Steven Krzanowski

Throughout Steven’s career in the higher education and nonprofit sectors, he has developed and executed diversity, equity and inclusion programs and strategies. In his current role, Steven works with industry leaders as a thought partner to uncover inequities in organizational systems, address gaps in knowledge and skills related to DEI for staff and constituents and develop intentional, data-driven, actionable outcomes to advance DEI initiatives. He utilizes best practices rooted in theoretical frameworks while ensuring concepts and content are applicable and easily understood at all levels of an organization. He focuses on coaching, motivating and inspiring leaders to incorporate social justice principles into their professional and personal lives, ultimately creating cultures of belonging.

Before DEI consulting, Steven worked for two national nonprofit organizations, supporting corporate engagement and philanthropy. He also established DEI leadership councils, developed needs-based DEI strategic plans and worked collaboratively to enhance environments for staff and constituents. As Assistant Director in the Center for Multicultural Student Services at James Madison University, Steven designed and implemented a multifaceted, university-wide DEI initiative that focused on increasing knowledge, awareness and skills while creating spaces for continual dialogue across social identity groups. Steven was the architect and instructor of a 3-credit undergraduate course, Developing Multicultural Competency for Effective Facilitation, that prepared students to become Diversity Educators or consultants. The course focused on developing an understanding of privilege and marginalization related to oneself and others, creating and conducting needs assessments to effectively facilitate training for clients, conflict resolution across differences and learning how to foster sustainable, inclusive environments. Years later, this initiative continues to flourish at JMU and has helped develop community leaders across the country.

Steven earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Marymount University and a master’s degree in College Student Personnel/Higher Education from Bowling Green State University. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking, wine tasting, cooking and spending time with his husband Mark and their elder dog Zeus.