Eastern Michigan University
Shirley M. Collado, Ph.D.
Middlebury College
Dean of the College and Chief Diversity Officer
Associate Professor of Psychology
Keynote Address: "Reimagining Leadership and Inclusion in Higher Education through Collaboration and Innovation"
Shirley M. Collado serves Middlebury College as dean of the College and chief diversity officer, as well as associate professor in the Department of Psychology. Collado originally came to Middlebury in January 2007 to serve first as dean for institutional diversity and then as vice president for institutional planning and diversity.
Since joining Middlebury, Collado has led a number of initiatives. These include the development of faculty diversity initiatives, the establishment of the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity, the creation of the Office of the Dean of Students, the implementation of numerous Human Relations Committee recommendations, and the enhancement of the new student orientation program.
Collado earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Duke University and a B.S. in human and organizational development and psychology from Vanderbilt University. She has taught at a number of colleges and universities, including New York University, Georgetown University, George Mason University, and The New School. Her courses have included Racism and Mental Health, Psychology of Women, Psychological Disorders, Cross-Cultural Therapy Skills, Research Methods, Leadership Development, Management and Organizational Behavior, and Organizational Change.
Collado is a clinical psychologist with a specialty in trauma among multicultural populations. She is co-founder and co-chair of the Liberal Arts Diversity Officers [LADO], a national consortium that promotes the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion in support of academic excellence at liberal arts colleges, and a board member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education [NADOHE]. A national thought leader on diversity and innovation, Collado has delivered numerous keynote addresses and presentations, facilitated workshops and trainings, and received several awards.
Prior to joining Middlebury in 2007, Collado was the executive vice president of The Posse Foundation. She oversaw and managed operations at a national level. The Posse Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that identifies, recruits, and trains outstanding youth leaders from urban public schools and sends them in diverse teams, called posses, to top colleges and universities across the country. She continues to work closely with The Posse Foundation as Middlebury’s liaison and helps the College strengthen its relationship with both the New York and Chicago offices. A former Posse scholar and the daughter of Dominican immigrants, Collado is the first person in her family to go to college.