About Us

Michael has served in a variety of diversity, administrative, and educational roles during his tenure at RIT, including as the university’s first Director of Diversity Education, which interwove his involvement in WDN beginning in 2010, and previously, as a Director of Campus Life for 17 years.

In those roles, D’Arcangelo created numerous assessment-based, and custom-designed educational programs for staff, faculty, and students, which addressed myriad issues related to a broad range of underrepresented populations in the community. The programs include Bridges, a cross-cultural competency program; the Race Talks discussion series; overseeing the university’s Partnerships in Pluralism program, faculty research grants, search committee training regarding unconscious bias; and serving as a co-collaborator with RIT and YWCA staff in the creation of the YWCA’s city-wide Person2Person program. In his previous roles, D’Arcangelo instituted permanent programs regarding leadership development, community service, Hispanic programming, the LGBTQ+ population, gender equity programs for faculty, and serving as a hearing officer, advocate, and appeals officer for Title IX complaints.

Michael received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy from the State University of New York at Buffalo, his Master of Science in Human Resource Development from Rochester Institute of Technology, and Master of Arts in Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, and Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College (PA). Michael is a member of Theta Chi International Fraternity to which he has served as an adviser, including advisership to RIT chapters of Phi Kappa Psi and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is a past President of RIT’s chapter of The National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, which he revived in collaboration with the Provost’s Office in 2011.

Email Michael michael@workforcediversitynetwork.com

Kimberly Braithwaite is serving as the Director of Faculty Talent Acquisition at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Braithwaite has served previously on the Board of Directors for the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management as the Co-Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  Previously, Mrs. Braithwaite served as the Principal Consultant for Talent Management and Organizational Development where she led the implementation of all talent leadership and team planning.  Before that she served as the Senior Human Resource Manager and other Human Resource management leadership positions respectively at Barilla America, Frontier Communications, Xerox Corporation and Wegmans Food Markets. 

Kim holds a Master of Science in Career and Human Resource Development from RIT, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources form St. John Fisher College.  Mrs. Braithwaite holds Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and Disc facilitator certifications.

Ebony Burgess currently serves as the Staff Development and A.D.A. Manager in the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Monroe County. She oversees and monitors County government compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Before this role, Burgess served as a Supervising Examiner at the Department of Human Services in the SNAP Unit and as the President of the Federation of Social Workers. In addition, she was the facilitator of the Leadership Roundtable, a leadership group established to develop the next generation of leaders at the Department of Human Services. In addition to her responsibilities at Monroe County, Burgess has volunteered in organizations within the Greater Rochester Community. Her most recent service has been at the Maplewood Y.M.C.A. as a board member and a Financial Coach for the C.A.S.H. Program through Consumer Credit Counseling Services. 

Ebony has a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership from the School of Business from Roberts Wesleyan College, preceded by a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management, also from Roberts Wesleyan.

Professor Betsy Dell is a full professor in the department of Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering Technology Department in the College of Engineering Technology at RIT.  Professor Dell teaches courses and conducts research in the areas of sustainable plastics, engineering education, sustainability, and gender in engineering and science. Besides her full-time teaching load and research, Betsy has served as the Co-Chair of RIT’s President’s Commission on Women (commencing 2019), Director of AdvanceRIT Program (2019-2023), Senior Faculty Associate to the Provost for Women Faculty (2014-2023), Graduate Program Director Manufacturing & Mechanical Systems Integration (2017-2019), the Director of Women in Technology (2010-2013), and the Miller Endowed Professor (2010-2103).  

Professor Dell co-chairs RIT’s President’s Commission on Women. Her career at RIT has always had a strong focus on diversity, demonstrating a passion for making RIT an inclusive and diverse campus. Her work started with a focus on gender with students in STEM programs. As Director of Women in Technology from 2010-2013, she led multiple grant-funded initiatives. This included a five-year NSF funded (over a half-million dollars) scholarship program. 

Betsy obtained her BSME from the General Motors Institute and her  MS from the University of Michigan.

Jennifer Geiger, M.S., C.R.C .  Jennifer is currently employed at the New York State Education Department- ACCES-VR as the   Business Relations Representative at the ACCES-VR Rochester District Office. The Rochester ACCES-VR office serves Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties in which they are currently assisting over 3,300 individuals with disabilities towards successful employment. Jennifer is also a certified ADA trainer assisting businesses and consulting on accommodations, disability trainings, assisting with hiring needs, hiring incentives/ tax credits, and worker retention services.  

Jennifer obtained her Master of Science degree from Syracuse University in Rehabilitation Counseling and holds a national certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Jennifer has been working in this field for over 20 years. 

Terry Platt, PhD., joined the Board earlier in the year to help bridge the transition of the board’s re-organization, compounded by the dynamics of the pandemic. Platt currently serves as the Faculty-Co-Director for the Center for Workshop Education at University of Rochester. A former Faculty Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics at the University of Rochester (now, Emeritus Professor) he has been a long-standing member of WDN, through his affiliations as a Senior Mentor/Coach through the Rochester chapter of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI). Previously, Platt’s base of professional experience was laid in his work with the Peace Corps where he taught secondary school in Tanzania for two years.  Among his life-long achievements, Platt has served on the Law Enforcement Assistant Diversion Initiative in Rochester (NY) and served on a number of Advisory Boards including Horizons at Harley (K-8 Summer Learning Initiative), The Center for Excellence Teaching and Learning, and Rochester’s Facing Race/Embracing Equity Initiative. His collegiate educational experience focusing on diversity includes serving as the Faculty Associate Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender & Women’s studies, a teacher in Early Connection Opportunity (ECO) for incoming minority freshmen, and a mentor for the Posse Foundation Scholars.  Among his board experiences, Platt has served as member the NCBI Advisory Board, and as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Harley School in Rochester. 

Dr. Platt earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Harvard, which upon after completing post-doctoral studies, he began a faculty research and teaching career at Yale University.  He holds a MAT equivalent in Secondary Education and Teaching from Teachers College at Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Chicago. Platt is becoming certified as a Leadership Coach through the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester.

Deanna Rose serves as the Vice President of Human Resources for the YMCA of Greater Rochester where she provides oversight for human resources for seventeen locations with more than 1,600 employees, and the payroll department. Prior to joining the YMCA, Rose was a Human Resource Business Partner, a Partner and Assistant Vice President for Human Resources at M&T Bank, a regional Human Resource Representative/Assistant Vice President– North America, having been promoted from her previous role as Regional Human Resource Representative/Assistant Vice President. She began her career in human resources as a Human Resource Specialist. From her previous experience, she has expertise in strategic human capital management, compliance, benefits administration, compensation planning, employee relations, and human resource administration/operations. She currently serves on the Fairport Central School District Diversity Council, has served previously as a board member several boards including the National Board of Director for the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), and the Gay Alliance of Genesee Valley. 

Deanna earned a Masters of Science, degree at Nazareth College, a Bachelor of Science degree at SUNY – Brockport, New York and an Associate of Arts & Science degree, from Monroe Community College – Rochester, NY.

Betsy  Truax (CPP, SHRM-CP) currently serves as the Vice President of Equity and Compensation for First American Equipment Finance, having previously served as the Senior-level Payroll/HR Manager.  In her roles, Betsy has been committed to keeping accurate records, ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures. Betsy has instrumental in founding and supporting Employee Resource Groups within FAEF and enhancing the DEI perspective on the job, all reflected in her 21 years in experience overseeing  Payroll  and recruitment functions.

Betsy obtained her B.S. in Biology and Biological Sciences from SUNY Brockport.