Saint Mary’s College Diversity and Inclusion Officer Honored with National Fellowship

by Kay Carney | February 23, 2021

Saint Mary’s College of California is proud to announce that Kathy Littles, PhD, has been selected by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), for its Chief Diversity Fellows Program Cohort 8, 2021–2022.

Littles, who serves as the College’s associate provost for faculty affairs and senior diversity officer, was selected from a highly competitive group of applicants to fill one of only seven spots in the nationally esteemed program. Achieving this recognition is another milestone of excellence in Littles’ professional career. “I want to thank NADOHE for selecting me as a member of Cohort 8, and for investing the time, energy, and resources to support my professional growth and leadership as a Chief Diversity Officer in higher education,” said Littles.

Specifically, the NADOHE Chief Diversity Officer Fellows Program (CDOFP) is a professional leadership program of mentorship for new and early career Chief Diversity Officers. Fellows receive mentoring from a senior level Chief Diversity Officer with 10+ years of experience—receiving guided professional development opportunities and hands-on experiences. Fellows also receive a financial award to cover travel and expenses during the Fellowship year.

“Saint Mary’s is extremely fortunate to have Kathy as a leader. The critical diversity and inclusion work that she is doing and the accomplishments that she has achieved are having a powerful impact on our college community,” said Margaret Kasimatis, interim executive vice president at Saint Mary’s. “We are thrilled about Kathy’s selection as a NADOHE Fellow, and know that the tools and best practices that she will receive from her mentored training will help advance the College’s diversity and inclusion goals in innumerable ways.”

Additional highlights of the Fellowship program include the opportunity to learn about national, regional, state, local, and international diversity issues and how they impact individual public and private campuses; to gain experience in reframing organizational frameworks to help stimulate strategic thinking and advance outcomes; and to earn recognition as a professional member of a high-achieving national network of diversity thought leaders.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in this unique professional development fellowship focused on change and innovation in the field of diversity, equity, social justice and inclusion,” said Littles. “I am eager to utilize my listening skills, initiative, and experience to forge a strong partnership with a dynamic mentor where together, we can strategically address systemic and sustainable change, and my vision to implement the best practices learned, at Saint Mary’s College.”