Latonia Craig, Ed.D., an educator, scholar as well as currently assistant Dean for Inclusive excellence at Purdue University’s college of Veterinary Medicine, was just recently named the American Veterinary medical Association’s very first chief Diversity, Equity as well as Inclusion Officer.
Dr. Craig will begin her new function at the AVMA at the beginning of September, AVMA president Jose Arce stated in announcing her appointment.
“As one of the largest as well as most prominent veterinary associations in the world, the AVMA has a unique chance to boost DEI across our profession, as well as that is a function as well as obligation that our organization has embraced,” Dr. Arce said. “We requirement a chief DEI policeman who can lead, influence as well as work collaboratively with key stakeholders, as well as Dr. Craig’s breadth of experience as well as extensive work with veterinary medical education make her the perfect choice.”
“I am delighted that Dr. Craig will be joining us to lead our DEI initiatives,” stated Dr. Janet Donlin, the AVMA’s chief executive policeman as well as executive Vice President. “Her background as well as record of success in advancing DEI will assist veterinary medicine ended up being a more diverse profession. higher diversity across veterinary medicine will enhance veterinary teams as well as enable us to serve an progressively diverse clientele more effectively.”
“I am incredibly honored as well as excited to join the AVMA as the organization deliberately seeks to raise its existence in the DEI space,” Dr. Craig said. “There is no much better time than now. I am firmly dedicated to serving in a welcoming as well as inclusive method for all. interaction as well as support will be necessary for this work to be completely transformative, effective, as well as meaningful.
“I look ahead to working with organizational members as well as integrating their comments into establishing sustainable, long-lasting DEI efforts reflective of the organization’s needs as well as the members it serves,” she said.
As chief DEI Officer, Dr. Craig will be a member of the AVMA’s senior leadership team. Her key obligations will include the continuous application as well as promotion of DEI-related strategy, programs, training, as well as efforts for the AVMA; supporting efforts to attract, establish as well as retain diverse skill in the veterinary profession, in addition to tracking development toward that goal; as well as improving the comprehending as well as appreciation for DEI as well as cultural understanding throughout veterinary medicine. Dr. Craig will be the AVMA’s personnel liaison for the AVMA/AAVMC’s Commission for a Diverse, Equitable as well as Inclusive Veterinary Profession and will lead partnership with AVMA members, specify as well as allied veterinary organizations, affinity groups as well as other stakeholders.
Dr. Craig has served as assistant Dean at Purdue CVM since 2019, leading a college-wide DEI strategic planning process. She facilitated the recruitment of a more diverse veterinary occupation with deliberate pipeline programming efforts as well as established constant DEI training as well as workshops. Her achievements include leading the award-winning Vet-Up! pipeline program that recruits, supports, as well as retains high institution students, college students, as well as present DVM trainees thinking about the veterinary field. In 2021 as well as 2019, Vet Up! got the inspiring Programs in Stem award as well as the higher education excellence in diversity (HEED) award for expert institutions in 2021 as well as 2020. Under Dr. Craig’s leadership, Purdue CVM was likewise just recently named a diversity champion by insight into diversity magazine, the very first time the publication has conferred that honor on a veterinary college.
Prior to her setting at Purdue, Dr. Craig was director of graduate Recruitment as well as diversity Retention at the university of Louisville institution of Interdisciplinary as well as graduate Studies, providing counsel as well as leadership on all diversity efforts. Her previous functions included mentor as well as academic advising at different institutions. Dr. Craig has been featured on the cover of Today’s lady magazine as well as chosen as a top Forty under 40 honoree in Louisville’s business very first Magazine.
Dr. Craig holds a physician of Education, leadership degree from Spalding university in Kentucky, master’s degrees in academic leadership from the university of Cincinnati as well as Pan-African Studies from the university of Louisville, as well as a BA in Political science from Louisville.
AVMA as well as AAVMC reveal new compensation to address veterinary diversity, equity as well as inclusion