Fall 2026 SUNY Oswego Equity Summit

On Thursday, September 17, and Friday, September 18, 2026, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at SUNY Oswego will host the the SUNY Oswego Fall 2026 Equity Summit.

This inaugural event is a comprehensive gathering designed to foster dialogue and collaboration among institutional and regional partners needed to elevate our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Over the course of the two-day summit, we will explore critical issues related to university climate, unveil the university’s new Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and examine the broader landscape to identify and leverage strategic opportunities to move our work forward.

The Equity Summit will be held in Hewitt Ballroom. See below for a description and agenda detailing the two-day event. Please confirm your attendance by completing the Equity Summit Registration Form by Friday, September 11, 2026. If you have any questions or require special accommodations, please contact Jennifer Westcott at 315-312-4478 or [email protected].

Highlights of the Equity Summit include (scroll down for full schedule):

A keynote address by Dr. Michael Benitez, a nationally recognized educator, scholar, and strategist, whose work offers critical insight into leadership, organizational culture, and institutional change in higher education.
Dinner and dialogue facilitated by the El-Hindi Center for Dialogue & Action at InterFaith Works and the James A. Triandiflou Institute for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Transformative Practice,
A professional workshop led by Dr. Jamie Washington, President and Co-Founder of the Social Justice Training Institute and Past President of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).
A panel discussion: Shaping the Future: Opportunity & Innovation in Equity Work, with special guests Dr. Christa Grant, Dr. Rodmon King, Bishop Colette Matthews-Carter

Featured Speakers

Thursday Keynote: Dr. Michael Benitez, Jr.

Dr. Michael Benitez, Jr. is a nationally acclaimed educator, scholar, and strategist who brings critical insight and authentic perspective to conversations about leadership, culture, and change in higher education and workplaces. Known for his dynamic presence and ability to connect across lines of difference, Dr. Benitez draws from a lifetime of experience and a distinguished record of leadership at top institutions to help build environments where people feel seen, valued, and empowered.

Friday Keynote: Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington

Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington, (He/Him/His) is the President & Founder of the Washington Consulting Group (WCG). WCG was named by the Economist as one of the Top 10 Global Diversity Consultants in the world. Dr. Washington has served as an educator, administrator, and consultant in higher education for over 36 years. He serves as an invited instructor in the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Lancaster Theological Seminary. He is the President and Co-Founder of the Social Justice Training Institute and a Past President of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).

Our Panelists

Dr. Christa Grant

Dr. Grant is the Interim Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY, System Administration. She has a combined of over 18+ years of experience working in higher education and non-profit organizations. She has served in diversity, equity and inclusion leadership roles for over a decade, and her work has been regionally and nationally recognized.

Dr. Grant is the recipient of the 2017 Mission Integration Award in Diversity and Inclusion from the Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASACCU), she also received an Academic Excellence Award in 2022 for her doctoral work at Northeastern University as well as the 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Business Award issued by the Albany Business Review. Dr. Grant has presented her work at both regional and national conferences including the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE), Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges & Universities (ASACCU) and the College Student Personnel Association of New York State (CSPA-NY). Additionally, Dr. Grant is a trained facilitator for the Intergroup Relations (IGR) program and the co-founding faculty for the IGR course at Siena University, NY.  Dr. Grant received a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, a master's degree in Education from The College of Saint Rose, and a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Sociology from SUNY Buffalo '05.

Dr. Rodmon King

With nearly 12 years of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) experience, King currently serves as the Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY Geneseo. Prior to that, he came from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s School of Public Health and Health Sciences, where he developed and evaluated DEIB initiatives, programming, and training in collaboration with faculty and staff. Before his UMass role, he served as dean of institutional equity and inclusion and interim Title IX coordinator at Connecticut College. King also served as the deputy chief diversity officer for the SUNY System, following positions as the inaugural chief diversity and inclusion officer at SUNY Oswego and associate vice president for academic affairs and diversity initiatives at Centre College.

Bishop Colette Matthews-Carter

A highly respected leader, connector, and advocate throughout Central New York, Colette brings nearly 30 years of experience in community development, leadership, and relationship building across nonprofit, government, business and faith sectors. She is widely recognized for her passion for service and her commitment to building stronger, more connected communities.

Colette currently serves as the Vice President for Community Engagement for the YMCA of Central New York. In this role, she helps deepen the Y's relationship throughout the region, identifies new opportunities for collaboration, elevates community presence and ensures that the Y responds to the evolving needs of the community.

A Syracuse native, Colette has dedicated her career to strengthening the region through leadership, service, and advocacy.

Fall 2026 Equity Summit at SUNY Oswego Schedule of Events

September 17, 2026 - September 18, 2026
Hewitt Ballroom

Thursday, September 17th

4 – 4:30PM Doors Open/Arrival
4:30 – 4:45PM Opening Welcome: Kendra N. Cadogan, Chief Diversity Officer
4:45 – 5:30PM Dinner
5:30 – 6:15PM Keynote Address: Dr. Michael Benitez
6:15 – 7:15PM Dialogue: Dr. Michael Benitez, El Hindi Center for Dialogue & Action staff, and ODI Team
7:15 – 7:30PM Closing Remarks Lillian Evans, Director, Triandiflou Institute

Friday, September 18th

Regional Morning Symposium

8:45 – 9:15 AM Continental Breakfast/Arrival
9:15 – 9:30 AM Executive Welcome Peter O. Nwosu, Ph.D., President
9:30 - 10:30 AM Keynote Address Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington
10:30 – 10:45 AM Break
10:45 – 12 PM Panel Discussion: Shaping the Future: Opportunity & Innovation in Equity Work
12 –1 PM Networking Lunch

Institutional Action & Implementation Forum

1 – 1:30 PM Preparing for the 2026 Thrive Climate Survey, Anneke McEvoy, Deputy CDO
1:30 – 2:15 PM Unpacking the Strategic Implementation Plan for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
2:15 – 2:30 PM Break
2:30 – 3:15 PM Working Group Session: ODI Team
3:15 – 3:45 PM Working Groups Share: Out ODI Team
3:45 – 4 PM Closing Remarks: Kendra N. Cadogan, Chief Diversity Officer