Meet Cloe Liparini, Duke Engineering’s New Executive Director of DEIC

You spent quite a few years at Duke already before taking a similar position to this at UNC. What brings you back to Duke?

My first chapter at Duke was incredibly formative in my professional journey, and I have always appreciated the university’s commitment to fostering innovative ideas and supporting their growth.

At Duke, I found that with a well-thought-out plan and data to back it up, there was real room to be creative, community-centered and impactful. My work has consistently centered around inclusion, community and belonging, whether at Duke, UNC, or the University of Global Health Equity.

What particularly drew me back to Duke and to this position at the Pratt School of Engineering was the strong alignment with my values. Pratt’s commitment to service, innovation, community engagement and DEIC really stood out to me.

This role presents a unique opportunity to leverage my skills and experience while contributing to Pratt’s forward-thinking initiatives in a meaningful way. I see this position as a perfect match for both my professional goals and personal values, and I’m excited by the potential to make a lasting impact here.

Your resume in DEIC-related roles is extensive! Can you describe a little bit about how you got started in this area, and what about DEIC leadership roles keeps you coming back to them?

My inclusion and belonging journey began with my early experiences as a five-year-old moving to the US, where I navigated a new culture, language and the feelings of being “othered.” While I didn’t have the language to fully understand it at the time, this was the foundation of my early awareness. Over time, as my environments became more diverse, my academic, service and professional experiences deepened my self-awareness, empathy, and understanding of how to listen deeply and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.

Before entering higher education, I worked extensively in NGO and non-profit sectors, always focusing on ensuring that marginalized communities had a place “at the table.” As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, Peace Corps Volunteer and International Development Fellow, I led projects aimed at including the most underserved populations. My work spanned integration and advocacy efforts for recent immigrants and refugees, youth engagement in post-apartheid Namibia, and women peacebuilders in the Caucasus. These early initiatives in youth development, peacebuilding, cultural competency and dialogue were foundational to my DEIC work.

My passion for education led me to transition into higher education, where I could bring these experiences to the classroom and beyond. I joined Duke, where I led training and programming at the International House.

Later, I merged my service and social change commitments within higher education through DukeEngage, focusing on student training and development. After moving abroad with my family, I ran the Sanford School of Public Policy’s Duke in Geneva program, and worked with the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, where I focused on inclusive leadership through teaching, training and program management.

“When the opportunity to lead DEIC efforts at the Pratt School of Engineering became available, I was eager to join. The leadership’s commitment to inclusion, community and belonging, paired with a culture of innovation and community engagement, made Pratt an ideal fit for my experience and, more importantly, my values. I am thrilled to continue this important work at Pratt, and feel really privileged to be here.”

Cloe Liparini
Executive Director of DEIC, Duke Engineering

After returning to Durham, I led the education and training team at UNC-CH’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, where I developed a diverse training portfolio, designed dialogic programs, and coached faculty and senior administrators on equity-focused and policy advocacy. When the opportunity to lead DEIC efforts at Pratt became available, I was eager to join.

The leadership’s commitment to inclusion, community and belonging, paired with a culture of innovation and community engagement, made Pratt an ideal fit for my experience and, more importantly, my values. I am thrilled to continue this important work at Pratt and feel really privileged to be here.

What about Pratt’s DEIC program do you hope to build out as you begin your role?

Pratt’s DEIC work has a strong foundation, and I’m impressed by the commitment to fostering inclusion, equity, ethics and community engagement. One exciting opportunity for growth is in further embedding DEIC principles across all aspects of the Pratt community—especially in the integration of these principles into curriculum design, faculty and staff development, and student engagement.

While there’s already significant work being done, I believe that strengthening cross-departmental collaboration and creating more robust opportunities for ongoing dialogue across all levels of the school will help build a more inclusive culture.

In the next year or two, I would love to focus on amplifying these efforts by developing more comprehensive training and professional development programs, fostering a deeper culture of shared learning, and helping to ensure that DEIC initiatives are not siloed but woven into the everyday experience at Pratt.

I also hope to collaborate with students, staff, faculty and community partners to create sustainable and actionable strategies that continue to elevate Pratt’s commitment to DEIC in impactful and measurable ways.

What message would you like to send to the Pratt Community as you begin your role?

I want to emphasize my deep commitment to collaboration, listening and learning from the diverse voices that make up the Pratt community.

I truly believe that every member of the community—whether students, faculty or staff—has something valuable to contribute to the ongoing work of inclusion and belonging. My approach will always be grounded in creating spaces where people feel heard, valued and empowered to bring their full selves to the table.

So please, be a part of my onboarding experience, and let’s grab a coffee and chat!

When folks take you up on your offer to grab a coffee and chat, what are some things outside of work and DEIC that they can talk with you about?

Traveling has been a huge part of my life—I’ve lived in six countries and traveled to over 30. I’m passionate about art, so I love exploring the museums, galleries and cultural landmarks wherever we go. My husband, on the other hand, will stop at every historic marker we pass!

I’m a native Italian speaker and conversational in Spanish and French. Finally, I love to bake with my 17-year-old, who keeps me laughing and humble.

In addition to my professional work, I serve as the board chair of Generation Rise, a Rwandan-based NGO that focuses on empowering young women in rural communities. The organization works with women ages 16-18, training them in leadership development and entrepreneurial skills.

It’s an incredibly rewarding role, and I adore that it was founded by a favorite former student of mine.