Grand Council Announces Strategic Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Appointees

INDIANAPOLIS - The Grand Council is proud to announce the more than 60 appointed members of the Strategic Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and it's three subcommittees.

In the formation of this critical committee, Venerable Grand Prytanis James Hickey, Ph.D. has named Grand Grammateus Ryan Vescio to serve as Chairman of the Strategic Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and its three subcommittees.

Frater Hickey is proud to appoint more than 60 men to represent our diverse membership.

Chaired by Grand Grammateus, Ryan Vescio (Rho-Omega, South Carolina), the DEI Committee will be made up of a committee with three subcommittees. These committees are the DEI Subcommittee on History, Traditions and Education, the DEI Subcommittee on Social Engagement, and the DEI Subcommittee on Recruitment and Retention.

For more about these Fraters and the committes on which they serve, please visit TKE.org/Equality.

The following alumni have been selected to serve on the overall DEI Committee:

• Kevin Bradley, Lambda-Pi ‘78
• Dennis Fish, Esq., Xi ‘97
• Eric Ratinoff, Xi ‘89
• Edwin Robinson, Theta-Nu ‘95
• Randy Sabbogh, Nu-Pi ‘79
• Tyler Salley, Mu-Upsilon ‘11
• Dr. Christopher Torres, Zeta-Kappa ‘08
• Col. George Torres (Ret.), Epsilon-Eta ‘76
• Dr. Steven Yacovelli, Rho-Psi ‘00

Recognizing the importance of the input of our current collegiate Fraters, the following collegiates have also been selected to serve on the overall DEI Committee:

• Dominic Gillette, Delta-Zeta
• Ajay Patel, Gamma-Theta
• Jacob Rhymes, Beta-Zeta
• Joseph Shepherd, Upsilon-Delta
• Michael Weaver, Epsilon-Upsilon
• Damon Veras, Gamma-Theta

This subcommittee will be focused on reviewing and highlighting TKE’s History and Traditions of inclusion, and how we can showcase our legacy. Further, this subcommittee will make recommendations on how we can integrate our history and traditions within providing DEI education for the members of TKE.

The following alumni have been selected to serve on the DEI Subcommittee on History, Traditions and Education:

• Ayooluwa Adebisi, Omicron-Nu ‘15
• Dr. Eddie Chapman, Sigma-Alpha ‘08
• Thomas Cruz, Upsilon-Xi ‘08
• Dr. Christopher Dienl, Tau-Omega ‘06
• Salavdor Espino, Alpha-Alpha ‘08
• Dr. Levi Harrell, Epsilon-Sigma ‘09
• Gregory Halloran, Sigma-Gamma ‘11
• Kobina Intsiful, Zeta-Zeta ‘10
• Steven Jones, Delta ‘70
• Joe E. Moss, Theta-Eta ‘89
• Richard Lowrey, Mu-Omega ‘79
• Dr. Mecael Yuan, Epsilon-Xi ‘96

The following collegiates have been selected to serve on the DEI Subcommittee on History, Traditions and Education:

• Calvin Rizzo, Beta-Epsilon
• Dante McClain, Tau-Zeta
• Kabir Dhillon, Upsilon-Psi
• Andrew Foley, Xi-Omega

This subcommittee will be focused on discussing and recommending whether TKE should become involved in the engagement of social issues. This engagement could be focused internally amongst our members, or externally on issues within society. This group will discuss which societal issues exist that the Fraternity could positively impact, how best to do so, and make recommendations to the DEI committee on action to take.

The following alumni have been selected to serve on the DEI Subcommittee on Social Engagement:

• Col. Humberto Buitrago (Ret.), Mu-Omega ‘80
• Timothy Clegg, Beta-Omega ‘95
• Joseph Domosh, Theta-Zeta ‘82
• Michael Gill-Branton, Mu-Upsilon ‘94
• Jonathan Kerry, Mu-Zeta ‘08
• Victor Rodriguez, Sigma-Alpha ‘11
• Com. Christopher Sherry, Theta-Pi ‘94
• Raymond Simeon, TKE Colony 794 ‘06
• Michael Steele, Rho-Alpha ‘99
• David Towne, Esq., Omega ‘94

The following collegiates have been selected to serve on the DEI Subcommittee on Social Engagement:

• Zachary Heller, Lambda
• Puneet Dusari, Alpha-Eta
• Jose Caisbanda, Kappa-Eta
• Chandler Waelder, Zeta-Pi
• Oscal Barillas, Delta-Epsilon
• Jeffrey Winchester, Theta-Iota

This subcommittee will be focused on how we can enhance our recruiting efforts to attract additional members of every background, a pillar within our Fraternity. This includes recruiting collegiate men, along with identifying and recruiting alumni from diverse backgrounds as volunteers. This group will discuss and make recommendations on how we further improve retention and engagement of members of all backgrounds.

The following alumni have been selected to serve on the DEI Subcommittee on Recruitment and Retention:

• Rashawn Armstron, Pi-Omicron ‘02
• Daniel Barrow, Alpha-Pi ‘05
• Dr. Rene Cintron, Iota-Upsilon ‘95
• Mazen Hammoud, Rho-Tau ‘16
• Abel Kassa, Epsilon-Alpha ‘14
• David Mendoza, Pi-Eta ‘78
• Joseph D. Moss, Iota-Upsilon ‘98
• Benjamin Rieth, Sigma-Xi ‘14
• Dylan Santalo, Gamma-Theta ‘16
• G. Spence, Beta-Beta ‘87
• Omar Williams, Xi-Iota ‘14
• William Takewell, Iota-Theta ‘07

The following collegiates have been selected to serve on the DEI Subcommittee on Recruitment and Retention:

• Abdul Bangura, Mu-Zeta
• Jeffrey Dingess, Upsilon-Delta
• Kobe Wilson, Delta-Epsilon
• Zachary Woodbeck, Epsilon

For more about these Fraters and the committes on which they serve, please visit TKE.org/Equality.