Dear colleagues,

I’m writing to update you on a leadership change in the Office of the Provost. I am pleased to tell you that I have appointed Dr. Donyale Padgett as the interim Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer effective July 1, 2023. 

We had an exceptional pool of candidates for this position, which speaks to the depth of commitment to DEI on our campus. I wish to thank those who agreed to be considered for the position and the search committee who advised me on this appointment—J Allen, Lisa Alexander, Boris Baltes, Jorge Chinea, Damecia Donahue and Kidada Williams.  I also want to thank Marquita Chamblee, our inaugural Chief Diversity Officer, once again and wish her the best in retirement.

Dr. Padgett brings 20 years of experience in DEI with her to this role.  She is a proud Warrior who holds a master’s degree in organizational communication and public relations and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Wayne State. She also holds a doctorate degree from Howard University in rhetoric and intercultural communication.

Currently, Dr. Padgett serves as an associate professor in the Department of Communication, where she has worked since 2002.  She has been a partner in institutional diversity at Wayne State since 2015 as a member of the GRAD Taskforce.  Additionally, she was appointed by President M. Roy Wilson in 2020 to lead one of seven workgroups as part of his Social Justice Action Committee. 

Dr. Padgett is not only an experienced educator and communications expert but also an active practitioner and trainer. She has worked with leaders across the DEI industry to help them create more inclusive spaces and improve communication with diverse stakeholders.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Padgett to this interim position.  We eagerly look forward to her leadership this academic year and are very fortunate to have her as a member of our campus community.  We will retain a national search firm soon to help us recruit a permanent replacement and will keep the campus informed of our search progress.

Sincerely,

Mark Kornbluh

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs