Teresita Alvarez-Cortez
Associate Vice President, Inclusive Excellence
[email protected]
Teresita Alvarez-Cortez serves as Oregon State University’s Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, where she leads the Office of Institutional Diversity. In this role, she is responsible for advancing institutional strategy to achieve inclusive excellence across the university. She provides consultation to leaders, leads university groups and strategic initiatives, and guides institutional policy and practice. Teresita oversees a dynamic team that leads university-wide and external initiatives in learning and development, signature programs, bias response, community care, access efforts and outreach pathways.
With more than two decades of experience in diversity, equity, and student success roles, Teresita has served in student life, multicultural affairs, housing and dining, student care and outreach programs across both community college and university settings. Her work centers on creating strategic partnerships to advance equity and belonging for all students, staff, and faculty, and especially those from historically minoritized communities. Her research interests include higher education and inclusive excellence leadership, adult learning, and organizational change.
Teresita is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Adult and Higher Education at Oregon State University. she earned her Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Iowa State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Chicano Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Originally from Carson, California, Teresita is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and the first in her family to graduate from college. Teresita now makes her home in Corvallis with her husband, Marcos, and daughter, Mayeli.
Temmecha is an OSU alumna, graduating in 2004 with her bachelor's degree in philosophy. She holds a master’s degree in business communication from Jones University and recently completed the Race, Equity and Leadership in Schools certificate at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Temmecha also currently serves on the leadership team of the OSU Black Alumni and Friends Network.
Miguel Arellano Sanchez
Director of University Inititives and Outreach
[email protected]
Miguel Arellano Sanchez serves as the director of University Initiatives and Outreach, where he provides consultation, leadership, and support for university-wide initiatives that advance OSU’s commitment to inclusive excellence. He directs the university’s Bias Response Team and oversees signature programming within the Office of Institutional Diversity, ensuring alignment with the university’s strategic goals and values.
Serving as a strategic liaison between OID and partners across academic and administrative units, Miguel consults and advises on policies and practices informed by institutional data, stakeholder feedback, and best practices in inclusive excellence. He leads high-priority special projects, develops partnerships and coordinates strategic communications to elevate OSU’s visibility as a leader in inclusive excellence.
Miguel has held multiple roles across various functional areas in higher education. Miguel is also nearing completion of his second master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and has provided individual counseling services in community health settings, and was a 2025 fellow of the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program. He currently serves as board for Farmworker Housing Development Corporation and has served on the board for DevNW, both affordable housing and community development non-profit organization.
Carina M. Buzo Tipton, Ph.D.
Director of Learning and Development
Carina Buzo Tipton currently serves as the Director of Learning and Development. In this role, Carina sustains educational partnerships with Faculty Affairs, Academic Affairs, the Center for Teaching and Learning, University Human Resources, the Division of Student Affairs, the Division of Extension and Engagement and other university entities. Carina also supports the Dialogue Facilitation Lab professional learning experience for faculty, staff, and graduate employees, as well as Leading Change for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, our diversity leadership program.
Dr. Buzo Tipton's research critically engages the structures of higher education and carceral systems as possible sites for socially just change. She analyzes the ways that institutions on a systematic level are experienced by people on an individual level.
Her dissertation, “Curandera Feminism: Tracing the Possibilities of Healing Institutional Harm”, weaves together familial knowledge, traditional healing practices, and trauma informed feminist pedagogies to integrate the impacts of institutional harm while creating pathways towards futures of accountability and healing. Her published works reaches across many topics including: sexual assault education and consent work, carceral institutional critique, trauma informed pedagogies, Chicanx/Latine gender and sexuality, and student development.
Carina has called OSU her home institution since 2013. During her tenure at OSU, she completed her master’s degree in College Student Services Administration, her PhD in Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, she teaches in the Graduate Certificate in College & University Teaching, and has worked in University & Housing Services, and (what is now) Community Engagement & Leadership. Carina lives in the community with her husband, son, and sister.
