Carolyn Lanier has been named Northeast Ohio Medical University's new chief of staff and vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion.
She begins March 7 and replaces Sergio Garcia, who recently accepted a job as vice president and chief of staff of the St. Lawrence Health System and Canton-Potsdam Hospital in upstate New York.
Lanier's duties in her role as chief of staff include providing leadership and management of presidential initiatives, special projects and strategic planning; advising and representing the president and managing partnerships, according to a news release.
As vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, Lanier will work to implement the University Diversity Strategic Plan and lead and support diversity-building programs across the campus. She'll also work with various departments to identify opportunities and barriers to recruiting and retaining a diverse range of students, faculty and staff.
Lanier was the chief diversity officer and associate vice president at Western Connecticut State University, where she led the development and management of a strategic program that fostered diversity.
She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Michigan and her master's degree in public administration from Seattle University. She spent part of her Childhood in Cleveland.
NEOMED also announced the appointment of Richard Lewis as vice president for external affairs.
Lewis will provide overall policy guidance to the president, board of trustees and the president's leadership team as well as lead governmental and community relations. He also will develop and implement approaches to external constituents on the national, state and local levels, and he'll provide policy guidance to the president, board of trustees and the president's leadership team.
Lewis will continue to serve as secretary of the NEOMED board of trustees.
John Stilliana, a former assistant director of governmental relations, was promoted to director of state government and community relations.
