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Women of Distinction

world. “My advisor at the time exactly, but when a friend and residents to effect meaningful two years on a major orga-
knew that I was interested colleague, Dr. Zachary Green, community change.” nizational effectiveness and
in women's leadership and contacted her and told her “He told me that his col- diversity-related project for
near Howard, not far from the that he was involved in a pro- lege had asked him to choose the County executive. So, he
US Capitol, was a women’s gram with leaders who really people from the field of edu- thought I'd be a good match
college called Trinity College cared about the transforma- cation, the arts, those work- as one of the faculty members
(Trinity Washington University tion of urban communities, ing on environmental justice, for this program. I helped to
today), which had a job open- Diane jumped right on board. and those working on gang set up the inaugural class of
ing for an assistant professor Her colleague had been intervention and college the RISE San Diego leadership
in Communication. Trinity asked by his school adminis- access programs. The more I fellowship for urban leaders. I
is known for the long list of tration to partner with RISE started going to the meetings ended up working with them
famous women graduates San Diego to build programs I realized that I brought more from the very beginning to
holding some top leadership build this leadership pro-
roles in our country, including gram. I know they feel that I
Kathleen Sebelius, Kellyanne taught them something, but
Conway, and Nancy Pelosi, these community leaders
just to name a few. I inter- also taught me a lot. I could
viewed at Trinity and immedi- share with them many of the
ately felt at home and ended things that I taught graduate
up spending the next eight students over the years at my
years teaching there. various institutions. I shared
A relocation to California information about leadership
with her family, then led development, personality,
Diane to a new position at cultural intelligence, and
the University of California emotional intelligence in
San Diego. “I was hired as the leadership.”
director of an academic pro- These experiences led
gram at UCSD in one of their Diane to her current position
colleges, of about 4,000 stu- today at UC San Diego. “I was
dents where I would design, fortunate to have applied
plan, and build a curriculum for the current role that I'm
of high impact practices for in now, which is serving as
students who needed to do the Assistant Vice Chancel-
our required experiential lor for Equity, Diversity and
project-based course. So, I Inclusion. In my role I support
helped to develop courses the work of the Office of the
with faculty members and Vice Chancellor to lead and
had the amazing opportunity advance strategic planning
to build relationships with the and implementation around
community as well.” goals related to access and
Diane remained in that for urban leaders and to of a pedagogical academ- success and working to make
role for about six years, but help them work on prob- ic component with the the university more dynam-
she was yearning for more of lems that were considered knowledge and expertise of ic, inclusive, and diverse.
a community connection so intractable. RISE San Diego’s nonprofits and government My main projects are based
she could work with people mission was right in line with because I'd spent some time around strategic planning,
outside of academia who her passion. Their mission at the U S Capitol, in between acting as a liaison to human
were focused on sustainable statement reads, “To elevate my academic appointments. resources and the staff here
change, continuous improve- and advance urban leader- I had done some organiza- on campus as well as in the
ment; people who were on ship through dialogue-based tional consulting, conflict, or- community, and strength-
the ground working with civic engagement, dynamic ganization development, and ening accountability and
community members in a nonprofit partnerships, and communication work. I had organizational effectiveness.
way that she was not. She direct training and support to also worked in Montgomery I've been in this role for three
didn't know what that was increase the capacity of urban County government for about years, advancing many high

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