USD-Magazine-Summer-2023

Leaders of Influence and empowering every member of our community to safely and effectively intervene when they see something that contradicts our community values.” Johnson has a long record of blazing a path forward F

our members of the University of San Diego’s leadership team were recognized for their work and for shaping the vision of USD’s future. They were part of the San Diego Business Journal ’s 2023 list of the region’s “Top 50 Black Leaders of Influence.” Among those honored were: Senior Vice President and Provost Gail F. Baker, PhD; Vice President of Student Affairs Charlotte Johnson, JD; Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Regina Dixon-Reeves, PhD; and School of Leadership and Education Sciences Dean Kimberly White-Smith, EdD, who called it “an immense honor.” “This recognition not only celebrates individual achievement, but also the collective effort of our community toward equity and excellence. I want to thank the USD community, especially the faculty, staff and students of the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, for inspiring me with their focus on social justice and compassionate service,” said White-Smith who, since arriving at USD, has championed the Black InGenius Initiative (BiGI). The program explores thoughtful and innovative teaching techniques and provides a path to college for marginalized students. Dixon-Reeves said she was humbled by the honor, and said as a first-generation student herself, and lifelong educator, she’s working to make USD a welcoming and inclusive place for students from all walks of life. “As a community, we are committed to seeing and hearing people as they want to be seen and heard,” Dixon-Reeves said. “Using conflict resolution techniques to engage in difficult conversations while maintaining open lines of communication

for others. She is particularly proud to be in a position to do that in the realm of education. “It is such a gift to serve as a person of influence in the higher education space given what educational opportunities have meant to Black people and other marginalized communities,” Johnson said. “I am both proud and honored to receive this recognition for work that I care about so deeply, and to be included among a group of leaders who are advancing our communities through innovation, open hearts and the willingness to lift as we climb.” “I am profoundly grateful for the transformative work of all the leaders who courageously devote their lives to open the doors of opportunity for others,” Baker added. President James T. Harris III, DEd, says that each of the administrators who were recognized have played a key role in expanding the scope of the university’s mission, ensuring that USD remains at the forefront of Catholic higher education. “These women are true leaders,” he said. “They are holding true to USD’s commitment to academic excellence in an environment that is open, expansive and welcoming — and have called others to be the same. In countless ways, they’ve inspired not only our students, faculty and Torero family, but the San Diego community at large. I’m deeply honored to count each of these four trailblazing women among my most trusted colleagues.” — By Steven Covella

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Summer 2023