Caroline Laguerre-Brown is the Principal and CEO of Designing Equity, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in higher education. She offers comprehensive support to national associations, post-secondary institutions, and corporations, leveraging her seasoned expertise as a lawyer with deep knowledge in diversity, inclusion, and institutional compliance. Caroline's extensive experience includes leading the design and implementation of policies, educational programs, and risk management strategies for global organizations, focusing on a wide range of anti-discrimination laws. She has specialized expertise in sexual harassment policy, prevention, and compliance management. As an experienced facilitator and trainer, Caroline addresses various workplace discrimination and diversity issues, including unconscious bias and anti-racism training. She plays a key role in assisting senior leaders with strategic communications to manage crises and mitigate reputational damage.
Previously, Caroline was the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement at George Washington University (GW) in Washington, D.C. Her responsibilities encompassed overseeing departments that serve 26,000 students, including the Title IX/Sexual Assault Prevention office, the Multicultural Student Services Center, GW’s Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, and the Office of Disability Support Services. Joining GW in August 2016, she led a significant review and overhaul of the university’s sexual harassment/assault policy and spearheaded the university’s first comprehensive diversity program review.
Before her tenure at GW, Caroline was the Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer at Johns Hopkins University, where she introduced the university’s first sexual harassment prevention training initiative, implemented unconscious bias training for faculty search committees, initiated a Race in America speaker series, and co-developed a faculty diversity program.
Currently, Caroline is active on several boards and committees. She serves as the First Vice Chair for the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) and teaches at NADOHE’s Standards of Professional Practice Institute, preparing and coaching future chief diversity officers. Caroline is also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Union Theological Seminary, as a charter committee member of the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, and as an advisory board member for the George Washington University Online High School.