The work in equity, diversity and inclusion of Kay Martinez, at Lesley University and other institutions, was recently recognized by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).
The student-affairs organization in mid-November presented Martinez with its Region I Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award, an honor given to individuals and programs that embrace “the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to create learning environments that are enriched with diverse views and people.”
Martinez, director of EDIJ Learning and Development at Lesley, was nominated for the award by Dr. Kimberly A. Truong, chief equity officer of the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions. In a congratulatory video, Truong called Martinez “dedicated” and “passionate about social justice issues.”
Identifying as an “Afro-Latine gender non-conformer,” Martinez has over a decade of professional experience directing equity, diversity, inclusion and justice (EDIJ) initiatives at Lesley and, previously, at Stanford, Harvard, Tufts and Framingham State universities.
Others singing Martinez’s praises in the NASPA-related video are Lesley colleagues Bwann Gwann, student success coach for our Urban Scholars Initiative, and Lauren Leone, assistant professor of Art Therapy in our College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
“You are a determined advocate, inspiring activist, patient capacity-builder and thoughtful collaborator,” Leone said of Martinez.
Gwann hailed Martinez as a “trailblazer, innovator (and) leader.”
