Mark Figueroa Named Dean of Equity and Inclusion
President Wim Wiewel has announced that Mark Figueroa, associate vice president for institutional research and planning, will succeed Janet Steverson as dean of equity and inclusion, effective this summer.
“Mark’s deep and wide-ranging work in higher education has always centered on students, whether through the analysis and application of data or through teaching, mentoring, and coaching,” said President Wiewel. “He is grounded in the work of equity and inclusion and eager to move our efforts forward. I cannot thank Janet Steverson enough for her exceptional leadership as dean of diversity and inclusion. She has built a solid base from which Mark begins his leadership.”
At Lewis & Clark, in addition to managing the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, Mark has served as a member of Executive Council, as accreditation liaison officer to the Northwest Commission on College and Universities, as Title IX coordinator, as a member of the Strategic Enrollment Management leadership team, as program director and assistant professor of the Student Affairs Administration graduate degree program, and as assistant football coach. He will step back from some of these roles to focus on his work as dean.
“I am eager to move forward into a more visible leadership role on critical issues of equity and inclusion at Lewis & Clark,” said Mark. “Over the last eight years, I have learned a great deal about our institutional culture. Relationships matter so much. I see many opportunities for us to continue to work together to make this place a more truly safe, welcoming, and equitable learning community. I hope everyone will join me in this work.”
The dean of equity and inclusion is a half-time position filled by a member of the Lewis & Clark community. Because of the importance of this work, Mark will also recruit to fill a new full-time associate dean of equity and inclusion position. The associate dean will also serve as Lewis & Clark’s Title IX coordinator. The expanded office will work across campus to enhance our overall diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The Diversity Report for 2017–19 includes more detailed information about our progress and programs.
Mark joined Lewis & Clark in 2011 from Scripps College, where he was director of assessment, planning, and institutional research. He previously worked at St. Mary’s College of California, California Institute of Technology, and California State University, Los Angeles, among other institutions. At Scripps he cochaired the diversity coordinating committee and chaired the enrollment management group. In addition, Mark has consulted for the Achieving the Dream Community College Initiative.
Mark graduated with a major in philosophy and a minor in Chicano studies from the University of California at Riverside. He has a PhD in higher education and administration from Claremont Graduate University and a master of public administration degree from Arizona State University.
Search Committee for the Dean of Equity and Inclusion
- Scott Fletcher, chair of the search committee, Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Counseling
- Angela Gintz, Director of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement
- Robin Holmes-Sullivan, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students
- Andrew McPheeters, Associate Vice President for Alumni, Parent, and Student Engagement
- Janet Steverson, Douglas K. Newell Professor of Teaching Excellence and Dean of Diversity and Inclusion
- Yueping Zhang, Associate Professor of Psychology and Program Director of Neuroscience
