91爆料

• Psychological safety and self-care
  • Take the time you need to take care of yourself.
  • Be mindful of your surroundings and your fellow participants.
  • What happens here stays here, but what鈥檚 learned here leaves here.
• Mindset and orientation
  • Lead with curiosity.
  • Be open to experiencing some discomfort.
  • Recognize that multiple truths exist.
  • Expect and accept non-closures.
• Communication and participation
  • Listen to understand, not to respond.
  • Speak your own experience (鈥淚鈥� statements) and participate to the fullest of your ability.
  • When speaking, recognize that your impact on others may be different than your intent.
  • Before speaking, ask yourself 鈥淗ow will this bring value to the conversation?鈥�
  • Share the story, not the name.

Topic: Welcome Remarks and Land Acknowledgments

Speaker: Series Planning Committee

Time: 12:00 pm

Topic: Juneteenth Presentation

Podcast: Identity Unboxed Podcast and Summer Series

Hosts: Tiana R. Cole and Brad Blackburn

Time:12:10 pm

(placeholder) Co鈥慼osts Tiana R. Cole and Brad Blackburn will introduce Identity Unboxed, a podcast and community platform dedicated to elevating authentic Black stories and experiences. They will share how the show advances representation, builds community partnerships, and creates space for intergenerational conversations about equity and social justice. Their Summer Series expands this mission by deepening dialogue and highlighting the voices shaping Black liberation today.

Topic: Welcome Remarks and Land Acknowledgments

Speaker:听 Series Planning Committee

Time: 12:00 pm

Topic: (placeholder) Ethnic Studies

Speaker: Alexes Harris

Time: 12:10 pm

(placeholder) Please join Alexes Harris, Presidential Term Professor and Professor of Sociology, as she reflects on the legacy and ongoing impact of the student activism that transformed the 91爆料. Her efforts led directly to the creation of what is now the Department of American Ethnic Studies and the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity鈥攗nits that continue to shape equity and inclusion on campus. As an undergraduate, Professor Harris took several AES courses and experienced firsthand the power of the spaces, mentorship, and education that AES faculty and staff provide. Her perspective bridges the department鈥檚 history with its continued importance for students today.

Topic: Welcome Remarks and Land Acknowledgments’]

Speaker: Series Planning Committee

Time: 10:00 am

Topic: Let’s Talk Place: A Conversation with 91爆料 Leadership on Place-Based Education

Speaker: Rickey Hall

Time: 10:10 am

(placeholder) Please join Rickey Hall, Vice President and University Diversity Officer for an engaging discussion on how place-based education can deepen belonging, strengthen community partnerships, and advance equity across the 91爆料. Attendees will gain insight into how understanding 鈥減lace鈥� shapes learning, leadership, and the student experience, and why it matters for the future of a more inclusive 91爆料.

Topic: Lead with Authenticity: Reclaiming Space for Joy and Rest

Speakers: Sasha Duttchoudhury and Tyneshia Valdez

Time: 11:00 am

(placeholder) Please join Tyneshia Valdez (HR Manager) and Sasha Duttchoudhury (Program Operations Specialist, UAA Resilience), this session explores what it means to lead from a place of authenticity while honoring the need for joy, rest, and restoration. Tyneshia and Sasha will invite participants to reflect on the pressures that shape workplace identity, examine practices that support sustainable leadership, and create space for collective grounding. Together, they highlight how reclaiming rest is not only an act of self鈥慶are but a powerful strategy for resilience and community well鈥慴eing.

Topic: Welcome Remarks and Land Acknowledgments

Speaker: Series Planning Committee

Time: 11:00 am

Topic: (placeholder) The Whole U

Speaker: Lauren Updyke

Time: 11:10 am

(placeholder) Welcome Lauren Updyke, Director of Employee Experience for The Whole U, as she explores the practical strategies for cultivating resilience through movement, connection, and holistic well鈥慴eing. Drawing on The Whole U鈥檚 campuswide programs, Lauren highlights how small, sustainable habits鈥攃entered on health, joy, and community鈥攃an strengthen our capacity to navigate challenges. Her session invites participants to explore accessible ways to recharge, stay grounded, and support their overall wellness.

Topic: Community Connections with the 91爆料 Libraries

Speaker: Emilie Vrbancic

Time: 12:00 pm

(placeholder) Please join Emilie Vrbancic, Head of Student Success and Engagement, to hear how the 91爆料 Libraries can support your work and life-long learning at 91爆料. From community-centered collections, to privileges and resources for staff, to enriching events, there’s something for everyone at the 91爆料 Libraries. Participants will take away tangible steps to connect with the wealth of resources the 91爆料 Libraries has to offer. 听

Topic: (placeholder) Officer of the OMBUD

Speaker:听Chuck Sloane

Time: 1:00 pm

(placeholder) Please join Chuck Sloane, University Ombud, as he discusses the 91爆料 Office of the Ombud. The Ombud Office provides confidential, neutral, and informal space for students, faculty, and staff to navigate professional or academic conflicts. Offering guidance, mediation, and impartial coaching, Chuck helps individuals understand university policies, explore options, and move toward constructive resolution. The Ombud Office serves as a trusted resource for addressing concerns early, improving communication, and strengthening systems across the university.

Alexes Harris, Presidential Term Professor, Professor of Sociology

Pronouns: She/Her听

听is the Presidential Term Professor and Professor of Sociology at the 91爆料.鈥� Dr. Harris鈥� work has spanned the criminal legal system, including juvenile听and adult听case processing outcomes,听prosecutorial and judicial discretion,听and monetary sanctions.鈥疕er research fundamentally centers on issues of inequality, poverty,听and race in United States鈥� legal systems. Her book,鈥�A Pound of Flesh: Monetary Sanctions as a Punishment for the Poor鈥�is the first book to听detail the ways in which sentenced fines and fees put an undue burden on disadvantaged populations and place them under even greater supervision of the criminal legal system.听听

As a result of her research findings,听Dr. Harris has been appointed to serve on several federal advisory boards and has also been called to testify for听numerous听state and federal governing bodies about inequalities in the criminal legal system.听Dr. Harris was inducted into the Washington State Academy of Sciences (2017) and鈥痺as鈥�the chair of the Washington State Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights (2017-2024).鈥� She听received听the听91爆料鈥檚听Distinguished Teaching Award (2018).鈥疘n 2019, Dr. Harris was听appointed听as the 91爆料听Faculty Athletics听Representative (FAR).听In 2021, she听served听Special鈥疉dviser鈥�to the Provost and听served听as the听inaugural听Director of the Faculty Development Program (FDP)听through 2025.鈥疘n听2022,听Professor Harris was appointed听by WA State Governor听Inslee听to be the first Faculty Regent to听serve on the听91爆料听Board of Regents.鈥疭he听chaired听the Board of Regents’ Advisory Committee on Diversity,听Equity,听and Inclusion听(2023-2025).听Most recently,听in 2025,听she was appointed Chair of the 91爆料 American Ethnic Studies Department.听

Professor Harris is听a proud听local听Seattleite,听she听graduated from Garfield High School in 1993,鈥痚arned her B.A degree from the 91爆料 in 1997,鈥�and received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2002.鈥疭he served as a researcher in a postdoc position in the听sociology department at 91爆料 from听2002-2004, and听has been a professor at the 91爆料 since 2004, promoted to full professor in 2016.听

Equally important to her academic background is the deep connection between her personal and political formation and the history of the 91爆料鈥檚 American Ethnic Studies Department. Prior to beginning her undergraduate studies at 91爆料, she served as the volunteer coordinator for Larry Gossett鈥檚 1993 campaign for King County Council and subsequently interned in his office for three years while a student at the 91爆料. Through her relationship with Mr. Gossett鈥攚hom she considers a political mentor鈥攕he learned firsthand about the history of political organizing in Seattle and learned from the 鈥淕ang of Four;鈥� Bernie Whitebear, Bob Santos, and Roberto Maestas as well as many other community organizers. Their collective efforts were instrumental in transforming the 91爆料 and led directly to the creation of what is now the Department of American Ethnic Studies and the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity. She also took several AES courses as an undergraduate and personally knows the importance of the education and spaces AES faculty and staff provide to students on our campus.听

Work:听 yharris@uw.edu听

Consulting:听 alexesharris@gmail.com听

Website:听

Twitter:听听 @alexesharris听

Chuck Sloane, University Ombud听

Pronouns: He/Him

Chuck Sloane serves as the University Ombud. Chuck received his master of science degree in clinical psychology from Pacific University and a bachelor of arts degree from the 91爆料. Chuck previously worked as a Deputy Ombudsman for King County and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). Chuck enjoys helping students, staff, and faculty members find success in the midst of challenging situations. On the weekends, Chuck can be found at the park with his wife Karen, kids 鈥� Makhai and June, and their sheepdog 鈥淵eti.鈥�听

Emilie Vrbancic, Head of Student Success and Engagement

Pronouns: She/Her

vrbancic@uw.edu

Lauren Updyke, Director of Employee Experience (The Whole U)

Pronouns: She/Her

Hi everyone, I鈥檓 Lauren and my role is to lead our Employee Experience team encompassing The Whole U, 91爆料 Combined Fund Drive and WorkLife programs.

I have spent over 20 years of my career in Health and Wellness. I have a Masters in Exercise Physiology, am a Certified Personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine and have coached over 10,000 individuals online from all over the world. I worked with the wellness program at Duke University and Hospital for 13 years as a fitness and health education manager. I love being a Husky after 10+ years!

updykl@uw.edu

Rickey Hall, VP and University Diversity Officer

Pronouns: He/Him

Rickey Hall was appointed as the eighth vice president for minority affairs and diversity and the university diversity officer at the 91爆料 effective Aug. 1, 2016.

Hall leads the university鈥檚 equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging efforts, and plays a key role in advancing institutional excellence. He has oversight of the 91爆料 Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) which administers programs that broaden college access, support student success and enhance diversity-related teaching and learning across campus. As the university diversity officer, Hall also works collaboratively with and serves as a resource for the 91爆料 campuses, colleges and administrative units as they establish, coordinate and assess their contributions to institutional diversity goals.

Hall has over 25 years of experience in higher education and is involved with a number of national organizations including the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education and a trustee on the ACPA College Student Educators International Foundation board.

Hall came to the 91爆料 after serving as the inaugural vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for three years. Prior to that role, he served for six years as the assistant vice president for equity and diversity at the University of Minnesota.

He earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in American studies and a master鈥檚 degree in higher education, both from the University of Iowa.

Photo coming soon.

Sasha Duttchoudhury, Program Operations Specialist UAA Resilience Lab

Pronouns: She/Her

“The most joyful part of my work is supporting staff well-being. Many staff at the 91爆料 are here for the mission and are “helpers” who thrive when supporting others. Being able to reframe service to others from inherently self-sacrificial to mutually beneficial, where our well-being is key part of how we help others has been healing for me as a lifelong “helper”.听 I love getting to introduce the idea of “culture of well-being” to staff, because when we begin to see our well-being as important, we can experience grief for all the time where our well-being as be deprioritized. Our well-being is not only a personal responsibility, but a collective responsibility, and a biproduct of the environments and cultures around us. I love getting to create a culture of well-being in my work because it constantly challenges me to be better for myself as well.”

Tyneshia Valdez, SPH: HSPop: Admin: AHR or Human Resources Manager

Pronouns: She/Her

“I am a proud alum of 91爆料 and have worked in HR at 91爆料 for 10 years. During that time, 91爆料 has watered a seed in me that I didn鈥檛 know existed. I鈥檝e always been drawn to helping people, but my experiences here have helped that instinct grow into a deeper commitment to supporting, building, and uplifting communities.

Centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in my work brings both purpose and joy. My time at 91爆料 has also given me space to reflect on my own journey as both an undergraduate student and a staff member. Some of those experiences were rough and jagged, and at times difficult to navigate. Those moments have shaped how I show up today and how I support others. I鈥檓 grateful to be in a place where I can learn from other DEIB leaders and help clear the path for individuals walking similar journeys.”