The Diversity Leadership Awards honor members of the University of Chicago community who advance the University’s commitment to diversity of thought, perspective and experience. This year’s awards honored programs that foster meaningful collaboration and encourage rigorous engagement.
“The 2026 Diversity Leadership Award honorees embody the spirit and power of collaborative innovation and inclusive engagement that we value deeply at the University of Chicago,” said Waldo E. Johnson Jr., vice provost for diversity and inclusion. “Their work demonstrates how diverse perspectives enrich our academic mission and serves as a reminder of our commitment to advancing a culture of respect, opportunity, and belonging here on campus and beyond.”
Click through the links below to watch a video explaining each project or view them all on our YouTube page.
Logan Center Community Arts, represented by the following leaders from the Logan Center:
- Emily Hooper Lansana
- Mashaune Hardy
- Ndosi Mapula
- Elizabeth Myles
- Hope Houston
UChicago Youth Internship Program, represented by:
- Emily Cracolici, Assistant Director of Career Readiness Initiatives, Office of Civic Engagement
Access UChicago, represented by:
- Marquetta Scott, Director, UChicago Access Now
- Charnessa Warren, Director, Student Disability Services
El Cafecito, represented by:
- Veronica Moraga, Associate Instructional Professor in Spanish
Chicago EYES on Cancer, represented by:
- Eileen Dolan, Professor of Medicine; Deputy Director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Megan Mekinda, Director for Education, Training and Evaluation, UChicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Rosie Huggins, Assistant Director, Cancer Research Education, UChicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Michelle Domecki, Education Program Manager, UChicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Inclusion Menu, represented by:
- Tobias Spears, Associate Dean, Community/Divisional Values
Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Research Center (HAARC), represented by:
- Phyllis Timpo, Director of Community Engagement, Outreach and Recruitment, HAARC