Renee Wells, SUNY Cortland’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, joined the campus community in July 2026. She previously served Queens University of Charlotte as its assistant vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, and brings more than 20 years of higher education experience to the role.
As a collaborator, Wells has worked closely with hiring teams on equitable and inclusive search practices; supported the development of culturally responsive teaching, advising and mentoring practices; provided mediation to address conflicts in the workplace; facilitated restorative justice processes in response to power- and identity-based challenges; and advocated for disability access and inclusion.
Prior to Queens, Wells worked in progressive roles at Middlebury College from 2018 to 2024, eventually ascending to the role of assistant vice president of education for equity and inclusion. She also served as the director of the LGBTQ Pride Center at North Carolina State University and as the assistant director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Michigan Technological University.
A frequent presenter, workshop facilitator and published author, Wells previously chaired the Accessibility in the Academy National Advisory Council for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) from 2023 to 2025. She earned a B.S. in education and B.A. in English from Auburn University; an M.A. in English from Miami University; and M.F.A. in creative writing from Southern Illinois University.