Fort Lewis College has hired Farmington-based candidate Christine A. Nelson as its new diversity affairs vice president and special adviser on tribal relations.
Heather Shotton previously filled the role before beginning her tenure as Fort Lewis College’s 11th president July 1. Behavioral Intervention Team Chair Kendra Gallegos Reichlehas took over in an interim capacity during the college’s search for a replacement. Nelson officially steps into the role July 15.
“Dr. Nelson(’s) scholarly expertise, executive leadership experience, and deep understanding of how institutions can better serve students will help us strengthen Fort Lewis College as a place where all students feel supported and empowered,” Shotton said in a Wednesday news release.
Nelson, who holds a master’s and doctoral degrees in higher education from the University of Arizona, Tucson, most recently worked as an associate professor and department chair at the University of Denver’s Morgridge College of Education.
Nelson is a citizen of K’awaika (Laguna Pueblo) and Diné/Navajo (enrolled). She designed and facilitated a four-part, yearlong professional development series for Fort Lewis College in the 2023-24 academic year as a visiting scholar focused on reconciliation, the release said.
In the role, Nelson will lead the Division of Diversity Affairs, support the College’s 2025 to 2030 strategic plan and take lead on efforts related to reconciliation, student success and belonging, and tribal nation partnerships, the release said.
Nelson said Indigenous knowledge systems supply campus communities with valuable frameworks.
“These ways of knowing are grounded in relationships, responsibility, and care for the collective,” she said. “They help institutions become more human-centered and responsive, which ultimately strengthens learning and working environments for all people.”
She described her work involving examining the operations of higher education, including its policies, leadership and practices, and investigating whether those operations support or limit a student’s ability to thrive.
“My work is about ensuring that institutions are structured to support meaningful, empowering experiences for everyone who comes through their doors,” she said in the release.
epond@durangoherald.com
