Dear Spartan community,

After a thorough nationwide search, I am excited to announce that Kristin Dukes, Ph.D., has been selected as San José State University’s new Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). She will be moving cross-country for this opportunity, having served most recently in this same role at Chatham University in Pennsylvania.

Kristin has more than 15 years of experience in institutional diversity in higher education – including recruitment and retention, curriculum design, and delivering competency workshops in diversity, equity and inclusion – and has held faculty positions at several universities on the East Coast. She is also an accomplished researcher, with expertise in stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination and social justice. She earned her doctorate in social psychology from Tufts University.

As we prepare to welcome Kristin to campus, I would also like to extend my most sincere thanks to Dawn Lee, who has served as SJSU’s interim CDO for the past eight months. Dawn has led our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with great skill and empathy, and has maintained a sense of stability at our university during a time of transition. Without Dawn’s leadership, we would not have been able to take the time needed to find the right candidate.

I would also like to thank the search committee, chaired by Monica Allen, whose patience and determination were critical in finding a pool of talent. And, a special thanks to Edwin Tan, who provided administrative partnership with the search committee and executive search firm.

Please join me in welcoming Kristin to San José State. I am excited not only for her arrival on January 15, but also the future of our university and its continued service to underserved communities.

Sincerely,

Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson

President

(she/her/ella)