Profile for Dina Zavala

Brief biography

Dina Zavala, Ph.D. is the interim Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. In her role, she provides leadership to the campus community on initiatives related to access, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Dr. Zavala's research focuses on rural feminism through the lenses of theory in the flesh, Freire’s social emancipatory theory, and Mestiza consciousness. She uses testimonio as the method of inquiry and product through which invisible voices are braided and re-braided as a symbolic way to construct and deconstruct narratives, terms, and journeys.

Her North Star is to create belonging spaces that cultivate purpose for historically excluded communities where they can transcend injustice and embody the “Both-And” practice of embracing contradictions in order to enhance healing.

Dr. Zavala is a DEI consultant, educator, and trainer. She serves on the Women of Greater La Crosse and the La Crosse Community Foundation boards. She was recently named one of Wisconsin's Most Influential Latinx Leaders and was awarded the Educational Opportunity Achievers Award (EOA).