Caroline Kuo named Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion

A major priority of the School of Public Health (SPH) Diversity and Inclusion Plan (DIAP) is to create a leadership position to manage, coordinate, and centralize diversity and inclusion efforts within the SPH.  I am delighted to announce that Dr. Caroline Kuo, Assistant Professor (Research) in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, has been appointed as the inaugural Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the SPH effective April 1, 2017.  
 
In this new role, Dr. Kuo will provide leadership, management and coordination of SPH initiatives and programs for diversity and inclusion, including efforts to increase representation of and support for historically underrepresented groups within SPH faculty, student, and staff.  She will also represent the School with the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) and other University offices relevant to diversity and inclusion initiatives.
 
Dr. Kuo will bring significant experience to this new role as she offers a set of skills sharpened through her diversity and inclusion efforts at Brown. This includes her current role as co-Chair for the Diversity Committee of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, her prior activities as a nominated member of our SPH’s Diversity and Inclusion Planning Committee, and her experience leading institutional capacity development efforts for HIV scientists of diverse backgrounds in South Africa with other Public Health faculty. Her NIH-funded research portfolio reflects her professional commitment to diversity and inclusion. Her global health research focuses on building the resilience of youth and families from underserved communities. This has included the development and testing of culturally and contextually appropriate interventions to address health disparities in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, sexual violence prevention, and mental health using research approaches that celebrate and showcase community knowledge. This new leadership position provides her with a chance to leverage these professional and personal strengths to advance diversity and inclusion in the SPH.