Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity

Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) Staff

Our team has a wide range of expertise to support the diverse needs of our vibrant academic community and strengthen inclusion and diversity at Brown.

  • Sylvia Carey-Butler

    Sylvia Carey-Butler, Ph.D.

    Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity

    Dr. Carey-Butler is a leader in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. At Brown, she leads a wide range of DEI programs and initiatives and stewards campuswide progress of the University’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP). She joined Brown in July 2021, having previously served as assistant chancellor for academic support of inclusive excellence at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, interim executive director of the United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) Institute for Capacity Building and assistant provost and dean of honors at Dillard University in New Orleans, among other leadership roles. She earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration and policy from Vanderbilt University, a master’s degree in social science from Binghamton University and a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta.

  • Samantha Andersen

    Samantha Andersen

    Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, The Leadership Alliance

    Samantha Andersen coordinates the combined application process for The Leadership Alliance’s undergraduate summer research sites and supervises the Alliance’s Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP) at Brown University.

  • Gina Astorini

    Gina Astorini, Ed.D.

    Associate Director, The Leadership Alliance

    Dr. Astorini joined The Leadership Alliance in September 2021 after serving as the associate dean for undergraduate academics at the University of Miami. She has dedicated her career to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion through culturally responsive and strategic initiatives. Dr. Astorini earned a Doctoral degree in higher education leadership and holds a master of science degree in student life and development as well as a post-master’s certificate in enrollment management.

  • Taiese Bingham-Hickman

    Taiese Bingham-Hickman, Ph.D.

    Executive Director, The Leadership Alliance

    As executive director, Dr. Bingham-Hickman leads a consortium of 41 academic and industry partners that provide research, mentoring, and networking experiences to undergraduate students, graduate students and research professionals. Prior to leading The Leadership Alliance, she served as the assistant director of biomedical informatics research and operations at Brown, where she supported the operational functions of the Brown Center for Biomedical Informatics (BCBI) with major statewide initiatives. In this capacity, she also served as the technical liaison for assigned projects with BCBI collaborators across Brown and its affiliated hospitals, as well as regional, national, and international partners. She earned a master of science and a Ph.D. from New York University School of Medicine, an MBA from Northeastern University, and a bachelor of science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 

  • Alyssia Coates, Ph.D.

    Alyssia Coates, Ph.D.

    Senior Director of Development, Inclusive Philanthropic Engagement

    Dr. Coates oversees the Advancement DEI strategic plan and is responsible for coordination and collaboration across the various units within the division and with campus partners, serving to advance the University's relevant campaign priorities. She is the Academic Advancement Liaison to administrative and faculty leadership for the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED), the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, and the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice. Dr. Coates is a thought partner and advisor to senior leaders across the different units within Advancement and is charged with increasing awareness, donor engagement, participation, and overall giving to diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities.

  • Nancy DeSousa, Ph.D.

    Nancy DeSousa, Ph.D.

    Director of Institutional Equity and Diversity

    Dr. DeSousa serves as a thought partner to the Assistant Vice President of Inclusion, Campus Culture, and Engagement and facilitates outreach and education efforts to campus partners, staff, faculty, and students. In this role, she is responsible for creating, managing, and assisting with programmatic initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

  • Tristan Headshot

    Tristan Glenn, Ph.D.

    Assistant Vice President of Inclusion, Campus Culture and Engagement

    Dr. Glenn is the inaugural Assistant Vice President of Inclusion, Campus Culture and Engagement in the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at Brown. In this role, he is responsible for the oversight of diversity, equity, and inclusion programming and initiatives while leading the coordination of outreach efforts designed to advance a campus climate in which all members of our community feel valued for their contributions and are given equal opportunities to thrive.

  • Jane Indorft

    Jane Indorf, Ph.D.

    Manager of Undergraduate and Graduate Student Programs, The Leadership Alliance

    Dr. Indorf supports all Leadership Alliance programming for undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty. These programs aim to prepare individuals from diverse backgrounds for successful careers in research by helping them develop professional skills such as networking, written communication, leadership, and mentoring.

  • Susan Jamiel

    Susan Jamiel

    Executive Assistant to the Vice President

    Susan Jamiel oversees the vice president for institutional equity and diversity’s schedule and calendar, and provides high-level administrative support to the vice president and the entire OIED team.

  • Juana Headshot

    Juana L. Parillon, Ph.D.

    Assistant Vice President for Institutional Equity, Chief of Staff

    As chief of staff to the vice president for institutional equity and diversity, Dr. Parillon’s role includes leadership support and oversight responsibilities for OIED and the development and implementation of OIED’s strategic initiatives. In addition, Dr. Parillon serves as the University’s equal employment opportunity/affirmative action officer and is charged with oversight of the annual affirmative action report.

  • Elfred Anthony Pinkard

    Elfred Anthony Pinkard, Ed.D.

    HBCU Presidential Fellow

    Elfred Anthony Pinkard is a longtime educator with decades of leadership experience at historically Black colleges and universities. Since July 2023, he has served as Brown’s first-ever HBCU presidential fellow and is leading efforts to strengthen and expand Brown’s relationships with HBCUs and build on the historic Brown-Tougaloo Partnership. Prior to his role at Brown, he served as the president of Wilberforce University. Pinkard earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College, a master of education from Howard University, and a doctor of education from Harvard University.

  • Maria Sanchez-DoVale

    Maria Sanchez-DoVale

    Communications and Events Specialist, The Leadership Alliance

    Maria DoVale plans, organizes, coordinates, and develops sessions that promote networking, mentoring, and professional development for undergraduate students, graduate students, and doctoral scholars in The Leadership Alliance.

  • Sarah Stetson, M.A., M.F.A.

    Sarah Stetson, Ph.D.

    Equity and Diversity Data Analyst

    Dr. Stetson collects, analyzes, and reports on data related to campus climate, affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity-related initiatives such as the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan to inform data-driven decision making and to assess progress towards the University’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. She specializes in survey research and assessment and brings social justice frameworks to this work.