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Pepperdine | Graziadio Business School

Graziadio Diversity and Belonging Council

The Pepperdine Graziadio Business School Diversity and Belonging Council serves as a catalyst for advancing these core principles among our professional community and promoting a school-wide climate that honors and affirms the council’s diversity and fosters an inclusive environment for innovation, respect, and equal voices among its members. The council serves in an advisory capacity to the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School Dean and works in partnership with the leadership team to drive policies, practices, and initiatives that strengthen the culture of mutual understanding, engagement, and collective commitment to positive organizational experiences and outcomes.  

The council also liaises with relevant University-level groups in alignment with broader institutional and community efforts focusing on equity, diversity, and justice. Operating under the auspices of the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School leadership yeam, the council is guided by the following overarching objectives:

  • Recommend initiatives in alignment with the school’s strategic plan (Aspire 2025)  that improve practices related to recruitment, retention, and promotion of diverse faculty, staff, and students.
  • Promote among Pepperdine Graziadio Business School community members opportunities for training, policy setting, and competency building in areas related to diversity, inclusion,  social consciousness, justice, and equity.
  • Identify and recommend opportunities and resources for infusing principles of equity and inclusion in research and curriculum development.
  • Maintain an active line of communication with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) in analyzing data regarding school diversity.
  • Provide a forum for consultation on climate issues that arise throughout the school, facilitating opportunities for dialogue, feedback collection, and other forms of engagement. 

Membership on the council includes representation among Pepperdine Graziadio Business School faculty, administration, and staff. Alumni and students may also be considered for specific initiatives, as deemed necessary by the council.

Council Co-Chairs

Ledbetter
Bernice Ledbetter
 
Sumpter
Dana Sumpter
 

Council Members

  • Arman Davtyan
  • Genesis DeLong
  • Jill-Ashley Gooman
  • Elizabeth Pode
  • Cristel Russell
  • Robyn Watkins