John Armendariz will become Quinnipiac’s new Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, beginning in June 2025. The news was announced in an email from President Judy Olian on Tuesday afternoon. 

Armendariz has two decades of experience directing inclusive excellence programs. He served as an Associate Director of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Worklife at Yale University for five years. He then served as the Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion at Northeastern University for nine years. Currently, Armendariz serves as a Global Inclusion and Diversity Consultant at Starbucks. 

“We are delighted to welcome John back into the higher education sector. He will lead the eight-person team in our Office of Inclusive Excellence, continuing our strategic focus on IE through campus-wide programming for faculty, students, staff and alumni, our speaker series, and cultural events,” President Olian wrote in an email to the University. 

Armendariz earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Texas, San Antonio, his Master of Arts in Education at the University of Texas, Austin, and his Doctor of Education degree at Johnson and Wales University. He will serve on the Management Committee for Quinnipiac University and report directly to the President. 

David Fryson, the Interim Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, has served in the role since January 2024. The President expressed her appreciation for the work of the search committee, chaired by Chief Experience Officer Tom Ellett. 

“Please join me in expressing sincere gratitude to David and a warm welcome to John, our newest member of the Bobcat family,” President Olian wrote in the email.