Rodriguez named Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Dr. Liliana (Lili) Rodriguez has been appointed Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Champlain Valley School District. Dr. Rodriguez will begin her leadership duties on July 1, 2021. Rodriguez’s role will be to work as a part of the CVSD leadership team to lead and direct the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work.

Dr. Rodriguez brings a wealth of experience to CVSD. She received her B.A. with honors in psychology from Williams College and her M.S. in clinical psychology and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has been a lecturer at Williams College. She previously served as an educational consultant, as well as a mental health and substance abuse counselor, for Hampshire College and Berkshire County, Mass., before returning to Williams in 2006 to serve as Director of Diversity Recruitment. She went on to be the Associate Dean of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Development at Swarthmore College. Her most recent experience is that of Vice Chancellor of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence at the University of Denver.

She has spent the last 20 years providing DEI training to students, staff and faculty at the institutions she has served, as well as to nonprofit leaders, K–12 educators, and several executive boards from a variety of organizations. She believes that we cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach to this work any longer. As Dr. Rodriguez stated in her letter expressing interest in the position, “Individuals need to be met where they are and compassionately walked toward greater understanding. The field has changed radically and the challenges faced are complex but achievable with a firm commitment and innovative ideas. I think I can draw on my work in higher education to be a valuable resource in K-12 education. I genuinely want to help.”

Dr. Rodriguez says that she is thrilled to join CVSD and is excited to get started.