Berkeley Equity Training Series (BETS)

Michael Benitez, PhD

Michael Benitez, Ph.D., is the vice president for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He is a nationally acclaimed scholar practitioner and educator in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. Benitez has a critical perspectives on social and cultural issues on topics related to leadership and identity development, intersectionality, race and ethnicity, knowledge production as well as critical and inclusive pedagogy/practice in higher education. Prior to his current role at MSU Denver, Benitez served as director of diversity initiatives at Dickinson College, director of intercultural development and the black cultural center at Lafayette College, affiliate faculty in the Graduate School of Leadership and Professional Advancement at Duquesne University, director of intercultural engagement and leadership at Grinnell College, and chief diversity officer/dean of diversity and inclusion, and Title IX and EEO officer at the University of Puget Sound.

Benitez’s deep knowledge and practice of innovative equity and inclusion-based strategies has helped to address some of higher education’s more pressing campus climate issues of today, including the Diversity Monologues- a critical spoken work initiative he helped implement and shape at multiple institutions, the campus climate community participatory framework and the Northwest 5 Consortium for supporting faculty of color. He has authored book chapters and articles on student identity, hip hop culture, cultural centers, cultural and ethnic studies, institutional research and campus climates as well as faculty development. Benitez has also been featured in educational documentaries such as “Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity” and has appeared on talk shows such as “Worlds Apart,” “Hard Knock Radio” and “Speak out with Tim Wise.” Benitez received his Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy with a focus on social justice in higher education from Iowa State University, a master’s in counselor education and a bachelor’s in human development and family studies from Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Frank Harris III, EdD

Dr. Frank Harris III is a professor of postsecondary education and co-director of the Community College Equity Assessment Lab at San Diego State University (SDSU). Dr. Harris is also a senior strategist in SDSU’s Division of Campus Diversity and Student Affairs, and, in 2021–2022, the SDSU President named Harris the faculty athletics representative. In Fall 2022, Harris began his appointment as associate dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion in SDSU’s College of Education, and he received the SDSU Alumni Distinguished Faculty Award for the 2022–2023 academic year. Dr. Harris is best known for his expertise in racial [in]equity in postsecondary education and has made important contributions to knowledge about college student development and the social construction of gender and race in college contexts. His work prioritizes populations that have been historically underrepresented and underserved in education, and he has obtained competitive grants and extramural funding for his research. Harris’s scholarship has been published in leading journals for higher education and student affairs research and practice, and his commentary has been sought by high-profile media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Colleges and universities across the country consult Harris regularly for his expertise on student equity, student success, and institutional transformation, and he has worked with more than 100 postsecondary institutions, community organizations, and nonprofits on equity-related efforts. He has also delivered thousands of academic and professional presentations throughout his career. During the Obama Administration, Harris was invited to The White House to share his knowledge and expertise on the status of boys and men of color in education. He also serves on the Every Learner Everywhere Equity Advisory Board and on the Partnership for College Completion Board.

Adrienne Keene, PhD

Dr. Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation) is a Native scholar, writer, blogger, and activist, and is passionate about reframing how the world sees contemporary Native cultures. She is the creator and author of Native Appropriations, a blog discussing cultural appropriation and stereotypes of Native peoples in fashion, film, music, and other forms of pop culture.

Through her writing and activism, Keene questions and problematizes the ways Indigenous peoples are represented, asking for celebrities, large corporations, and designers to consider the ways they incorporate "Native" elements into their work. She is very interested in the way Native peoples are using social and new media to challenge misrepresentations and present counter-narratives that showcase true Native cultures and identities.

Adrienne holds a doctorate in Culture, Communities, and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research focuses on college access for Native (American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian) students and the role of precollege access programs in student success. She has worked closely with a non-profit called College Horizons, which assists Native students in the college application process — as a participant, alumna, faculty member, and now researcher.

OiYan Poon PhD

OiYan Poon is an educator, author, speaker, and race and education scholar. She is co-director of theCollege Admissions Futures Co-Laborative. Dr. Poon has worked closely in partnership with practitioner-leaders to advance race and class equity in college admissions. In 2019–20, with practitioner-leaders from ACCEPT, she co-led the Hack the Gates project, which convened researchers and practitioners in college admissions to begin reimagining college admissions systems. She was a lead co-author of amicus briefs defending diversity and race-conscious admissions, submitted to federal courts including the US Supreme Court in the SFFA v. Harvard case. After earning her Bachelor’s degree at Boston College and M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration at the University of Georgia, OiYan worked in multicultural student affairs as the first Asian-Pacific American Student Affairs Director at George Mason University and the first Student Affairs Officer in Asian American Studies at UC Davis. She earned her Ph.D. in Race & Ethnic Studies in Education and Graduate Certificate in Asian American Studies at UCLA.

Jamie Washington, PhD

Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington is the President & Founder of the Washington Consulting Group (WCG). WCG was named by the Economist as one of the Top 10 Global Diversity Consultants in the world. Dr. Washington has served as an educator, administrator, and consultant in higher education for over 36 years.  He serves as an invited instructor in the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Lancaster Theological Seminary.  He is the President and Co-Founder of the Social Justice Training Institute and a Past President of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). 

Dr. Washington earned his B.S. degree from Slippery Rock State College; a double Masters' of Science degrees from Indiana University/Bloomington; a Ph.D. is in College Student Development  from the University of Maryland College Park; and a Master of Divinity from Howard University School of Divinity. He has received many awards and honors.  He was honored with the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Legends of Excellence Award for his contribution to the lives and education of Black and LatinX faculty, staff and students. In May 2019, he received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Shepherd University in West Virginia. He received the 2020 Annuit Coeptis Senior Leader Award from ACPA.  He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Golden Key, Alpha Phi Omega, Phi Delta Kappa and a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity Inc.

In addition to his work in higher education, Dr. Washington has an extensive list of corporate, non-profit, government and faith organization clients.  Some of his clients include, Starbucks, Wachovia and Wells Fargo, Shell Oil, Boston Bank, Green Peace, Human Rights Campaign, The Taskforce, The Peace Corps, the Government Office of Accountability, The Presbyterian Church International, Metropolitan Community Church and the Baptist Church Convention.