UC Irvine names new vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion

“I’d like to uplift a shared vision of cultivating equity-minded leaders and promote how UCI serves as a model for making excellence inclusive in higher education,” says Dyonne Bergeron, UCI’s new chief diversity officer. Dwayne Bergeron

Irvine— Dyonne Bergeron – an accomplished higher education leader in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion; academic affairs; and student affairs – has been named chief diversity officer and vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of California, Irvine, following a nationwide search. She will assume the post on July 3.

In her role, Bergeron will oversee the Office of Inclusive Excellence and serve as UCI’s senior executive responsible for providing a holistic and integrated vision of all major diversity, equity and inclusion endeavors on campus and at UCI Health. Reflecting an understanding of DEI as fundamental to UCI’s educational mission, she will be responsible for leading and coordinating campus efforts to advance its institutional DEI initiatives in collaboration with students, staff, faculty, alumni and community partners.

“I am so excited that such an accomplished, experienced and passionate leader as Dyonne Bergeron will be joining our community as our next vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion,” said UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman. “We are committed to ensuring that our culture and climate enable every person – students, staff and faculty – to thrive and achieve at the highest levels of their aspirations, and Dr. Bergeron is exactly the right person to partner with our community to advance that mission.”

Bergeron brings more than two decades of experience and strong capabilities in academic affairs; student affairs; and diversity, equity and inclusion. She comes to UCI from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she was acting vice provost and associate vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement.

Among her accomplishments at CU Boulder, Bergeron provided leadership and oversight for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement and the Center for Inclusion and Social Change; created and headed the efforts of the staff and faculty DEI Inclusive Culture Team; and helped advance a range of campuswide matters relating to policies, initiatives and strategies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

Before that, Bergeron served as an assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, overseeing budget and management for eight CU Boulder departments: the Office of the Dean of Students (as interim dean of students), University of Colorado Student Government, the Women’s Resource Center, the Gender and Sexuality Center, the Cultural Unity and Engagement Center, the Volunteer Resource Center, Veteran and Military Affairs, and Career Services.

“I’m really excited and honored to have the opportunity to work with brilliant students, staff and faculty at UCI,” she said. “I’d like to uplift a shared vision of cultivating equity-minded leaders and promote how UCI serves as a model for making excellence inclusive in higher education.”

Prior to CU Boulder, Bergeron held several leadership roles at Florida Gulf Coast University, the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia and Louisiana State University.

A first-generation college student, she earned a Doctor of Education in educational leadership, with an emphasis in college leadership, at the University of South Florida; a Master of Education in college student affairs, also at the University of South Florida; and a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication at Louisiana State University.

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