Meet the Executive Director

Roderick Lewis was named the inaugural W. Howard Upchurch, Jr. Executive Director of Global Inclusion & Community Impact at the Wake Forest University School of Business. In this role, he spearheads the development and implementation of school-wide strategies that advance inclusive excellence, foster community engagement, and drive societal impact. His efforts focus on integrating global perspectives, enhancing intercultural competencies, and promoting equitable support for underrepresented and international students.

“Strategic, focused, and innovative inclusive excellence practices have the potential to create competitive advantage for Wake Forest University School of Business in continuing to foster an ecosystem that graduates future global leaders who will in turn provide competitive advantage to organizations through their ability to identify, assess, and minimize barriers that negatively impact marginalized and underserved people internal to their organizations, and external to it,” Lewis said.

With over two decades in both national and global education, Lewis brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the School in diversity and inclusion strategies, corporate workforce analytics, and performance improvement.

He is recognized as an influential and innovative leader. One of his many impactful contributions includes the development of an “Anti-Racism & Gender Equality Scorecard,” which aids career centers and their corporate partners in evaluating an organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in order to improve practices that influence the inequities faced by historically disadvantaged groups.

Lewis facilitates collaborations within the School and across the University to develop and bolster a culture of inclusivity.

“Roderick brings a rich and varied set of skills and experiences that informs his passion for equity and inclusion, all of which will help ensure we are creating a robust environment for learning, teaching, and research that is inclusive of a broad range of perspectives,” said Dean Annette L. Ranft. “His demonstrated expertise will be invaluable as we continue our work to create and sustain a learning environment characterized by belonging and respect for individuals from all backgrounds.”

Prior to joining Wake Forest, Lewis served as the Executive Director for University Career Services at UNC Chapel Hill. In this role, he led the strategic initiatives to foster meaningful connections between students and employers, while also elevating the performance of the staff and refining office metrics, assessments, and campus-wide reporting tactics.

Lewis served a 2-year term as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE) where he led crucial initiatives to educate SoACE members on best practices and thought leadership to maximize recruitment & retention, culture & belonging, learning & development, and community engagement & impact.

Lewis earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Alabama, and an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Portugal.

Connect with Roderick at:
Email: rlewis@wfu.edu
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewisrod/
Student Appointments: Click here to book a 30 minute meeting

Anti-DEI Legislations: Impacts on Higher Ed and Corporate (Comparative Analysis)
Roderick Lewis conducted a comparative analysis titled “Anti-DEI Legislations: Impacts on Higher Ed and Corporate,” posted on the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) message board in 2024. His research highlights the risks of anti-DEI legislation, including the rollback of critical DEI programs in higher education and undermining inclusive workplaces in the corporate sector. Roderick advocates for compliant inclusive excellence initiatives that ensure community members feel a sense of belonging, well-being, and engagement. His work provides guidance for advancing DEI initiatives in a complex legislative environment.

Keynote Address: Implementing DEI in the Growing Environment of Anti-DEI Legislation in Higher Education Institutions

Presentation to NCACE Leadership Institute: Using Design Thinking to Navigate Anti-DEI Legislation
Roderick Lewis, Executive Director of Global Inclusion & Community Impact at Wake Forest University School of Business, presented at the 2024 North Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers (NCACE) Leadership Institute annual conference on the topic of navigating anti-DEI legislation. He discussed using Design Thinking to develop inclusive, legally compliant activities in career centers. Roderick emphasized empathizing with student needs, defining problems clearly, ideating innovative solutions, prototyping inclusive programs, and testing them for compliance and effectiveness. He also highlighted the importance of using broad definitions of diversity, such as geographic and economic diversity, to ensure inclusivity within legal constraints while supporting student success and well-being.

Panel Discussion on Financial and Wellness Equity for Black Americans at Allegacy Federal Credit Union
In a panel discussion hosted by the Sankofa Employee Resource Group at Allegacy Federal Credit Union, Roderick Lewis, Executive Director of Global Inclusion & Community Impact at Wake Forest School of Business, joined local thought leaders to discuss the health and wealth gap experienced by Black Americans. Roderick emphasized the importance of education, financial literacy, and minority representation in executive leadership. He highlighted statistics on financial inequities and discussed the role of institutions in DEI initiatives. Roderick also introduced the “Anti-Racism & Gender Equality Scorecard,” developed to evaluate and improve DEI practices within organizations.