Alaina Macaulay

Assistant Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and Leadership

Alaina M. T. Macaulay (she/her/they/them) previously served as the Senior Director for Inclusion and Strategic Engagement at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Within Macaulay’s scope of work, she was responsible for developing, executing, and supporting institutional engagement initiatives that center inclusion which include the University Employee Resource Groups, the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Collaborative, the Black Advisory Council and Native Advisory Council, Campus Engagement Fund, and large programming which engages the UMass and Western Massachusetts community. 

Macaulay previously served as Executive Director for Diversity and Inclusion in the Isenberg School of Management where they chaired the Isenberg DEI committee as well as a taskforce for the Dean’s priorities, launched a student DEI council, and advised the Advancement for Diversity in Business student organization. Alaina was heavily involved in the planning of Isenberg’s Inaugural Inclusive Leadership Summit and grand opening of the Suit Shop in Fall 2019.

Prior to her work in Isenberg, Alaina was the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Elms College. In that role, she created and chaired the institutional diversity committee, opened the first multicultural designated affinity space, developed student affinity groups, organized the schools inaugural Black Experience (formerly Issues) Summit and other programs, all while working closely with students as a success coach and advocate.

Alaina is currently finishing her PhD in higher education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Previously, she attended Western Illinois University where she was a Division I student-athlete receiving both a BS and MS in Exercise Science and Sport Management, respectfully. During her time at Western Illinois University, she co-founded and co-chaired WE (Women Empowering), a group for women student-athletes to build community, self-esteem and inclusive spaces. She lives her passion and works to mentor others along her journey.

During their career, Alaina has led workshops and presentations nationally and internationally on the importance of inclusive excellence. Alaina has served on the boards of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, Girls Inc. of the Valley, the Holyoke Community College Foundation, and the Chester Theatre Company and was named BusinessWest Forty Under 40 class of 2022 for her work.

In her free time, Alaina enjoys traveling, gardening, painting and spending time with her spouse, 3 children and dog.