UR's Chief Information Officer Honored Nationally for DEI Efforts

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — Keith “Mac” McIntosh, University of Richmond’s vice president for information services and chief information officer, has received the 2022 EDUCAUSE DEI Leadership Award.

EDUCAUSE is a national nonprofit focused on advancing higher education through the use of information technology. The DEI Leadership Award honors individuals who display an exemplary commitment in promoting and advancing DEI efforts within the IT profession, at their institutions, and beyond.

Soon after his arrival at the University of Richmond in 2016, McIntosh created a DEI committee within the Information Services division and began facilitating weekly cross-cultural conversations, dubbed “Intersections.” The group was immediately impactful and expanded to include students, faculty, and staff across campus in its second year. The Intersections group has served as a model and spawned other similar discussion groups.

“We should recognize our biases and understand how they influence us. We should also develop our cross-cultural intelligence so we can foster an inclusive community,” said McIntosh. “Intersections is a brave space for anyone to delve into topics with a spirit of learning and understanding, to share and express our beliefs and thoughts, and to learn about our own biases and how they impact our understanding of and interactions with others. I am grateful to each person who participates, and I learn so much each week.”

McIntosh came to higher education after a long career in the U.S. Air Force. Before UR, he worked at Ithaca College where he created a Diversity Standing Committee to address biases within the college’s IT team.

“As a leading voice for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Mac has made significant contributions to the IT profession and has successfully leveraged his leadership position to advance DEI efforts at his institutions, to raise awareness of biases, and to lead critical conversations within the community,” a write-up about the award noted.

McIntosh was the inaugural recipient of the EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award in 2011. He received an ORBIE Award in 2020 for demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.

###