Harvard Business School Appoints Terrill L. Drake Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
 BOSTON- Harvard Business School (HBS) announced today that Terrill L. Drake has been named as the School’s first chief diversity and inclusion officer (CDIO), effective September 1, 2021. In this inaugural position, Drake will play a lead role in developing and implementing a strategy for cultivating and achieving a culture of inclusive excellence, diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the HBS community, as well as with alumni and other constituents across HBS and beyond. As CDIO, Drake will build on the work of the School’s Racial Equity Action Plan, along with equity efforts related to race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, and age. Drake will be charged with helping to enhance and sustain an inclusive and equitable campus climate that engages students, faculty, staff, and the broader community. His office will both lead and support work across the School, including strategic planning, programming, training, curriculum development, and recruiting and hiring. “Harvard Business School aspires to be a place where everyone can be their best self,” said HBS Dean Srikant Datar. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are critical to realizing that goal. We are fortunate to have Terrill, with his extensive experience and expertise, joining us to guide our community in this important work.” Angela Crispi, HBS’s Executive Dean for Administration, noted, “I’m delighted that Terrill will be joining the School’s senior leadership team and look forward to working with him. Harvard Business School strives to be a living model of the principles we teach in our educational programs. Leading diversity and strengthening an inclusive culture are vital skills in today’s organizations.” “I’m excited and humbled to have the opportunity to lead the charge on diversity, equity, and inclusion at Harvard Business School,” said Drake. “The commitment to improve, and the humility with which the School has approached the work thus far, sets the stage for real progress in the years ahead.” Drake, currently the associate dean, strategic initiatives and head diversity officer at the Villanova School of Business, brings over 18 years of higher education experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion; event, program, and project management; marketing; and operational management. Prior roles include serving as the executive director, diversity initiatives at the University of Maryland Smith School of Business. He was recently elected to serve on the steering committee for the Diversity & Inclusion Affinity Group for AACSB and serves on the board of directors for Special Olympics of Pennsylvania. Drake holds a BS in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Bryan School of Business and Economics, and an MBA from the University of Maryland Smith School of Business. He is a former alumni volunteer chapter board member and life member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. |
Mark Cautela
mcautela+hbs.edu
617-495-5143
About Harvard Business School
Founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University, Harvard Business School is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston. Its faculty of more than 250 offers full-time programs leading to the MBA and PhD degrees, as well as more than 175 Executive Education programs, and Harvard Business School Online, the School’s digital learning platform. For more than a century, faculty have drawn on their research, their experience in working with organizations worldwide, and their passion for teaching, to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. The School and its curriculum attract the boldest thinkers and the most collaborative learners who will go on to shape the practice of business and entrepreneurship around the globe.