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
Libby Allison Music Education
Sheryl Bailey Guitar
Loren Benn Ensemble
Rhoda Bernard Music Education
Candice Brown Theater
Amparo Edo Biol Contemporary Writing and Production
Alicia Bower Liberal Arts and Sciences
Janelle Browning Marketing and Communications
Marilyn Bulli Voice (BCB)
Cristi Catt Voice (BCM)
Janet Chwalibog Liberal Arts and Sciences
Rebecca Cline Ensembles
Kasey Cox Berklee City Music Boston
Alex Crosett Theater
Jeff D'Antona Harmony
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
April Hall Voice (BCM)
Brendan Higgins Library
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
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
Zack Lucia Alumni Affairs
Mike Maieli Academic Affairs (Institutional Assessment)
Rebecca Marchand Core Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Kaimy Masse Ensembles
Margaret McAllister Composition
John McGee Piano
Rachel McLean City Music
Clare McLeod Voice (BCM)
Sean McMahon Film Scoring
Maureen McMullan Communications and Marketing
Rekha Menon Liberal Arts and Sciences
Catalina Millan (Scheiding) Berklee Valencia
Nichelle Mungo Voice (BCM)
Kera Perron 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
Anne Peckham Voice (BCM)
Andrea Pejrolo Contemporary Writing and Production
Jeff Perry Contemporary Writing and Production
Rene Pfister Voice (BCM)
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
Gilson Schachnik Ear Training
Susan Scotti Concert Operations
Elizabeth Seitz Core Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Kristina Sharra Core Music Tutoring
Harry Skoler Woodwinds
Stacey Snyder Libraries and Learning Resources
Mariano Steimberg Contemporary Performance, Berklee Valencia
Yamil Suarez Library Systems and Web Development
Bri Tagliaferro Global Enrollment Initiatives (ADGEI)
Dan Thompson Music Production and Engineering
Ilona Tipp Voice (BCM)
Eirini Tornesaki Ensembles
Bora Uslusoy Music Production and Engineering
Laura Vecchione Voice (BCM)
Jessica Webb Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Kirstie Wheeler Professional Music
Jonathan Wyner Music Production and Engineering