Doctoral Candidate Brochure: Daniel Diaz Nilsson
Doctoral Dissertation Defense
of
Daniel Diaz Nilsson
For the Degree of
Doctor of Education
Interprofessional Leadership
Becoming and Being CDO: A Narrative Inquiry of Latine Chief Diversity Officers’ Pathways and Professional Growth in Higher Education
June 25, 2026
10:30 a.m.
Becoming and Being CDO: A Narrative Inquiry of Latine Chief Diversity Officers’ Pathways and Professional Growth in Higher Education
Latine professionals remain significantly underrepresented in executive higher education leadership, even as the college-going population grows more diverse. Between 2016 and 2021, only 2.8% of college CEOs were Hispanic women. Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) are tasked with translating institutional values into equity practice, yet Latine representation among these leaders does not reflect the growing presence of Latine students on campus.
This narrative inquiry study examined the academic and professional pathways of five Latine-identifying Chief Diversity Officers in U.S. higher education, exploring the experiences that shaped their paths to the CDO role and the strategies they use to build and sustain professional growth. Grounded in social constructivism and Latinx Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), the study employed semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic framework, adapted to the methodological commitments of narrative inquiry.
Findings reveal that CDO preparation emerged from unexpected sources, not merely formal credentials, but from political consciousness-raising, immigrant epistemologies, intersectional identity navigation, and unsanctioned learning spaces that institutions neither recognize nor resource. The study contributes theoretical extensions to LatCrit scholarship—particularly regarding intersectional formation, relational racialization, and the diversity of Latine identity—and offers implications for aspiring CDOs, current practitioners, and the institutions that employ them.
About the Candidate
Daniel Diaz Nilsson (he/him/él)
M.Ed., Student Affairs Administration
The State University of New York at Buffalo, 2005
B.A., Social Sciences Interdisciplinary: Early Childhood
The State University of New York at Buffalo, 2004
Daniel Diaz Nilsson is a first-generation Latine high school and college graduate and strategic equity leader with more than two decades of experience in higher education. He currently serves as Chief Research & Impact Officer at College Now, where his work focuses on aligning research and evaluation with program impact, advancing best practices in postsecondary advising and student success, and shaping innovative approaches that keep College Now at the forefront of the field. In this role, he is guiding the establishment and growth of College Now’s new Center of Excellence, designed to strengthen education pathways for students, families, and communities across Northeast Ohio and beyond.
Prior to joining College Now, Daniel served as Assistant Dean for Access & Engagement in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at Kent State University, where he provided transformational leadership through strategic planning, change management, and policy development to promote access, belonging, and broad representation. A skilled facilitator, grant writer, and community builder, he had secured over $1.5M in grant funding, presented at national conferences including NADOHE, NCORE, NASPA, and ACPA, and chaired both the Ohio Latino Affairs Summit and Ohio Latino Education Summit.
Daniel serves on the Conservancy for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Board of Directors and as Board President of Proyecto RAÍCES. Grounded in LatCrit theory, narrative inquiry, and social constructivism, his doctoral research centers the voices and lived experiences of Latine-identifying Chief Diversity Officers as sources of scholarly and institutional knowledge. His work and life are driven by a commitment to leading with love and “reaching back and pulling up,” creating visible pathways for the next generation of Latine leaders in education.
Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Director
Tricia Niesz, Ph.D., (she/her)
Professor
School of Foundations, Leadership, and Administration
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Members
Astrid Sambolín Morales Ph.D., (she/her/ella)
Assistant Professor
School of Foundations, Leadership, and Administration
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Francisco L. Torres, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
Assistant Professor
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Lisa D. Givan- CDE®, CP-HIL™, (she/her)
Vice President of Culture, Community and Impact
Indiana Tech University
Graduate Faculty Representative
David Dees, Ph.D., (he/him)
Associate Professor
School of Foundations, Leadership, and Administration
College of Education, Health and Human Services