HWS News
26 August 2024 • Alums DeVaney ’95, P’21, P’23 Named Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
HWS announces the appointment of Chevanne DeVaney ’95, P’21, P’23 as Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
President Mark D. Gearan today announced the appointment of Chevanne DeVaney ’95, P’21, P’23 as Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. DeVaney brings deep experience in higher education having served for nearly a decade with the HWS Office of Intercultural Affairs, HEOP and International Student programs, and nine years as Director of Multicultural Affairs at Keuka College overseeing all campus-wide diversity and inclusion efforts. Currently the Executive Director of Alumni and Alumnae Relations at HWS, DeVaney begins her new responsibilities at the start of the academic year serving on the President's Senior Staff and leading the office.
“Chevy’s experience both at Hobart and William Smith and at Keuka makes her the ideal leader to guide and advance HWS’ commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive campus culture,” says Gearan. “She has done a remarkable job leading our alumni and alumnae relations efforts and developing meaningful connections among members of the HWS community. Her vision and dedication will be invaluable as we continue to foster an equitable and supportive environment for all members of our community.”
“I am honored to be able to serve my alma mater in this capacity,” says DeVaney. “I’m looking forward to working with the members of the Hobart and William Smith community, including our students, faculty and staff, and the Geneva community to forward our agenda around inclusion and belonging.”
DeVaney graduated from Hobart and William Smith in 1995 with a degree in English and holds a master's in higher education administration from the University at Buffalo. She worked for nearly a decade with the Hobart and William Smith Office of Intercultural Affairs, HEOP program and Office of Advancement, advising international students, developing cocurricular and leadership opportunities for international students and other underrepresented student groups, and stewarding alumni engagement.
In 2007, she became Director of Multicultural Affairs at Keuka College where she oversaw all diversity and inclusion efforts, chaired the President's Diversity Task Force, developed Keuka's Diversity Strategic Plan, created training programs, organized numerous multicultural events, and advised students. At Keuka, she served as a Title IX investigator and coordinated the Women's Center, the Gender Education and Advocacy Committee, and the LGBTQA+ Resource Center.
She returned to Hobart and William Smith in 2016 where she served as the Associate Director of Annual Giving. She was named Director of Alumni and Alumnae Relations in 2019 and Executive Director in 2023. In addition to her work as the primary liaison for the Hobart Alumni Association, the William Smith Alumnae Association and the broader HWS alumni community, she has overseen programs to support HWS volunteers, including the LGBTQIA+ Network, Afro Latino Alumni Association (ALAA), Class Correspondents, Veterans Committee, Greek Life and Reunion Volunteers, among others. She is a cofounder and former president of ALAA, helps coordinate the annual Multicultural Networking and Career Conference, sits on the Heron Society Board, and serves as the mentor for the HWS Posse 9 cohort.
In Geneva and the Finger Lakes, DeVaney is a board member at UR Medicine/Finger Lakes Health, Geneva Local Development Corporation, and Geneva's Martin Luther King Jr. Committee. She has been on the boards of the Geneva Music Festival, the Wyckoff Family Foundation, the Geneva Free Library and Rotary in both Geneva and Penn Yan. She is a former commissioner of the Geneva Housing Authority and the Geneva Human Rights Commission.
The appointment of DeVaney follows the resignation of Bill Woodson who served in the role since 2023.
