Richmond Wynn transitioning from chief diversity officer to VP of Community Engagement and Partnerships

Jeanne Gilbert, Editor-in-Chief

April 17, 2024

The University of North Florida announced Wednesday that Richmond Wynn will transition from chief diversity officer to vice president of the newly formed Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships.

UNF announced in January that it would begin phasing out the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. President Moez Limayem ensured no staff members would lose their jobs at UNF because of the closures. Instead, he said they would be assigned to work in other departments with the same salary or higher.

According to UNF, Wynn will lead this department in connecting businesses and community organizations with UNF to expand resources like research experiences, student internships, and mentoring programs. It will also work with other UNF departments to promote on-campus community engagement activities.

“Richmond is a highly respected member of the Jacksonville community, making him the ideal person to lead this effort,” Limayem said. “UNF plays a critical role in our region, and there is tremendous opportunity to have an even greater impact.”

UNF said expanding its partnerships in the community is a top priority outlined in the 2023-28 Strategic Plan, and Wynn will work to continue the university’s role of providing talent to Jacksonville area employers.

“Community engagement is a key focus of our Strategic Plan, and I am confident that under Richmond’s leadership, UNF will remain a strong leader in Jacksonville, bringing people together to collaborate, innovate and solve problems,” Limayem said.

Dr. Richmond Wynn sits in front of his desk in the Counseling Center. (Darvin Nelson)

“I am excited about leading this important aspect of our strategic plan to help UNF fulfill its commitment to our campus and to the greater Jacksonville community,” said Wynn.

Currently an associate professor of public health, Wynn began his career at UNF in 2000 and has held several roles since, including director of the Counseling Center.

Before receiving his doctorate in counselor education from the University of Florida, Wynn got his bachelor’s in sociology from UF and a master’s in health from UNF, specializing in addiction and mental health counseling.

Wynn will officially begin his new role as vice president of Community Engagement and Partnerships on April 29.

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For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact editor@unfspinnaker.com.

About the Contributors

Jeanne Gilbert

Jeanne Gilbert is a sophomore majoring in public relations at the University of North Florida. She joined Spinnaker in the summer of 2023 as a volunteer and served as its editor-in-chief during spring and summer of 2024. After graduating, Jeanne plans to continue in the newsroom or work in public relations.

Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter

In grade school, mystery books were the only kind of books I could tolerate. While my peers were reading The Fault in Our Stars, I either had my nose in a Nancy Drew novel or was in the middle of a chapter in Encyclopedia Brown. There was something about the characters' ability to investigate a situation that I was envious of. So naturally, as I grew up, I gravitated to the idea of working in a student news environment.

Fresh out of high school, during Summer B 2019, I googled if UNF had a student news organization. That's how I found Spinnaker, a warm nook in the Student Union with a welcoming staff. I started volunteering immediately. Since then, I've navigated almost half of the positions in the news department and learned tremendously from each.

I'm a photography major, so for me, combining photography and writing has been a successful recipe for informing others through effective journalism. Although there are challenges here and there that most journalists face, my curious mind keeps bringing me back to journalism, a truly alluring craft.

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