Announcement: Vice chancellor for equity and inclusion

July 2, 2021

Dear Campus Community,

We are thrilled to announce that following a national search, Dania Matos has agreed to serve as vice chancellor for equity and inclusion. This appointment is effective August 16, 2021.

Dania joins us from UC Merced where she has served as the inaugural associate chancellor and chief diversity officer since 2019. Before joining Merced she served as the inaugural deputy chief diversity officer at William & Mary. 

Dania received her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brown University and a juris doctor degree from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

Amidst a highly talented pool of applicants, Dania stood out by virtue of her exceptional experience, skills, character, and values. At this unique moment in time, the role of the vice chancellor for equity and inclusion could not be more important for our campus. We are confident and feel fortunate that Dania will provide the leadership and vision we need to rebuild community, provide a true sense of belonging for all, and advance the essential fight against hatred, bias, and discrimination.

Throughout her multi-sectored career, Dania has created, led, and contributed to the success of numerous equity-oriented initiatives that succeeded, in large part, due to her extensive quantitative and qualitative data analysis experience. As we progress towards our goal of becoming a more diverse campus community in general, and a Hispanic Serving Institution, in particular, her expertise and background will help ensure our efforts are effective and the outcomes are aligned with our values and objectives. You can read more about Dania on Berkeley News.

Sharon Inkelas has agreed to serve as interim vice chancellor for equity and inclusion during the brief period of time between when Vice Chancellor Oscar Dubón stepped down on June 30 until Dania begins her appointment on August 16. Sharon is a professor in the Department of Linguistics and currently serves as the associate vice provost for faculty equity and welfare and also as special advisor to the chancellor on sexual violence/sexual harassment, a cabinet-level position created in 2017. In both capacities, Sharon has worked closely with partners in the Division of Equity and Inclusion. We are grateful for her willingness to take on the additional responsibility and support for the division during this transitional period.

Please join us in welcoming Dania Matos to the UC Berkeley family, and in thanking Oscar Dubón, for his four years of dedicated service and important contributions to the campus. 

Sincerely,
Carol T. Christ
Chancellor
Catherine P. Koshland
Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

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