Diversity Equity & Inclusion

Trachtenberg School Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

The Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration recognizes, values and actively promotes the vital importance of developing public service professionals who can successfully operate and create results in a diverse and inclusive twenty-first century environment. Governance within the United States and abroad requires intentional engagement with issues of individual, social, economic, geographic and historical differences. The school pledges to:

• Sustain an inclusive atmosphere through the recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff from diverse and historically underrepresented populations

• Develop a curriculum that actively engages with the differential impact of public policy on various cultures and groups
• Foster an academic environment that promotes informed, honest and respectful dialogue on challenging policy and administrative issues.

The Trachtenberg School is dedicated to developing public policy leaders and public administrators who understand and influence domestic and international affairs by actively promoting diversity and inclusion within the academic environment, the workplace and public policy decision-making.

In accordance with the George Washington University, the Trachtenberg School is guided by the following definitions of diversity and inclusion:

Diversity: The term diversity is used to describe individual differences (e.g. life experiences, learning and working styles, personality types) and group/social differences (e.g. race, socio-economic status, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, ability, intellectual traditions and perspectives, as well as cultural, political, religious and other affiliations) that can be engaged to achieve excellence in teaching, learning, research, scholarship and administrative and support services.

Inclusion: The term inclusion is used to describe the active, intentional and ongoing engagement with diversity -- in people, in the curriculum, in the co-curriculum and in communities (e.g. intellectual, social, cultural, geographic) with which individuals might connect.

Equity: The term equity is used to describe justice according to natural law or right to ensure individuals are treated fairly and equally in terms of diversity.

The Trachtenberg School's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

The school-wide DEI Committee is comprised of students, faculty and staff of the school. We are committed to increasing diversity of people, ideas, and beliefs and building an inclusive environment. We accomplish this by developing and implementing an action agenda that recognizes the broad range of interests, values and the cultural richness that define our country and the global community. We serve as a resource for the school community to address individual and systemic issues regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Responsibilities: The committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is charged with providing recommendations and proposals to the TSPPPA faculty and program directors on initiatives supporting comprehensive and systemic approaches to:

• promote the vital importance of developing public service professionals who can successfully operate and create results in a diverse and inclusive twenty-first century environment;
• foster and promote an inclusive atmosphere by proactively seeking to remove barriers to access/opportunity for students, faculty and staff from diverse and historically underrepresented populations;
• promote the development of a curriculum that actively engages with the differential impact of public policy on various cultures and groups;
• encourage the creation of an academic environment that promotes informed, honest, and respectful dialogue on challenging policy and administrative issues;
• develop public policy leaders and public administrators who understand and influence domestic and international affairs by actively promoting diversity and inclusion within the academic environment, the workplace, and public policy decision-making;
• actively seek out and incorporate the suggestions of students, faculty, and staff into committee actions; and
• identify other issues regarding diversity, equity and inclusion that require attention in a premier institution of higher learning.

Trachtenberg School faculty, students and staff may contact the DEI committee. Please contact us with your diversity and inclusion related concerns or ideas at [email protected] or via our individual email accounts below. We are happy to treat comments as confidential. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Members

Student committee member and committee chair  
Danielle Gilmore: [email protected]

PhD student committee members  
Margaret "Maggie" Smith: [email protected]  
Leslie Kwan: [email protected]

MPP student committee member
Darryl Edwards: [email protected]

MPA student committee members 
Diana Aguilera: [email protected]
Shanece Veal: [email protected]  

Staff committee member  
Pamela Brown: [email protected] 

Faculty committee members
Elizabeth Vaquera: [email protected]
Kathryn Newcomer: [email protected] 

Alumni Committee Members
Susie Saavedra Feliz: [email protected]  
Issac Berko: [email protected]
Kim Vitelli: [email protected]

Ex officio committee member
Mary Tschirhart : [email protected]