Joanna N. Ravello Goods Appointed as Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer
Ravello Goods will spearhead RWU’s initiatives for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion and will partner with all community members and external campus stakeholders to implement the university’s Equity Action Plan.
BRISTOL, R.I. – As part of a steadfast commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive institution, Roger Williams University has named Joanna N. Ravello Goods, an equity and institutional change leader, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer.
As a pivotal member of the President’s Cabinet, Ravello Goods will spearhead RWU’s initiatives for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the university’s Bristol and Providence campuses. She will partner with all community members and external campus stakeholders to implement RWU’s Equity Action Plan and act as a catalyst for amplifying our institutional DEI initiatives. As VPEI-CDO, Ravello Goods will be a strategic leader and collaborator to ensure that RWU’s practices, programs, and policies align with the university’s core values and mission to be an anti-racist, diverse, and inclusive campus community.
“Roger Williams University continues to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion as central tenets in our institutional identity,” said RWU President Ioannis N. Miaoulis. “I am excited to have Dr. Ravello Goods join our senior leadership to propel us forward in fostering an inclusive environment where every community member feels valued and empowered to contribute to our shared success. Her fresh perspective and extensive experience advancing DEI initiatives herald an exciting new chapter in our journey that will help us build on the groundwork laid by faculty, staff, and students over the years to enable every person to thrive and achieve at the highest levels of their aspirations.”
Ravello Goods was chosen after a nationwide search and interview process that included various campus forums. The university search committee comprised administrators, faculty, and staff from both campuses.
With her wealth of experience, strategic vision, and dedication to equity and inclusion, Ravello Goods continues to drive positive change in higher education. “Roger Williams University has made great strides in the areas of DEI and is clearly poised to continue advancing its equity imperatives,” Ravello Goods said. “I am ecstatic to join a community that has made these commitments apparent in every aspect of campus life.”
An engaged thought leader with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, Ravello Goods has worked in various leadership roles to promote student success. Most recently serving as associate vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass., she formed strategic partnerships with various academic and administrative departments to establish the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, initiating a grant program to fortify DEI efforts. Ravello Goods’s innovative approach garnered widespread support for a comprehensive vision, leading to the development of robust DEI educational programming that embraced physical and virtual platforms, with a thematic focus on nurturing a culturally responsive community at Stonehill.
Ravello Goods has a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Massachusetts Boston and an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies and a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Rhode Island. Ravello Goods will join RWU as VPEI-CDO on July 15.