April 20, 2022

Campus Life launches search to fill new position, associate VP for belonging, engagement, and community 

Campus Life is launching a nationwide search for a newly created position, associate vice president for belonging, engagement, and community (working title). The position will provide executive leadership for the following areas: Barkley Forum; Belonging and Community Justice (BCJ); Civic and Community Engagement (CCE); Parent and Family Programs; Student Case Management and Intervention Service (SCMIS); Student Conduct; Student Involvement, Leadership, and Transitions (SILT). 

The associate VP for belonging will report to Enku Gelaye, senior vice president and dean of Campus Life, and serve on her Executive Leadership Team (ELT). David Clark and Chanel Tanner are co-chairing the search committee. 

The new associate VP, as the title suggests, will lead student-facing areas primarily responsible for enhancing students’ sense of belonging at Emory, engagement in university and civic life, and involvement with community and community building.  

Creation of the new role continues a strategic realignment that brings closely related Campus Life areas into the same executive portfolio. For example, areas aligned with health and well-being are now led by James Raper, recently named to the new position of associate VP for health and well-being.  

“The associate VP for belonging will facilitate closer working partnerships and further increase synergy among the exceptional teams in our new portfolio,” said Gelaye. “The work of these teams is foundational to our students flourishing – and evolving as citizens prepared to, in the words of Emory’s mission, “create, preserve, teach, and apply knowledge in the service of humanity.”  

During preparations for the new associate VP position, assistant vice presidents Bridget Guernsey-Riordan and Dona Yarbrough will continue their leadership in their areas. Suzanne Onorato, an assistant vice president who also held responsibilities in these areas, will not return to Emory. 

Dr. Kyle R. Williams (he/they) has joined Campus Life in a temporary role as special advisor to the senior vice president and dean of Campus Life. He brings extensive expertise in crisis management; diversity, equity, and inclusion; student conduct; and other areas. Williams will work with Keeling & Associates, a higher education consulting and professional services firm, Campus Life’s Executive Leadership team, and the new portfolio’s staff leads to prepare for the transition to the new associate VP. 

“I’m delighted to join the Emory University community and support its impressive commitment to social justice,” Williams said. “I look forward to working with the Campus Life team to help facilitate its strategic realignment and further its goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion.”  

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Williams is an avid runner, cycler, and traveler, a furry father to his dog, Gladiator Huck Harrison, and a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. 

Emory Campus Life