Profile
The vice president for equity and inclusion works closely with the offices of Academic Affairs, Admission, Student Affairs, and Advancement on issues of inclusion and equity as they relate to race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, and national origin in the areas of recruitment, admission, retention, hires, promotion, and fundraising – and is responsible for maintaining proper university reporting procedures and policies as they pertain to federal and state laws.
Biography
Willette Burnham-Williams, Ph.D. is an experienced executive leader in higher education with a career that spans over 30 years at four distinct institutions of higher education - Williamsburg Technical College, The Citadel Military College of SC, The College of Charleston, and the Medical University of SC. Her tenure at each organization contributed to developing and strengthening her expertise in higher administration, organizational strategic planning & assessment, and intentional practices of inclusion.
Prior to joining Wesleyan, Burnham-Williams served in two inaugural roles for the Medical University of South Carolina, University Chief Diversity Officer and Chief Equity Officer for the MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina) enterprise. In both roles she was instrumental in leading and implementing the institution’s five-year strategies for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her areas of expertise include leadership development and coaching; student affairs administration; organizational development and change management; strategic planning; access, equity, engagement, and inclusion. She earned her B.A. from Trinity College, M.Ed., and Ph. D. from the University of South Carolina.