People
sas-odei@sas.upenn.edu
215-746-6261
1 College Hall, Room 116
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6377
Brighid Dwyer
Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
As the vice dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Brighid Dwyer, Ph.D., provides leadership in pursuit of the School’s core commitments to achieving and maintaining excellence through diversity. She has twenty years of experience as a practitioner, scholar, and professor addressing issues of equity in higher education. Before joining Penn in 2021, she served as associate dean for diversity and inclusion at Princeton University, where she worked with a wide range of campus partners to develop and implement strategies, programs, and curricula that promoted an inclusive community.
Dr. Dwyer also spent seven years at Villanova University as Assistant Professor in the Departments of Education and Counseling and the Department of Communication and served as the Director of the Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR) and Assistant Director of Research & Training. Prior to her time at Villanova, Brighid was an Adjunct Sociology Professor at Delaware County Community College.
Brighid has published numerous articles and book chapters on the topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion, intergroup dialogue, leadership, and organizational culture and identity at minority-serving institutions.
She serves on the boards of the Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center, the New Leadership Academy, and Marin Academy High School.
Previously, Brighid had a career in athletics. She served as an academic advisor, coach, and administrator at UCLA, University of Michigan, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, and the Black Women in Sport Foundation. She was a 2000 Olympic Swimming Trials qualifier and an NCAA All-American. Presently, she consults with USA Swimming on their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Dwyer has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan.
1 College Hall, Room 116
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6377
Julee Farley
Director of Science Outreach Initiative
Julee has experience as a knowledge broker and boundary spanner whose work focuses on increased access and equity for under-resourced populations. She has worked with PreK-16 educators and researchers to create mutually beneficial research-practice partnerships, research impactful interventions, and design inspirational outreach and engagement experiences. She has also worked as a program manager and formal and informal education program evaluator. Julee has a Ph.D. in Development and Biological Psychology from Virginia Tech and a B.A. in Economics from Washington and Lee University.
1 College Hall, Room 116
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6377
Vanessa Gonzalez-Perez
Associate Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Dr. Vanessa González-Pérez identifies as a Latinx, first-gen scholar, service leader, mentor, coach, and a fierce advocate for the accessibility and success of underrepresented scholars in STEM. She pursued her bachelor’s at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus, followed by a post-baccalaureate experience at the National Institutes of Health. Committed to her interests in biomedical research, she completed a Ph.D. in Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and worked as an Assistant Research Professor at the School of Pharmacy at Washington State University. As an administrator, she has served Princeton’s graduate school as the Assistant Dean for Access, Diversity, and Inclusion in STEM. Currently, she is the Associate Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. As a facilitator she uses her upbringing, motivations, and sense of urgency to create change and fuel transformation to foster more diverse and inclusive environments in higher education. In addition, she often volunteers her experiences and perspectives with local and national organizations to promote professional and personal developmental opportunities for young scholars. Her purpose is to be an agent of change in higher education and to empower scholars to pursue and achieve their professional and personal goals.
1 College Hall, Room 116
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6377
Andrew Harris
Administrative Coordinator
Andrew is the Administrative Coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. In this role, he provides essential administrative support for the office, overseeing budgetary, contractual, and scheduling functions. Andrew collaborates closely with the Associate Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Director of the Science Outreach Initiative, and other ODEI team members, serving as a vital liaison to departments across campus and external vendors. His role is crucial in maintaining the daily operations of the ODEI, contributing to a dynamic and collaborative environment dedicated to promoting inclusive excellence.
Prior to working in ODEI Andrew served as a Financial Office Administrative Assistant in the Cancer Biology Department of Penn’s School of Medicine, where he co-created and managed the Career and College Readiness @ Penn Medicine summer internship program for local high school students.
1 College Hall, Room 116
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6377
S. Shani Saunders
Program Coordinator
S. Shani Saunders serves as Program Coordinator for the School of Arts and Sciences’ Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. As an integral member of ODEI, she coordinates events, meetings, and contributes to managing special projects and initiatives.
Before joining Penn, Shani worked at Brandywine Realty Trust on the Property Management Team for Class A+ properties in Philadelphia. She also led the company’s diversity, inclusion, and belonging affinity team. Under her leadership, the group introduced commemorative series and heritage month activities, recognizing the historical contributions of underrepresented communities. The group also held annual companywide volunteer efforts, initiatives throughout West Philadelphia, and annual fundraising campaigns for The Trevor Project (crisis support for LGBTQ youth in need) and No Shave November to support cancer awareness. Shani is proud to have worked alongside company leadership to establish MLK Day as a paid holiday.
Shani’s career also includes several years at Cozen O’Connor as a Legal Assistant and Executive Assistant to a former U.S. Ambassador, as well as owning and operating a dessert café in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Shani is passionate about serving the community and lives by the motto, “Representation matters.” She is a former Board Member of the African American Chamber of Commerce for PA-NJ-DE, and the Zoning Board and Arts Board for Cherry Hill Township, NJ.
Shani graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University-New Brunswick with a B.S. in Labor Studies and Employment Relations with concentrations in Diversity in the Workplace, Law and the Workplace, and Workplace Organization and Management. She also holds a Specialization in Culture-Driven Team Building from UPenn and certifications in Understanding Diversity and Inclusion from Purdue University and Diversity in the Workplace from Rutgers.
Shani proudly hails from Camden and Lawnside, NJ, and continues to call South Jersey home.
1 College Hall, Room 116
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6377
Hanna Sherrill
Associate Director of Science Outreach Initiative
Hanna is a dedicated science educator who has worked with students and communities in the Philadelphia region for the past 6 years. Her extensive background spans both formal and informal science education, complemented by adept project and program management skills. Hanna has focused on fostering inclusive and equitable science outreach and education experiences that bridge the gap between science and society by helping fellow scientists make complex concepts accessible to all. Hanna has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Brown University and a B.A. in Neuroscience and Italian Studies from Smith College.