Our Partners
Lee A. Gill
Chief Operating Officer
Lee A. Gill
Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Lee Gill is a nationally recognized leader with both university and private practice experience and currently serves as the University of Louisville’s Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
With more than 25 years of experience in the diversity field, Gill is credited with building a sustainable infrastructure to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts into campus cultures, and with creating programs that support and address the challenges facing women, Black and Hispanic students, and the LGBTQ community. He created the Clemson University Men of Color National Summit, which brings together more than 2,000 students, educators, business professionals, government officials and community leaders from around the country to explore issues and share best practices to increase high school and college graduation rates.
Gill serves on several boards of directors, including the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Prior to joining Clemson, Gill served for eight years as Associate Vice President for Inclusion and Equity and Chief Diversity Officer at The University of Akron. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Stratus Group Consultants Inc., a firm providing diversity audits and training, management assessments, and other services. Prior to that role, he held the position of Dean of the Institute for Diversity and Leadership at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Gill holds a Juris Doctorate in Law from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Michigan.
Gregory B. Ladewski. Esq.
Partner Consultant
Gregory B. Ladewski. Esq.
Partner Consultant
A Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, Greg's legal practice focused on Labor and Employment, Discrimination, and Special Education Law as an associate in Hartford Connecticut, and as a partner in Milwaukee Wisconsin and Benton Harbor Michigan firms.
In 2016, he was appointed the Director of Strategic Engagement for Clemson University's Department of Inclusion and Equity. During his tenure at Clemson, he was actively involved in the Department's rapid expansion under Vice President Lee Gill, including the Inaugural Men of Color Summit; researching and writing speeches and articles; and heading up numerous search and hiring committees. A major responsibility was to oversee and prepare Diversity and Inclusion Climate Audits for Clemson University and the Charleston County (SC) School District.
Since 2019, Greg has operated WordCraft, a small business offering speech coaching, writing, editing, and related services.
A certified instructor for English as a Second Language (ESL), Greg has worked privately with Whirlpool Corporation engineers and administrators (and their spouses) from Brazil, China, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Sweden, and Taiwan. He is now a volunteer ESL tutor and instructor for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees in the South Carolina Upstate.
In Michigan, Greg was Chair to the Advisory Board of the Lake Michigan College Institute for Diversity and Leadership, acting as moderator, producer, and researcher for televised debates and roundtable discussions on topics including immigration reform, affirmative action, same-sex unions, and fair housing. He has served as member and officer on disability-, youth-, and arts-related nonprofit boards, including a stint as President of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra.
Greg has been an Adjunct Professor and Middle School Social Studies teacher, has prepared and delivered numerous workshops on legal topics, and has written speeches for such notables as Norman Lear, Anthony Podesta, and Melanne Verveer. A published author and award-winning playwright, Greg has also performed as a church choir director and organist, symphony orchestra cellist, lounge pianist, and folk musician.
Rosa Githiora, Ph.D
Partner Consultant
Rosa Githiora, Ph.D
Partner Consultant
Dr. Rosa Githiora serves as Partner Consultant for Stratus Group Consultants Inc. focusing on Global Diversity and Inclusion. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA followed by a Master of Public Administration, focusing on non-profit management, and a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Public Affairs from The University of Akron.
Dr. Githiora has amassed experience as an advocate and scholar. She previously directed the Offices of Multicultural Affairs, The Center for Women, The Women's Resource Center, The Office of Inclusion and Equity, and Women's Studies at The University of Akron, Case Western Reserve and The University of Georgia respectively. These units examine issues related to diversity and inclusive excellence, intersectionality as well as encouraging debates on addressing stereotypes and assumptions, and exploring divergent viewpoints and cultural practices that continue to shape lives globally.
As a distinguished scholar, she has garnered recognition for her studies and presented at several national conferences. In 2019 she was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society in Athens, Georgia; In 2021 Dr. Githiora received the Excellence in Education Award from the Global Forum for Education and Learning (GFEL), as well as The International Society of Female Professionals Award for outstanding service.
She serves on several organizations including American Association for University Women (AAUW); Center for Health Advocacy Network Gender and Education (CHANGE) Organization and The Girl Child Network-East Africa; Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK) and Editorial Review consultant for Third World Press (TWP).
Kimberly A. Beyer, Ed.D
Partner Consultant
Kimberly A. Beyer, Ed.D
Partner Consultant
Dr. Kim Beyer is a seasoned professional with over thirty years of working in the higher education industry in Student Affairs, Career Services, and Academic Advising, and over six years of consulting experience, and has been fortunate to work on a campus that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and works to promote diversity awareness and education in all of her roles.
Over the years she has been afforded opportunities to work with many diverse faculty, staff, students, and employers in a campus setting and within the community. Dr. Beyer has comprehensive experience and knowledge of strategic planning, communication, career and student development, academic advising, coaching and mentoring, organizational change and effectiveness, recruitment and retention, and teaching and training. She currently serves as an Assistant Director, Advising and Student Success in the College of Arts & Sciences at The University of Akron. Her professional experiences in leadership and management have included the positions of Director of Communications and Strategic Planning in the Division of Student Affairs, Interim Director and Associate Director of Career Services, Academic Adviser and Assistant Coordinator, Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program, and Senior Lecturer of Career Planning and Student Success courses and Higher Education Administration graduate classes, all at The University of Akron. She began her tenure in higher education as an Assistant Director of Career Services at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
Dr. Kim Beyer earned her Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration, a Master of Arts in Counseling-Student Personnel Services, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of Akron.
Laura Coleman, Ph.D
Partner Consultant
Laura Coleman, Ph.D
Partner Consultant
Dr. Laura Coleman is currently the President of Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, Michigan. Previously she served as the executive dean of Lake Michigan College’s Bertrand Crossing Campus in Niles, Michigan. While at LMC, Dr. Coleman provided senior leadership for campus operations including the oversight of all academic Program offerings and student services, expanded the college’s reach by establishing an articulation agreement with Indiana University South Bend, assisted in doubling enrollments in LMC’s Early College direct credit/dual enrollment program, coordinated the development and implementation of a Network Security and Forensic Program, and strengthened community ties by establishing a campus advisory committee. She also served as interim dean on the Institute for Diversity and Leadership and co-chaired the College’s Diversity Committee conducting diversity audits and training for other businesses and organizations.
Dr. Coleman was formerly a director of State Fair Community College’s Jefferson City Campus in Missouri and instrumental in moving the campus to a new 19,000-square-foot facility, establishing a full-service bookstore and leading the campus’s operations and academic programming. As an adjunct instructor, she has taught a variety of business and mathematic courses. She has also developed and implemented new student orientations at both schools to foster student success.She also has experience in the pharmaceutical industry, building and operating a successful international independent manufacturers’ representative company.
Dr. Coleman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Illinois, a Master in Business Administration degree in Management from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Higher and Continuing Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.Active in her communities, Dr. Coleman has served on several chamber of commerce boards in Michigan and Missouri, and a variety of K-12 advisory committees.
Mark Mitchell, M.B.A.
Partner Consultant
Mark Mitchell, M.B.A.
Partner Consultant
Mark S. Mitchell is president and executive director of the Council for World-Class Communities. He is also President and CEO of the Alliance for World-Class Communities.
Mark has expertise working with communities on developing strategies with diverse groups, building diverse community partnerships, negotiating economic development incentives for companies and managing tax refund studies and federal tax planning.
He was also the local diversity coordinator for Ernst & Young in Indianapolis, leading the firm’s efforts to identify, recruit and retain diverse talent, and he did research on the benefits of diversity as it relates to companies, individuals and communities.
He previously worked as director of business development at the Indianapolis Economic Development Corporation and served as a liaison with local community groups, economic development organizations and community leaders to identify commonalities and build consensus on project initiatives.
Mark also serves as a board member with a variety of local corporations.Mark received his bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from Indiana University in Bloomington and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana.