Cano Morales leaves RWU for position at RIC

ANNA CANO MORALES has been named associate vice president for community, equity and diversity at Rhode Island College. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE
ANNA CANO MORALES has been named associate vice president for community, equity and diversity at Rhode Island College. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE

PROVIDENCE – Anna Cano Morales, former director of the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University, will be the associate vice president for community, equity and diversity at Rhode Island College, effective Jan. 17, according to a statement by the college on Tuesday.

As associate vice president for community, equity and diversity, which is a new position, Cano Morales will communicate with college leadership to guarantee “active and viable diversity and community initiatives” are implemented at the school. She will also work to create and employ a diversity and inclusion education plan for students, staff and faculty as well as advise and lead RIC’s Promising Practices, Unity Center, Dialogue on Diversity, Disability Services Center, Women’s Center, Interfaith Center and International Student Services.

A Central Falls native, Cano Morales will report directly to RIC President Frank D. Sánchez.

In the email announcement, Sánchez said that over time, Cano Morales has become a “respected leader and champion for the Rhode Island community.”

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He added: “Her extensive experience in social work and policy in Rhode Island makes her a natural fit to lead the effort to integrate diversity, equity and community into the college’s core mission, vision and strategies. We are fortunate to have her on board as a member of our senior leadership team.”

Cano Morales leaves her role as the director of the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University where she helped spread awareness of the Latino experience in Rhode Island and push public discourse to appreciate a more diverse perspective. Prior to RWU, Cano Morales served as the associate vice president for grant programs at the Rhode Island Foundation.

In addition, Margaret M. Lynch-Gadaleta has been hired as director of institutional equity. In this role she will support Cano Morales by educating, training and serving as spokesperson for equity, opportunity, access and Title IX issues.

RIC also hired a new vice president for administration, Jeffrey L. Martin, previously director of facilities for the Worcester, Mass. Public School System.

The fourth position announced Tuesday is the executive director of strategic initiatives, which will be held by Clark Greene. Also a new role at RIC, Greene will “streamline and execute the college’s top priorities,” according to the release. A RIC employee for the past three years, Greene previously held positions of R.I. interim commissioner of higher education and interim president of RIC.

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