National search identifies award-winning thought leader and diversity advocate
STONY BROOK, NY, December 13, 2019 – Judith (Judi) Brown Clarke, Ph.D., Diversity Director of Bio-Computational Evolution in Action Consortium (BEACON) Science and Technology Center at Michigan State University, has been appointed Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) at Stony Brook University, effective February 17, 2020, announced Interim President Michael A. Bernstein, Ph.D. As CDO, Clarke will serve on the University Council and report to Chief Deputy to the President, Judith B. Greiman. She will work in collaboration with campus partners to promote a culture at Stony Brook that values diversity and embraces equity and inclusion as essential to fulfilling the University’s educational and public service mission.
In her role as Diversity Director for BEACON Science and Technology Center, a National Science Foundation-funded research consortium for five institutions — University of Idaho; Michigan State University; North Carolina A&T State University; University of Texas-Austin; and University of Washington — Clarke was responsible for the development, management and implementation of the seamless integration of diversity and inclusion strategies across the 450-member consortium. She designed and delivered cross-cultural, diversity and inclusion presentations, workshops, and learning modules; provided assistance, advice, coaching, and consultation to individuals and groups regarding cross-cultural conflicts and disputes as well as policies and practices; and designed a comprehensive reporting system to effectively monitor, analyze, and benchmark institutional/consortium progress in diversity and equity management in accordance with BEACON’s strategic plan and goals. She also managed the year-round and summer undergraduate research programs across the partner schools in an effort to attract, support, and retain underrepresented students to STEM programs and created a web-based repository for diversity-related data entries for the consortium reporting to align with BEACON’s comprehensive strategic diversity plan.
“With more than 16 years guiding senior management teams and diversity initiatives, and most recently leading the BEACON consortium of five highly complex institutions, we are confident that Judi Brown Clarke has the experience, skill set and creativity needed to astutely guide the implementation of Stony Brook University’s Plan for Equity, Inclusion & Diversity and advance the overarching goal of building an inclusive Stony Brook community,” said Dr. Bernstein.
Prior to her appointment with BEACON, Clarke served as the Director for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Inclusion for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at MSU, where she worked on the Dean’s executive management team as a champion to establish a well-designed college branding of diversity and inclusion through the development of a vision statement and charter of commitment. For more than ten years prior, she worked in the Department of Health and Human Services as a Program, Policy and Contract Administrator and as a Children’s Protective Services Investigator.
While at MSU, Clarke ran for and was elected as an at-large (citywide) member of the Lansing City Council, and served in a leadership capacity as vice-president for two consecutive years (2104-15), and as president for one year (2016).
“Dr. Clarke brings a wealth of academic and senior management experience coupled with a deep personal connection and commitment to building inclusive communities,” said Judy Greiman. “She is passionate about integrating diversity into workplace practices and universities, with significant experience reaching out to students, faculty, staff, and the community through successful workshops and learning modules.”
An elite track & field athlete, Clarke won a silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1984 Olympic Games, and was a three-time Pan American Games champion. A four-year varsity athlete at Michigan State University, she was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan State University Hall of Fame, and in 1987 she was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportswoman of the Year and Michigan State University’s Sportswoman of the Decade. From 1992-1997 she was Director of the Women’s Track & Field Program at Michigan State University.
Clarke received her B.S. in Audiology & Speech Science and an M.S. in Educational Administration from Michigan State University; she earned her Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Western Michigan University. She is a member of many respected societies, including the Scientific Research Honor Society, American Indian Science & Engineering Society, and the International Women’s Forum. She has received recognition from numerous organizations for academic, athletic and diversity achievement.
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About Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University, widely regarded as a SUNY flagship, is going beyond the expectations of what today’s public universities can accomplish. Since its founding in 1957, this young university has grown to become one of only four University Center campuses in the State University of New York (SUNY) system with over 26,000 students, more than 2,700 faculty members and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs. Our faculty have earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. The University offers students an elite education with an outstanding return on investment: U.S. News & World Report ranks Stony Brook among the top 40 public universities in the nation. Its membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places Stony Brook among the top 65 research institutions in North America. As part of the management team of Brookhaven National Laboratory, the University joins a prestigious group of universities that have a role in running federal R&D labs. Stony Brook University fuels Long island’s economic growth. Its impact on the Long Island economy amounts to $7.38 billion in increased output. Our state, country and world demand ambitious ideas, imaginative solutions and exceptional leadership to forge a better future for all. The students, alumni, researchers and faculty of Stony Brook University are prepared to meet this challenge.
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