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Division of Inclusive Excellence California State University, Sacramento

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Meet the Interim Chief Diversity Officer for Inclusive Excellence

michael_nguyen_headshot_ap_web_9.22-1-copy.jpgDr. Michael V. Nguyen

Dr. Michael V. Nguyen is a distinguished cross-cultural psychologist specializing in organizational and cultural transformation. He currently serves as the Interim Chief Diversity Officer at Sacramento State University, where he leads initiatives to cultivate inclusive environments.

Dr. Nguyen has an extensive background in developing strategic solutions across various sectors including higher education, healthcare, technology, and law, focusing on creating sustainable, impactful results. His approach emphasizes people, systems, structures, policy, accountability, and sustainability, making his culture strategy work comprehensive and effective.

Dr. Nguyen's Work

Previously, Dr. Nguyen held significant roles at Sacramento State as the Associate Vice President of Inclusive Excellence and Executive Director of the Office for Cultural Transformation. Before this, he was the Director of Academic Assessment at California Polytechnic State University. Additionally, Dr. Nguyen headed the inaugural Office of Research and Assessment in Student Affairs at California State University, San Bernardino. He was also a former faculty at the University of Southern California as well as the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Dr. Nguyen is also the creator of a unique framework for cultural analysis and transformation:

  1. Culturally Grounded: This involves conducting in-depth analyses of an organization's microcultures and demographics to reveal aspects of the culture that may be previously unknown. This process is crucial for senior leadership and informs the design of solutions, ensuring they are authentically aligned with the organization's unique context.
  2. Human-Centered: Dr. Nguyen focuses on enhancing culture for those who need it most. By building solutions with these groups, he ensures that their voices and needs are central to his strategy. This approach also encompasses his commitment to doing things WITH people, not TO them, emphasizing collaboration over product imposition.
  3. AI-Enhanced: Dr. Nguyen leverages AI for strategic assessments and measurements, providing organizations with insightful, data-informed solutions. His goal is to empower individuals by actively engaging them throughout the entire cultural transformation process, fostering a collaborative environment for sustainable change.

With a consulting reach that spans the globe, Dr. Nguyen has partnered with clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies in countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Vietnam. His innovative and impactful use of cultural assessments as well as his human-centered and data-informed strategies have established him as a leader in creating inclusive environments.

A committed scholar and advocate, Dr. Nguyen completed his PhD at Emory University, where he was an Emory Global Health Institute Scholar. He has been honored with the President’s Fellowship at Pitzer College and the Distinguished Research Award from the University of California. Dr. Nguyen’s dedication to educational and cultural transformation is evident in his research, teaching, and implementation of strategic initiatives.