Office of the President

Interim Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

June 9, 2021

Dear Members of the Brandeis Community,

I am pleased to share that David M. Fryson will join Brandeis as our interim chief diversity officer and vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion next month. David is a recognized leader of university-level diversity and inclusion practice, and he will begin his work with us on Monday, July 12, ahead of Mark Brimhall-Vargas’s departure from the role on July 23.

An attorney by training, David ran his own law practice for a number of years before taking on a position at West Virginia University as deputy general counsel. There, he served as the founding vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion from 2012 to 2017 and would later become senior advisor to the president for diversity and community outreach until 2020. He has a great deal of familiarity with managing programs and offices that shape institutions into more inclusive, equitable, and welcoming places, and we are confident that his expertise will be a valuable addition to our own community.

We look forward to the transitional leadership David will provide to the ongoing work of our Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as we conduct a nationwide search for Mark’s successor, and we are eager to welcome him to campus next month.

Best regards,

Ron Liebowitz