Equity Partners Program
The Equity Partners (EP) Program began in 2018 as an initiative led by the ETUDE Faculty Scholars (login required), with support from the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and is open to all faculty and staff at the Berklee campuses in Boston, New York City, and Valencia, Spain. Equity partners commit to ongoing professional development and agree to intentionally center values of diversity, equity, and belonging as professionals in the larger Berklee community. Being part of the program signals to students and colleagues that you have volunteered to create spaces of social justice with intentionality and active advocacy.
Who can be an equity partner?
All College and Conservatory faculty and staff are invited to become equity partners. The larger the network, the more of an impact this group can make. No experience with discussing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion is required; the only requirement is an interest in such conversations.
Neither ETUDE scholars nor equity partners claim to be experts in any topic around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the EP Program does not certify anyone as such. The equity partners designation recognizes that you’ve chosen to be a part of this important conversation and set aside time to engage in (often challenging) dialogues with your colleagues. By purposefully focusing on the learning and working environments within Berklee, equity partners show their commitment to working together to make Berklee a safe place for all to learn, work, and play.
Equity partners...
- have questions;
- want to learn more from and about their colleagues and students;
- are open to examining their teaching and working practices; and
- are willing to make themselves known as agents of support and encouragement.
Becoming an equity partner entitles you to...
- be added to a list of equity partners on campus, allowing you to make yourself known as an agent of support for students, faculty, and staff, and an ambassador of the EP program and mission; and,
- add an equity partner icon to your email signature, syllabi, and online faculty bio page (if applicable) that says to the community: “This is a safe space. I am an ally.” Your use of the EP icon is contingent upon your yearly recommitment.
How do I become an equity partner?
To become an equity partner, you must attend a single, two-hour Equity Partner Foundations online workshop. The sessions are facilitated by ETUDE Faculty Scholars and are offered twice in the first seven weeks of the fall and spring semesters, and once during the summer semester.
This session is not a formalized D&I training, but instead a workshop wherein you will engage in dialogue with colleagues on topics and questions central to equity in teaching and learning, as well as discuss and unpack terminology and vocabulary fundamental to our understanding of identity, belonging, and civil and human rights. This session is intended to provoke as many questions as it answers with the hope that attendees will want to further explore—and put into practice—pedagogical practices that enhance equity in teaching and learning.
Please note that Foundations sessions are designed for community members who are new to the Equity Partners program. Although current EPs are welcome to participate again (subject to space availability), they are not required to do so. Community members who lapse or leave the program for a year or more will be asked to complete the Foundations session again before rejoining.
Sessions are capped at 12 participants each. Faculty and staff may view and sign up for upcoming Equity Partners Foundations sessions on the ETUDE Workshops and Events page (login required).
Ongoing Commitment
Equity partners sign an annual commitment letter and are expected to attend at least one DEI-related workshop or training per semester, as a testament to their ongoing commitment to this work. At the end of the academic year, EPs are asked to complete a short reflection on the work they have done and consider how their experiences will inform their participation as Berklee community members. Equity partners are expected to go through this process every year in order to maintain their affiliation with the Equity Partners Program.
Essential questions include the following:
- How do we address the inequities of race, gender, privilege, or class?
- How do we build classroom and workplace environments that are deliberate in their inclusiveness?
| Fall-Initiated Participation | If you become an equity partner in the fall semester, you will need to attend at least one event in the second half of the fall semester and at least one event in the spring semester; end-of-the-year reflection will address both events. |
| Spring-Initiated Participation | You will need to attend at least one event in the second half of the spring semester; end-of-the-year reflection will address this event. |
| Summer-Initiated Participation | You will need to attend at least one event in the fall semester and at least one event in the spring semester; end-of-the-year reflection will address both events. |
| Maintaining Active Equity Partner Status | You will need to attend at least one event of your choosing, related to DEI, in both the fall and spring semesters; end-of-the-year reflection will address both events. |
Qualifying Professional Development Opportunities
Berklee Events
Berklee offers many opportunities/workshops (hereafter “event”) throughout the year that count towards equity partner development, including certain sessions at Opening Day and Berklee Teachers on Teaching (BTOT), and workshops offered through the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Human Resources, and by the ETUDE Faculty Scholars. You can access a full list of diversity, equity, and inclusion events at Berklee by subscribing to the ETUDE calendar of DEI events for faculty and staff. Please be advised that not all calendar events or events offered through these areas count towards equity partners credit; eligible events will be indicated as such.
Events outside of Berklee
You may also identify events outside of Berklee that count for EP credit. In order to qualify, the focus of the event should be focused on diversity, equity, and/or inclusion, and you should be prepared to think about how it might inform your teaching and/or interactions as part of the Berklee community.
If you have questions about whether or not a certain event may be eligible, or if you think it's something other Equity Partners might be interested in, please feel free to send event information to etude@berklee.edu.
Reading and Research
While we absolutely encourage you to engage in reading books, articles, etc., we are only considering reading that is done in the context of a discussion group to count toward EP credit.
Current Faculty and Staff Equity Partners
| Name | Department |
| Lee Abe | Contemporary Writing and Production |
| Deborah Adams | Academic Affairs, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Cecil Adderley | Music Education |
| Rachel Alina | Music Production and Engineering, Berklee Online |
| Libby Allison | Music Education |
| Sheryl Bailey | Guitar |
| Tom Baskett | Voice |
| Gina Beck | Voice, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Rhoda Bernard | Music Education |
| Candice Brown | Theater |
| Amparo Edo Biol | Contemporary Writing and Production |
| Gaynor Blandford | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Sally Blazar | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Alicia Bower | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Janelle Browning | Marketing and Communications |
| Marilyn Bulli | Voice, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Cristi Catt | Voice |
| Janet Chwalibog | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Rebecca Cline | Ensembles |
| Patsy Collins Bandes | Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Kasey Cox | Berklee City Music Boston |
| Alex Crosett | Theater |
| Beth Denisch | Composition |
| Jim Donahue | Music Production and Engineering |
| Joseph Dreeszen | Alumni Affairs |
| Laura Duncan | Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Judith Eissenberg | Instrumental Studies |
| Lacretia Flash | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion |
| Laura Gatzkiewicz-Mangono | Berklee Valencia |
| Maria Goldberg | Global Strategy and Innovation |
| Enrique Gonzalez Müller | Music Production and Engineering |
| Cynthia Grammer | Music Education |
| Nate Greenslit | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Jessica Halton | Institutional Advancement |
| Ronte' Hardy | Admissions, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Brendan Higgins | Library |
| Jermaine Hill | Theater |
| Lucy Holstedt | Harmony |
| Shannon Jacob | Faculty Development |
| Dana James | Alumni Affairs |
| Andrea Johnson | Music Business/Management |
| Michael Johnson | Contemporary Writing and Production |
| Ryan Jones | Concert Operations |
| Carrie Keach | Library |
| Pam Kerensky | Music Business |
| Erica Knowles | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Theresa Lang | Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Stefani Langol | Music Education |
| Victoria Large | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Sharan Leventhal | Strings |
| Allen LeVines | Composition |
| Christian Li | Piano |
| Claire Marie Lim | Electronic Production and Design |
| Andrew Lin | Music Business/Management |
| Alex Ludwig | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Ron Mahdi | Ensembles |
| Mike Maieli | Academic Affairs (Institutional Assessment) |
| Rebecca Marchand | Core Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Kaimy Masse | Ensembles |
| Margaret McAllister | Composition |
| John McGee | Piano |
| Clare McLeod | Voice |
| Brian McGinnis | Dance, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Sean McMahon | Film Scoring |
| Maureen McMullan | External Affairs |
| Rekha Menon | Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Catalina Millan (Scheiding) | Berklee Valencia |
| Nicole Mlynczak | Career Center |
| Nichelle Mungo | Voice |
| Kera Murphy | Student Success Advising |
| JK Lynn Nash | Berklee Online |
| Matthew Nicholl | Professional Writing and Music Technology |
| Gabe Nichols | Training and Instructional Technology |
| Liza Nichols | Information Technology Services |
| Valerie Orth | Songwriting |
| Paul Pacifico | Contemporary Performance, Berklee Valencia |
| Anne Peckham | Voice |
| Andrea Pejrolo | Contemporary Writing and Production |
| Jeff Perry | Contemporary Writing and Production |
| Rene Pfister | Voice |
| Diana Prieto | Student Affairs, Berklee Valencia |
| Becky Prior | Institutional Research and Assessment |
| Ruth Ristich | Ear Training |
| Rachel Rome | Electronic Production and Design |
| Mischa Salkind-Pearl | Core Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Joe Santerre | Bass |
| Gilson Schachnik | Ear Training |
| Joel Schwindt | Core Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Susan Scotti | Concert Operations |
| Elizabeth Seitz | Core Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Harry Skoler | Woodwinds |
| Stacey Snyder | Libraries and Learning Resources |
| Mariano Steimberg | Contemporary Performance, Berklee Valencia |
| Yamil Suarez | Library Systems and Web Development |
| Dan Thompson | Music Production and Engineering |
| Ilona Tipp | Voice |
| Eirini Tornesaki | Ensemble |
| Bora Uslusoy | Music Production and Engineering |
| Wayne Ward | Music Education |
| Jessica Webb | Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Kirstie Wheeler | Professional Music |
| Jonathan Wyner | Music Production and Engineering |
| Kaoruko Yoshida-Pilkington | Voice |