Professor Phoenix A. Matthews has been appointed as the new Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion beginning January 16, 2020. With their vast leadership in the University and experience with equity and inclusion, their addition to the board will advance the mission of UIC to create a more inclusive and equitable enviroment. Dr. Matthews has more than 25 years of experience examining the determinates of health disparities with a focus on racial minorities, under-served, and LGBTQ populations. 

As the Associate Dean, Dr. Matthews will collaborate with senior leadership to develop, monitor, and update diversity policies and inclusive excellence initiatives. Also, Dr. Matthews will work with community partnerships to enhance the presence of the university, as a community partner commited to diversity and inclusion at multiple levels. This role also collaborates to recruit, retain, and promote under-represnted minority faculty, staff and students. 

Dr. Matthews has first-hand experience with University level administrative training related to student education and diversity training. They contributed to the development and evalution of a Dialogue Initiative at UIC course which is aimed to raise awareness among incoming Freshmen about the importance of equity annd inclusion. This course provided the students with dialogue-based social justice education opportunities. Dr. Matthews was a co-leader for two federally funded pipeline development grants aimed at encouraging more underrepresnted minorities to pursue careers towards the reduction of health disparities.