KEYNOTE SPEAKERS KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Dr Mary Ann Villarreal is passionately committed to ensuring the table is set for all to participate and everyone has access to higher education As the inaugural vice president f E D d I l (EDI) h U ersity of Utah, she provides leadership ty to ensure belonging for all, foster an te, and strengthen our community ties nd Interstate 35, near the mouth of the ural Texas town with one flashing yield ere she graduated in a class of twelve. lege graduate who holds degrees from y She is also the former associate vice e University, Fullerton and the previous ado Women’s College. Since her arrival growing needs of the university and its o do this work, she established the EDI he University’s strategic plan and she ng the campus around efforts to foster inclusivity and belonging he importance of promoting meaningful g g p p ross all backgrounds and opinions. She established the Reframing the Conversation panel series in partnership with the Hinckley Institute for Politics, helping increase dialogue amongst students, faculty, trainees, and staff and launched the IntersectX12: Celebrating U Completely campaign, a new unifying theme and platform to highlight and affirm our multiple intersecting identities in all we do.

The current Chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), she is also a member of the executive committee for the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities’ Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and serves as part of the TIAA Inclusion Council. In all her work, Villarreal strives to strengthen the dignity of all individuals through organizational transformation in practice, policy, and processes s served as president and CEO of the Hispanic ges and Universities (HACU) for over 27 years. ading voice of Hispanic-Serving Institutions e more than 570 colleges and universities that wo-thirds of the nearly 4 million Hispanic students tion. Advocacy efforts have garnered over $5 ding for HSIs. bership includes higher education institutions e District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and 29 in Latin America and Spain. numerous recognitions and honors for his her education, including five honorary doctoral ned a Ph D in higher education administration of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He also received a Master unseling and personnel from Western Michigan ergraduate degrees in business administration cation from Universidad de