Deanna Carrithers

In July 2022, Deanna Carrithers was appointed Deputy Senior Vice President for Justice Initiatives at Center for Policing Equity. Over the past 14 years, Deanna has had a distinguished career in public service including local government, non-profit and educational institutions. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Kansas and a Master of Public Administration from the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs from Wichita State University. Deanna is a sixth-year doctoral student at Wichita State University pursing a degree in Educational Leadership with an anticipated graduation date in May 2023.

Prior to her appointment, she served as Chief Equity and Diversity Officer for Tompkins County in upstate New York. In this role, Deanna served as a strategic leader and thought partner for local government and the community. At Wichita State University, she served as Director of Operations at Wichita State University for the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement as the liaison to the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer. She provided operational leadership for multiple departments including oversight of a division budget of more than $15 million including the President’s Diversity Council, TRIO/GEAR UP, Wichita GEAR UP, Military and Veterans Services, Army ROTC, Public Policy and Management Center, and Office of Community Engagement and Opportunity. Deanna also co-facilitated courses in Women’s and Ethnic Studies in addition to leading extensive efforts to secure grant, contract and philanthropic funding.

Deanna is a graduate of the International City/County Management Emerging Leaders Program. She is a proud native of Wichita, Kansas and served as a volunteer for the City of Wichita Police Department and member of the Sedgwick County Community Corrections Advisory Board for more than 10 years.  Deanna was also a recipient of the 2016 Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and President’s Distinguished Service Award at Wichita State. Deanna volunteered for the Council of University Women, African American Faculty and Staff Association, and numerous other non-profits in the Wichita community. In the 2021-2022 academic year, Deanna served as a Flora Rose House Fellow at Cornell University and currently serves as an Executive-In-Residence for the Executive Masters of Public Administration Program for the Cornell Institute of Public Affairs in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.