Meet the Teams
Meet the Teams
The Strategic Plan for Inclusion is structured around three initiatives. Each initiative aligns with the charge of one of the three Inclusion groups at Cate:
The Core Inclusion Team, which is responsible for strategy, planning, knowledge building, and accountability, The Inclusive Teaching Design Team (ITDT) which is responsible for DEI issues related to the residential, co-curricular, and community experiences, or The Inclusive Community Design Team (ICDT), which is responsible for DEI issues related to the classroom experience.
Each of the four strategies structure the work of each initiative so that there is consistent, organized effort toward the achievement of Cate’s Inclusion goals. Get to know the teams working on the initiatives below.
The CORE Inclusion Team
The CORE Team is responsible for strategy, planning, knowledge building, and accountability. The team’s goal is to transition Cate’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts from aspirational goals into structured, accountable processes that set the standard for belonging, well-being, and success for the entire community.
- Yutopia Essex (She/Her) – Director of People and Belonging
- Elana Stone (They/Them) – Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Jenna deBoisblanc (She/Her) – Computational Thinking Instructor
- Oscar Urizar (He/Him) – Spanish Instructor
Inclusive Community Design Team
The Inclusive Community Design Team is responsible for DEI issues related to the residential, co-curricular, and community experiences. The team’s goal is to foster a transformative student and community experience by creating and sustaining an equitable and inclusive campus environment so that all members of the Cate community are able to bring their whole selves, feel a genuine sense of belonging, and are able to achieve their greatest growth.
- Elana Stone (They/Them) – Chair, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Evan Akers (He/Him) – Advancement Database Manager
- Vanessa Cruz Santana ’06 (She/Her), Director of Financial Assistance
- Shannon Drew (She/Her), Head Athletic Trainer
- Kadeine Peterson (She/Her), Biology Instructor, Multicultural Programming Coordinator
- Sandi Pierce (She/Her), Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations
- Bryan Rodriguez (He/Him), Dean of Students
- Cara Terlep (She/Her), Associate Director of Health Services
Ad hoc: Yutopia Essex, Erin Hansen, and Cece Schwennsen
Inclusive Teaching Design Team (ITDT)
The Inclusive Teaching Design Team (ICDT) is responsible for developing inclusive curricula and implementing culturally responsive teaching practices. The team’s goal is to support and develop teaching practices and diverse curricula that will enable all teaching faculty to achieve the mission, goals, and model for inclusive teaching at Cate.
- Dr. Laura Moore (She/Her) – Chair, History Instructor
- Hannah Solis-Cohen (She/Her) – History Instructor
- Annalee Salcedo (She/Her) – Director of Studies, Mathematics Instructor
- Kiara Downey (She/Her) – Theater Director
- Christina Weir (She/Her) – Director of Academic Services
- Nicole Sintetos (She/Her) – English Department Chair
- Elana Stone (They/Them) – Chair, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Oscar Urizar (He/Him), Spanish Instructor
Student Inclusion Representatives
Student Inclusion Representatives (SIR) are appointed by the Student Body President from each class and work closely with the Student Senate. Representatives are elected per year and may continue if re-elected. At the beginning of the second trimester, SIR from the freshman class will be elected or appointed. They are a vital channel of communication between the Core team and student body. It is a fundamental responsibility to ensure that the student body is aware of who the SIRs are and that they are available for students to share concerns, complaints, opinions, experiences, and suggestions.
Student Inclusion Representatives
- Maggie Albrecht ’25
- Ethan Gibson ’25
- Sophie Alajani ’24
- Yeidy Salmeron ’24
- Cathleen Chow ’23
- Nikita Nautiyal ’23