Two Women in the Running for Post of Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut in Storrs has announced a field of three finalists for the position of chief diversity officer at the university. All three candidates have recently visited campus for a series of interviews and participated in public forums with members of the university community. Two of the three finalists are women.

Lisa McBride currently serves as chief diversity officer at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Earlier in her career she was special assistant to the president for equity, justice, and diversity and university ombudsperson at California University of Pennsylvania. Dr. McBride holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from Indiana University in Bloomington and a Ph.D. in conflict analysis and resolution from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Joelle Murchison is vice president of enterprise diversity and inclusion at the Travelers Companies in Hartford, Connecticut. Earlier, she held a similar post at United Technologies Inc. Murchison holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy and educational studies from Brown University, a master’s of education degree from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and a master’s of science degree in communication management from Syracuse University in New York.