Dr. Christine (Chris) Navia, currently the chief diversity officer at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, has been named Marquette University’s vice president for inclusive excellence, Provost Kimo Ah Yun announced in a press release today. Navia, who succeeds Dr. William Welburn following his retirement last August, will begin in the role on July 1, 2022.
As vice president for inclusive excellence, Navia will lead the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and play a key leadership role in weaving diversity, equity and inclusion into the fabric of the university, according to the release.
“Dr. Navia brings a broad and deep understanding of institutional diversity, equity and inclusion at an important time for Marquette University, as we more thoughtfully and intentionally accelerate our work to make this a more welcoming campus community for all,” Provost Ah Yun said in a statement. “I am looking forward to working closely with her on achieving our goals and setting new, ambitious ones.”
“This is an exciting time to be joining the Marquette University community,” Navia said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to collaborating closely with students, faculty and staff in the continued cultivation of a diverse and inclusive campus environment where everyone thrives and succeeds.”
Prior to her work at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Navia held leadership positions within the University of Wisconsin System Administration, including as the associate vice president for student success and the interim special assistant to the president for equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Navia earned the UW System President’s Award of Distinction in 2018 and honored as a UW System Outstanding Woman of Color in 2010. She is also actively engaged as a consultant and partner to several equity-driven national higher education organizations, including the American Association of Colleges and Universities, Excelencia in Education, and the National Association of System Heads.
The Chicago native earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Carleton College and her master’s and doctoral degrees in higher education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
