Evelyn A. Ontaneda is passionate about social justice and building anti–racist organizational cultures that value and practice racial equity, diversity, and inclusion to achieve greater social justice and organizational success. With 15 years of experience working in the university, corporate, and education, criminal justice and racial economic justice nonprofit sectors, she is an experienced leader with an extensive background in organizational development and change management, centering racial equity, inclusion, healing and restorative justice in talent management, staff development, conflict resolution, and organizational culture building. Evelyn’s approach to organizational development is deeply informed by her identity as a Latinx, first–generation American and college student learning to be successful in white dominant culture. She applies her personal learning—and unlearning—to embed new practices in organizational development that center humanity, equity, and inclusion.
Evelyn graduated from Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development. She holds a Master of Science in Organizational Change Management from the Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy at The New School. She has also been trained by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond and the Interaction Institute for Social Change. As a certified yoga teacher she also brings mindfulness, meditation, and body awareness to her practice.