Latishea Varnesdeel

Indiana University East welcomed Latishea Varnesdeel as the special assistant to the chancellor and chief diversity officer. Varnesdeel began at IU East May 11 and will relocate to Richmond with her daughters.

“We are pleased to bring Latishea to Richmond and to IU East. Latishea will be responsible for many different areas and will be very involved in projects serving our campus and community. She brings with her a wide range of skills and expertise that will be of great benefit in this position. I look forward to working with her,” said Chancellor Kathy Cruz-Uribe.

As the special assistant to the chancellor and chief diversity officer, Varnesdeel will work concurrently in multiple areas of responsibility. She will manage a wide range of administrative, operational and executive support activities, including coordination and oversight of issues relating to the role of chief diversity officer.

“I am honored to have been appointed as the special assistant to the chancellor and chief diversity officer at IU East. My journey with Indiana University began as a non-traditional student on the IU South Bend campus many years ago. After moving to Indianapolis, I attended IUPUI and earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well. From the very beginning I knew that I was meant to be here! I look forward to working with faculty, staff and students in my new roles at IU East, as well as continuous learning on campus,” Varnesdeel said.

Before joining IU East, Varnesdeel was the director of Indiana Black Legislative Caucus in the Indiana House of Representatives, a position she had held since December 2007. She also served a concurrent role as a legislative assistant with the Indiana House of Representatives from 2006 until her departure in May.

Varnesdeel received her Master of Public Affairs, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Minor in Political Science, all from IUPUI. She also has a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and a Certificate in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from IUPUI. She received her Associate of Arts in General Studies from IU South Bend and an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting from Davenport University in South Bend, Ind.

Currently, Varnesdeel is a member of the Emerging Leaders Program, Indiana Democrat African American Caucus, African American Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee and served as the secretary, IU Alumni Club, IU Neal-Marshall Alumni Club, National Cancer Action Network, and Hoosiers for Higher Education.