a health crisis and the coronavirus pandemic is another health crisis. We have two crises we have to meet right now and one thing we are learning is radical interconnectivity, what it means to depend on each other and doing this work together,” Kariotis was quoted as saying in the press release.
Kariotis received her Bachelor of Arts in communication from Seton Hall University and a Master of Arts in communication studies from the University of Texas at Austin.
Ed Johnson, executive director of governmental affairs and community relations, shares the excitement of welcoming Kariotis to the team.
“Her passion for and focus on building a culture of belonging will be a major asset for the college community,” Johnson said.
