Meet the Team
Rhona Little Diversity and Inclusion Specialist
Ms. Little provides direct support to university community members and has a significant role in the implementation of the university’s vision and strategic plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Within the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Ms. Little’s responsibilities include developing and leading inclusive trainings for students and employees, collaborating with campus partners to implement DEI best practices, overseeing the Undergraduate Diversity Advisory Board, coordinating Loyola's Safe Zone program, and planning university-wide events, such as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Convocation.
Ms. Little also serves as a Title IX Intake Officer, Sister to Sister Mentor, Restorative Practices Facilitator, and member of the Mental Health Taskforce and the President's Council for Equity and Inclusion.
Ms. Little's greatest passion is to help people feel seen, heard, and valued. She is a proud alumna of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Health Administration and Policy, and the University of Maryland College Park, where she earned her Master of Public Health in Community and Behavioral Health.
Ms. Little also serves as a Title IX Intake Officer, Sister to Sister Mentor, Restorative Practices Facilitator, and member of the Mental Health Taskforce and the President's Council for Equity and Inclusion.
Ms. Little's greatest passion is to help people feel seen, heard, and valued. She is a proud alumna of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Health Administration and Policy, and the University of Maryland College Park, where she earned her Master of Public Health in Community and Behavioral Health.
Rodney L. Parker, Ph.D. Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer
Rodney L. Parker, Ph.D., is the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Loyola University Maryland. In this position, Dr. Parker leads the University in stewarding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and actualizing the mission of the University.
His career background includes serving as the Director of ALANA (African, Latino, Asian, Native American) Services at Loyola University Maryland for 14.5 years, providing support to and enhancing retention efforts for multicultural students. His combined interests in diversity, inclusion, intercultural engagement, and the overall well-being of students have made him an integral part of Loyola University Maryland community for nearly 20 years.
In 2019, Parker joined the academic affairs division as the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies. His primary responsibility as Assistant Dean was working with first-year and second-year students on academic acclimation and success. In addition, he completed a three-year term as the chairperson for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) Conference on Diversity and Equity in 2016. His professional experience combined with his research interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion serves as motivation for the work that he does at his University.
Dr. Parker holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from N.C. State University, M.Div. and Th.M from Duke University, and Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University Maryland. He is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the State of Maryland.
Read Dr. Parker's message to the Loyola community to open the new academic year.
His career background includes serving as the Director of ALANA (African, Latino, Asian, Native American) Services at Loyola University Maryland for 14.5 years, providing support to and enhancing retention efforts for multicultural students. His combined interests in diversity, inclusion, intercultural engagement, and the overall well-being of students have made him an integral part of Loyola University Maryland community for nearly 20 years.
In 2019, Parker joined the academic affairs division as the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies. His primary responsibility as Assistant Dean was working with first-year and second-year students on academic acclimation and success. In addition, he completed a three-year term as the chairperson for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) Conference on Diversity and Equity in 2016. His professional experience combined with his research interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion serves as motivation for the work that he does at his University.
Dr. Parker holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from N.C. State University, M.Div. and Th.M from Duke University, and Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University Maryland. He is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the State of Maryland.
Read Dr. Parker's message to the Loyola community to open the new academic year.