Kayla M. Gross is the Assistant Director of the Organizational Disparities Laboratory (ODL), a new research laboratory at Michigan State University translating research into action and creating innovative solutions that advance organizational equity. The ODL illuminates and disrupts organizational disparities - the differences and dissimilarities in the experiences among individuals in an organization such as a workplace, professional association, or school - through interdisciplinary research, cutting-edge workshops and learning experiences, the production and dissemination of useful tools and resources, and innovative partnerships. Prior to joining Michigan State, Gross served as the Inclusion Program Manager for the Department of Computer Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, responsible for increasing and improving the enrollment, retention and experiences of women+ in the department. The effort was funded by a multi-year grant from the Center for Inclusive Computing. She also held an appointment in Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory, an international leader in research conceptually rooted in frameworks of equity and inclusion focused on pathways to and experiences in the workforce.Gross's dedication to advancing and improving the experiences of women in the workplace is driven by her early work experiences in the male-centric world of college sports. Gross previously served as the Director of Beyond Football for Oregon State University and as Community Relations Coordinator for the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department. In both roles, she was responsible for creating and implementing a strategic vision and innovative programming to develop the personal and professional competencies of student-athletes.
Listed skills include Social Media, Public Relations, Event Planning, Public Speaking, and 33 others.
