March 29, 2007
UW Tacoma hires new equity, diversity leader
UW Tacoma has named Sharon Parker as its new assistant chancellor for equity and diversity. Parker, of Olympia, is responsible for institutional diversity initiatives and oversees the Diversity Task Force and the Diversity Resource Center.
“I want to address all aspects of the University from a standpoint of how people here are represented,” she said. “UW Tacoma should be a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone.”
Parker comes to UW Tacoma with a wealth of experience as a diversity researcher and administrator. Most recently she operated her own consulting practice assisting education and industry leaders in developing, managing and evaluating their diversity initiatives.
Previously, as a visiting scholar at Claremont Graduate University, Parker co-led a statewide diversity research and evaluation project. She also has been president of the American Institute for Managing Diversity in Atlanta, Ga., and has held positions at The Evergreen State College, The Union Institute, Stanford University, the National Institute for Women of Color, the National Commission on Working Women and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Parker holds a bachelor’s degree in Slavic languages from UCLA and a master’s degree in bilingual education from Antioch University. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in education at the University of Auckland.
