Dr. Natalie Nevárez named in new position

Woods Hole, MA - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the world’s independent leader in ocean discovery, exploration, and education, today announced the appointment of Dr. Natalie Nevárez as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. Nevárez will begin in this newly created role on August 1, 2021, and will report directly to Peter de Menocal, President and Director, as a member of WHOI’s senior administration. This appointment is part of a comprehensive plan to increase diversity and representation across all ranks of WHOI’s highly-skilled ocean research community, and to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all people contributing to its mission of advancing the frontiers of ocean science.

“We are thrilled to welcome Natalie to WHOI, and I am certain she will have an immediate impact,” said Peter de Menocal, President and Director at WHOI. “Natalie brings deep professional and personal experience to this role, as well as a comprehensive, scholarly, and data-guided approach to diversity in leadership. She has great energy, new ideas and a can-do, collaborative spirit. I am looking forward to working with her to realize our vision of a diverse, equitable and inclusive Institution,” de Menocal said.

Nevárez is joining WHOI from Columbia University where she was the Associate Director for Faculty Diversity and Development in the School of Arts and Sciences. She earned her PhD in biopsychology from The University of Michigan and was a postdoctoral fellow in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. Natalie also founded the Stanford Latinx Postdocs Association and is a Leadership Board member for 500 Women Scientists.

“I am thrilled to be joining WHOI as Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer,” said Nevárez. “I am looking forward to bringing together the various campus and community-wide diversity efforts into a comprehensive strategy to enhance diversity, justice, belonging, and access for all members of our community.”