Lisa Jones, the last of four finalists selected in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s search for a vice chancellor of diversity and inclusion, will deliver a public presentation at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 18 in the Willa Cather Dining Complex, Pioneers Suite.

Jones serves as associate provost for strategy and special assistant to the president at University of Central Florida. She works closely with senior leadership, faculty, staff and students to facilitate the institutionalization and execution of the university’s collective impact strategic plan.

The Society for College and University Planning has recognized her work as raising the bar in integrated strategic planning and implementation.

She was also associate director of academic programs and assistant dean for diversity in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University, where she led the development and execution of the college’s first strategic plan for diversity. Under her leadership, the university increased faculty and postdoctoral scholar diversity and implemented innovative programs that increased minority graduate and undergraduate student populations.

She is a professor of educational leadership and higher education and is a national thought leader on issues of diversity and inclusion, specifically around comprehensive approaches to creating institutional change to enhance diversity and inclusion.

Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts in business management, a Bachelor of Arts in business communication, a Master of Public Administration, and a Doctor of Education in adult and higher education administration, all from North Carolina State University.

All candidates, selected through a national search, participated in multiple-day interviews, including public presentations and receptions.

Eloísa Gordon-Mora, dean, School of Social Science and Humanities, and associate professor, Universidad del Este in Carolina, Puerto Rico, opened the presentations Oct. 8.

Marco Barker, associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, and chief diversity officer, Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah, delivered a public presentation Oct. 9.

Dwight Hamilton, associate vice president for diversity and inclusion, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago, interacted with campus Oct. 11.

Additional candidate information, including complete bios, is available on the vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion search website.

As the campus diversity officer, the vice chancellor of diversity and inclusion provides intellectual, strategic and visionary leadership for the university’s goals surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. The vice chancellor collaboratively leads and develops initiatives to position diversity and inclusion as one of Nebraska’s key competitive advantages, to center such work in the mission of the university, and to capitalize on the varied ways diversity, equity, and inclusion can be embedded in the university’s curriculum, infrastructure, policies, and programs in support of a welcoming campus.

The vice chancellor reports to the executive vice chancellor/chief academic officer and serves on the chancellor’s cabinet, reporting progress on annual metrics on diversity and inclusion to the chancellor.