We are pleased to announce that Dr. Karl Reid will be joining Northeastern University as Senior Vice Provost and Chief Inclusion Officer on April 19, 2021. As Senior Vice Provost and Chief Inclusion Officer, Karl will lead the development of the vision for and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in support of Northeastern’s strategic plan. He will serve as a catalyst towards promoting a culture of inclusion and creating a learning and working environment where all members of the university community have an opportunity to succeed. This is a cabinet-level position and will join the university leadership in its regular discussions.

In addition to his cabinet-level appointment, Karl will also hold the title of Professor of the Practice in the Graduate School of Education in the College of Professional Studies.

Karl comes to Northeastern from the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where he has held the position of Executive Director since 2014. In this capacity, he leads the operations of the NSBE World Headquarters team and oversees relations with 22,000 members from around the world and more than 60 global strategic partners. He was responsible for the development and execution of NSBE’s 2025 strategic plan and co-founded the 50k Coalition, a national effort to produce 50,000 diverse engineering graduates annually.

Prior to his work at NSBE, Karl served as the Senior Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Member College Engagement at the United Negro College Fund where he managed new program development, research, and capacity building for the organization’s 37 historically black colleges and universities and established a $25 million grant program. He also spent 10 years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in roles of progressive responsibility, leaving as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education, Director of the Office of Minority Education and Assistant to the Chancellor for Diversity. He also taught “Race, Identity, and Academic Achievement,” a freshman seminar at MIT and he is a long-time advocate for increasing college access for low-income and minority students. He has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and his book, “Working Smarter, Not Just Harder: Three Sensible Strategies for Succeeding in College…and Life” has become a staple for first-year students at many colleges and universities.

Karl holds an Ed.D. from Harvard University, and earned both his Masters and Bachelors in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT. He is a certified Diversity Professional and a certified workshop trainer for Emotional Intelligence and Diversity. He serves on the Advisory Council for the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Committee on Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women of Color in Tech for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. He is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education, the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives, and the American Society of Civil Engineers Industry Leaders Council.

Please join us in welcoming Karl to Northeastern University.

Sincerely,

Joseph E. Aoun
President

David Madigan
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs