New Staff: Katie Crawford, DEI Coordinator

Katie Crawford joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) in May 2021 as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator. Among Crawford’s responsibilities are supporting and consulting with students, co-leading the DEI Committee and providing support for implementing and evaluating initiatives outlined in the DEI Committee Roadmap. 

Prior to joining the department, Crawford worked at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where she created both a state and national council for DEI initiatives. She notes that she looks forward to working with students, and that her favorite part of working in DEI is connecting with people and using “the power of collaboration to significantly make change and empower students.” 

Crawford writes that she was drawn to how DEI is being implemented in CEE: “As I was searching through CEE’s website to learn more about the department, I was excited by current DEI initiatives within the department like the DEI Committee and the DEI roadmap. I was glad to see that students, faculty and staff had a space to come together to build a strategic vision of incorporating DEI into CEE’s DNA.”

Outside of work, Crawford’s favorite activities include dancing, trying new vegetarian food, and traveling. She also enjoys spending time with family, and friends in both the United States and Spain. 

“I’m inspired when I’m working in a community where each member has a voice,” writes Crawford, who is also inspired “by learning from others and teaching others as we work together to achieve a goal.”