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IT staff recognized as Diversity Champions

Each year, the Office of Diversity & Inclusion recognizes and celebrates William & Mary community members who have been nominated to receive the Diversity Champions Award for their leadership and innovation towards DEI initiatives. W&M Information Technology’s Patty Herrera Cox, director of applications administration and Nick Artime, technology analyst, are among the recipients this year for their efforts to get the university’s Diversity & Belonging Training up-and-running.  

Herrera Cox and Artime worked with Babs Bengston in W&M Human Resources, who is also a recipient of the award, as well as Bobbi Jo Stevens in the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and the vendor, Foundry, to pull this training together and make it available and mandatory for all faculty and staff at the university. This is the first year that the training has been a requirement, even for the Board of Visitors. 

Because Cornerstone is restricted to only faculty and staff, Herrera Cox was responsible for creating and configuring a new group in the system so that affiliates, like the Board of Visitors, could also complete the training and sign in using the Central Authentication System.  

“Patty was instrumental in setting up the platform and enabling the BOV to complete it in Cornerstone,” said Stevens.  

Artime was responsible for evaluating the product and checking its specifications to make sure it was compatible with the university’s system and standards, as well as helping with testing. Herrera Cox also verified the security of the product and made sure it met the diversity office’s vision.  

The duo went through great lengths to make sure it was launched successfully, and on time. “Judging by the number of support tickets we have seen come in since the training was launched, we are able to conclude that this has been the most successful training project we’ve done with HR thus far,” said Herrera Cox. “The launch was pretty uneventful and went smoothly overall, which is also a reflection of the vendor and quality of the product.” 

“DEI initiatives are top of mind for all of us at the university and in W&M IT,” said Corinne Picataggi, chief technology officer. “I am so pleased to have two of my colleagues recognized for their incredible work and their role in bringing new initiatives to campus that will help educate our community. Patty and Nick are invaluable members of our team and most deserving of this recognition.” 

Herrera Cox and Artime, along with 29 other Diversity Champions from across the university, were recognized during a reception hosted by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion this past April. President Rowe and Provost Agouris shared in the celebration along with the nominators and supervisors of this year’s recipients. 

Diversity is something on everyone’s radar at W&M, but Herrera Cox says this recognition, and the reception that came along with it, made her feel a lot closer to her peers at the university. “When I looked around the reception at the large group of people who were being recognized, it was amazing to see how many people are actively participating and trying to make the university more diverse. It was so great to get to learn more about the work everyone else is doing.”  

The other recognized Diversity Champions were: Chon Abraham, Jody Allen, Gavin Aquin-Hernandez, Babs Bengtson, Nicole Brown, Jennie Davy, Jamel Donnor, Christine A. Ferguson, Jajuan Johnson, Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, Dana Lashley, Rebecca Latourell, Christopher Lee, Maureen Elgersman Lee, Kimberly Momballou, Laura Morales, Kathy Morgan, Caroline Morin, Iyabo Osiapem, Mike Powell, Ute Schechter, Mildred Sink, Deenesh Sohoni, Francis Tanglo-Aquas, Andre Taylor, Blanca Tyler, Phillip Wagner, Gail Williams and Katie Wise.