Dear Colleagues,
It is my great privilege to announce that Gioconda Guerra Pérez will serve as the Interim Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, effective immediately, pending approval by University of Illinois Board of Trustees. While the appointment is pending approval from the Board, the title will be Designate.
Of course, Gio needs little introduction, having been a member of our university community and a steadfast advocate for students, faculty and staff for the last 12 years.
She is a distinguished leader in equity, inclusion, access and belonging at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She brings deep knowledge, lived experience and inclusive leadership essential to serve effectively in this interim role. She is widely respected across the university and brings a thoughtful, collaborative approach along with the strategic vision needed to sustain and advance our equity and inclusion efforts during this period of transition.
There is no doubt that the current environment has presented significant challenges for practitioners in this field. Under Gio’s leadership, we remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting inclusive excellence and fostering a university environment where all students, faculty and staff can thrive.
We are grateful for Vice Chancellor Sean Garrick’s leadership over the past six years and look forward to Gio’s continued advocacy. We expect that she will remain in this interim role until we have the opportunity to engage in a national search for this leadership position.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Jones
Chancellor