Rockell Brown Burton has been named associate dean of inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in New York. For the past three years, she has served as interim dean of the School of Communication at Texas Southern University in Houston. She is the co-author of Race and News: A Critical Perspective (Routledge, 2011).
Dr. Brown Burton is a graduate of Xavier University in New Orleans, where she majored in mass communication. She holds a master’s degree in human communication studies from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a Ph.D. in communications from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Courtney Randall is the new associate athletics director for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of California, Davis. He was the director Tiger Life at Louisiana State University, designing and implementing programs in career preparation, community engagement, character development, and diversity and inclusion.
A native of Rialto, California, Randall earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he was a four-year letter winner in football. He also holds a master’s degree in counseling and educational psychology from University of Nevada and a master’s degree in adult and higher education from the University of Oklahoma.
Rodney L. Parker has been selected as chief equity and inclusion officer at Loyola University Maryland. He has served in the role on an interim basis since July 2021. He first joined the staff at the university in 2001.
Dr. Parker holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University. He earned a master of divinity degree and a master of theology degree from Duke University, and a master’s degree in pastoral counseling and a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from Loyola University Maryland.
Doris Fields is serving as interim chief diversity officer at Eastern Michigan University. She is the assistant vice president of academic programs and initiatives and is a tenured professor in the School of Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts at the university. She has been on the faculty since 1992.
Dr. Fields holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from Eastern Michigan University. She earned a Ph.D. in communication from Wayne State University in Detroit.
