Three Women Who Have Been Appointed to University Diversity Positions

Michelle Fontes was appointed interim assistant vice president of community, equity, and diversity at the University of Rhode Island, effective May 23, She has been serving as the assistant dean of diversity, retention, and student success initiatives in the College of the Environment and Life Sciences at the university. Fontes joined the university in 2007 as a specialist and then assistant director in the Alumni Relations office.

Fontes holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Rhode Island.

Ranna Parekh has been named the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, effective May 31. Dr. Parekh currently serves as the inaugural chief diversity and inclusion officer at American College of Cardiology in Washington, D.C. She is a former assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Parekh earned her medical degree at Wayne State University in Detroit. She holds a master of public health degree from Harvard University.

TiShaunda McPherson was appointed senior vice president and the inaugural chief diversity officer at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. She has been serving as senior associate vice president for equity at Northwestern University.

McPherson is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master of public policy degree from the University of Minnesota and a juris doctorate from Northwestern University.