Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award

Congratulations to the Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award Recipients!

U-M faculty and staff celebrated the exceptional contributions of staff on Jan. 30 with presentations of the Distinguished Diversity Leaders Awards. The ceremony honored 10 staff members and five teams for their dedication to diversity. Read more in the University Record. Review the presentation slide deck, featuring videos provided by nominators. Download a PDF of the award ceremony program.

Individual Awards

  • Brandon Bond 
    LSA Dean’s Office
  • Stephen W. Brabbs 
    Maintenance Services, Facilities & Operations
  • Patricia Brainard 
    Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Alex Franklin 
    Department of Chemistry
  • Paula Hathaway 
    LSA Dean’s Office
  • Hilary Murmers 
    Center for Gender & Sexuality - U-M Flint
  • Mina Nourbakhsh 
    ACS Rehab Therapies & SLP - Michigan Medicine
  • Dr. Whitney Peoples 
    School of Public Health Dean’s Office
  • Ari Renda 
    School of Public Health Office for Student Engagement and Practice
  • Caitlin Taylor 
    School of Music, Theatre & Dance

Team Awards

  • Inpatient Therapy (PT & OT) DEI Committee 
  • LSA Transfer Team 
  • Mechanical Engineering Shop Team 
  • School of Information (UMSI) Religious Holiday Fact Sheet Team 
  • CRLT’s DEI All-Staff Professional Development Team 

Nominations for the next awards are now being accepted

The Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award was established to shine a light on those staff members who work toward achieving a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive working environment. It is intended to celebrate those who embrace the value of diversity and recognize how it helps set the university apart. 

Join us in celebrating the annual Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award by submitting nominations for staff and teams demonstrating an extraordinary commitment and dedication to diversity at the University of Michigan. Award money will be used for professional development activities and/or training.

  • Ten $1,000 awards for individuals
  • Five $2,500 awards for teams

This award is made possible by the Office of the Provost, the Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office, and University Human Resources to celebrate progress toward creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.

Contact

Jennifer Wade
Administrative Specialist
Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX
jwade@umich.edu
734-763-0235

Nominations for 2024 can be made anytime.

A nomination announcement will be made in the fall with the deadline in early October 2024. Nominations after this date will be retained for the next award cycle.

Nominations must be at least 500 words to receive consideration. See "Writing Sample for a Nomination" for reference. 

  • If making a team nomination, please include ALL team members' names and their contact information in the "Description of Nominee's Contributions to Diversity at Michigan" field.  

  • If you would like more than one nominator to be listed, please include ALL nominator names and their contact information in the "Description of Nominee's Contributions to Diversity at Michigan" field. 

To recognize faculty who champion diversity, please see the Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award.