Bates College
Leana E. Amáez
December 21, 2022
Bates College hires new vice president for equity and inclusion
Bates College President Clayton Spencer has hired a new vice president for equity and inclusion to advocate for underrepresented populations.
Leana E. Amáez will begin the position on Feb. 27. In her role as vice president for equity and inclusion at Bates, Amáez will be responsible for developing and implementing a framework for diversity and inclusion in collaboration with partners across campus. She will lead the college-wide approach to equity and inclusion in partnership with key stakeholders across the community.
Amáez comes to Bates College from Simply Business, a Boston-based insurance provider where she served since February 2021 as the company’s first global leader for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She has more than 15 years of experience in the industry, government, nonprofit sector and higher education.
Before Simply Business, Amáez worked for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, and Bowdoin College, supporting DEI efforts and programs. Earlier in her career, Amáez was a criminal defense attorney in the Bronx, N.Y.
Originally from New York, Amáez earned a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies from Wesleyan University and a law degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
“I am thrilled to welcome Leana to Bates to lead our work in equity and inclusion — work that is central to our mission and the success and well-being of every member of our community,” said Spencer. “Leana comes to this role with 15 years of experience in equity and inclusion work across a range of organizations, and she brings first-hand knowledge of life and work in a residential liberal arts college. She is known for a leadership style that combines strategy, structure, and relationship building, qualities that will be invaluable as we continue to strive for sustainable progress toward greater equity and inclusiveness at Bates.”
Speaking about her work philosophy, Amáez said, “Driven in large part by anti-racism movements, there is now a growing awareness that to remedy the systemic barriers that prevent some community members from thriving and that prohibit institutions from realizing their full promise, institutional investment in systemic solutions is necessary, required and right.
“Equity and inclusion is not a destination that we reach and then pass over on our way to something else good and desirable, but a core value that guides and shapes everything we do and everything we say we are.”
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