Jacqueline Hughes Named as WWU’s first Chief Diversity Officer

Dear WWU Community,

I am very pleased to share the news that Dr. Jacqueline Hughes has accepted our offer to become Western’s first Chief Diversity Officer and Executive Director of the Office of Equity. 

Jacqueline will oversee the newly created Office of Equity, which brings together two complementary functions—compliance, and community education and development—and provides broad oversight to policies and initiatives that promote a learning and work environment where accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) are valued and integrated in institutional planning and operations.

Jacqueline has most recently served as Associate Provost for Academic Personnel at California State University, San Bernardino, and prior to that she served as Deputy Officer for Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation and Co-Chief Diversity Officer for Faculty Affairs at CSUSB.  In addition to these administrative positions, Jacqueline has also held several faculty leadership positions from 2001 to the present, including Senator and Chair of the Educational Policy and Resources Committee of the CSUSB Faculty Senate and Director of Faculty Support and Development in the university’s College of Education.

Prior to CSUSB, Jacqueline served in several positions at California State University, Bakersfield including Chair of the Department of Teacher Education and Director of the Single Subject Teacher Credential Program and Alternative Teacher (Intern) Certification Program, and campus Chapter President of the California Faculty Association.

Jacqueline earned a Ph.D in Educational Psychology from Arizona State University, a master’s degree in Counseling from Northern Illinois University, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Allegheny College.

Over nearly 25 years, Jacqueline has developed a keen understanding of academia and her skills and knowledge applying ADEI principles in a complex university environment will help Western more intentionally advance its work in institutionalizing diversity and equity in the culture, policies and practices of the institution.  I feel certain that her experience will help increase our institutional learning, help us better respond to ADEI issues, establish an accountability framework, and accelerate our commitment to advancing inclusive success for students, faculty and staff.

As a multi-national individual who has lived in both British and U.S. communities in the Caribbean, Jaqueline’s life experiences have given her the ability to move with ease among multicultural communities.  Her knowledge of organizational change theory, design thinking and systems thinking, together with her experience convening sometimes difficult conversations with a commitment to measurable results, will serve Western well.  I look forward to working with, and supporting, Jacqueline on initiatives to improve campus climate and recruiting, hiring and retaining  students, faculty and staff, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.

I expect Jacqueline will be on campus in time for the start of the new academic year in September.  Please join me in welcoming Dr. Hughes to campus.

Sabah Randhawa

President