Nora Spencer has been named the new director of the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center at Vanderbilt, a year after she joined Vanderbilt as the director of the first full-time office to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex community at Vanderbilt University. The appointment is effective July 1.

In addition to her new responsibilities, Spencer will continue her leadership of the Office of LGBTQI Life, Provost Richard McCarty said.

“Nora Spencer will bring focus, energy and the ability to form important partnerships between the women’s center and various parts of campus and beyond in the Nashville community,” McCarty said. “The women’s center is a tremendous resource on campus, and I am confident it will thrive under Nora’s leadership and vision.”

With Spencer’s appointment, the women’s center will move administratively under the Dean of Students Office, where the Office of LGBTQI Life is located. The women’s center will remain a separate entity focused on women’s and gender issues.

Spencer plans to create faculty and student advisory boards to help steer the direction of the women’s center.

“I am truly honored to serve Vanderbilt in this role and build upon the tenacious history of the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center,” Spencer said.

Spencer received a master’s in fine arts from the University of Florida with additional coursework in queer, feminist and race theory and cultural criticism. She came to Vanderbilt in June 2008 from the University of Florida, where she oversaw support services, programming, strategic planning, marketing and fundraising for LGBTQI affairs and served as a resource and advocate regarding LGBTQI issues for students, staff, faculty and alumni.

She also has held various related positions and been a leader in advocacy for women throughout the past decade at Creighton University, St. Norbert College, Planned Parenthood of Nebraska-Council Bluffs and elsewhere.

Spencer succeeds Linda Manning, who moved to Vanderbilt’s Center for Integrated Health last October. Pat Helland, assistant dean and director of strategic initiatives in the Dean of Student’s Office, has served as interim director.
   
The women’s center was established in 1978 and named in honor of Margaret Cuninggim, the last dean of women at Vanderbilt and the first woman to serve as dean of student services.
   
With programs and services open to students, faculty and staff, as well as interested members of the local community, the women’s center works to advance equity at Vanderbilt and in the larger community through advocacy, education and empowerment.

Contact:    Princine Lewis, (615) 322-NEWS
Princine.l.lewis@vanderbilt.edu