During her undergraduate experience, Natalie Gillard found that support for individuals from diverse backgrounds was rather limited. The latter ignited her desire to pursue diverse professional opportunities and a self-designed graduate study in Race and Ethnic Relations. Natalie has held various inclusion roles over her 14 year career, including Stevenson University's Assistant Vice President for Multicultural Experiences.
Natalie is the creator of FACTUALITY, a facilitated dialogue, crash course, and interactive experience, that simulates structural inequality in the United States. Over the last five years, Natalie has led virtual and in person FACTUALITY facilitations for over 40,000 people, around the globe.
FACTUALITY has supported the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at hundreds of multinational companies, universities, government agencies, and nonprofits (including Google, Twitter, American Express, Under Armour, Converse, Yale, Princeton, UCLA, Stanford, Boston University, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, New York City Department of Correction | Rikers, United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, American Heart Association and more).
FACTUALITY has been featured in Amazon Best Seller | The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table and Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore issue. Factuality is listed in the Kellogg Foundation's Racial and Equity Resource Guide and became an ice cream flavor through a partnership with social justice ice cream brand, Taharka Brothers.
Natalie is the creator of FACTUALITY, a facilitated dialogue, crash course, and interactive experience, that simulates structural inequality in the United States. Over the last five years, Natalie has led virtual and in person FACTUALITY facilitations for over 40,000 people, around the globe.
FACTUALITY has supported the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at hundreds of multinational companies, universities, government agencies, and nonprofits (including Google, Twitter, American Express, Under Armour, Converse, Yale, Princeton, UCLA, Stanford, Boston University, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, New York City Department of Correction | Rikers, United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, American Heart Association and more).
FACTUALITY has been featured in Amazon Best Seller | The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table and Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore issue. Factuality is listed in the Kellogg Foundation's Racial and Equity Resource Guide and became an ice cream flavor through a partnership with social justice ice cream brand, Taharka Brothers.
Natalie Gillard | Credentials
Education
Lesley University | Cambridge, MA
- M.A., Race and Ethnic Relations
- B.A., Legal Studies
Features, Recognitions, & Awards
- Let's Face the FACTS by Lasell University | 2021
- The Birth of FACTUALITY by Kham Owens & Lasell University | 2021
- Who is Natalie Gillard? by Kham Owens & Lasell University | 2021
- Featured on Intentional Conversations VodCast with Dr. Nika White | 2021
- Featured in Baltimore City's Office of Equity and Civil Rights Fair Housing's National Fair Housing Month Programing | 2021
- Featured in Baltimore City's Office of Equity and Civil Rights Fair Housing Webinar | 2020
- Featured in Amazon Best Seller | The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table | 2019
- Featured in Baltimore Magazine’s August/Best of Baltimore Issue | 2019
- Featured in The Baltimore Jewish Times | DFI Plays 'FACTUALITY' Game as Part of Diversity Training | 2019
- Taharka Brothers & Natalie Gillard created FACTUALITY, the ice cream flavor | debuted at Johns Hopkins | 2019
- Featured on #Secure the Seat: Women of Color Securing Their Seat at the Table | 2018
- Featured in BostonVoyager: Meet Trailblazer Natalie Gillard | 2018
- The Memo Presents: After 6: Career Conversations on Intersectionality | Panelist | 2018
- Featured in AFRO American Newspapers: Natalie Gillard Uses Her DIY Talents to Promote Inclusion | 2018
- Featured in Baltimore Magazine's Women of the World Festival Highlights | FACTUALITY | 2018
- Kellogg Foundation, Racial Equity Resource Guide | FACTUALITY | 2018
- Maryland College Personnel Association: Maryland State Chapter Showcase Representative | FACTUALITY | 2017
- Stevenson University | NRHH: Advisor of the Month | 2017
- Minority Access Inc.: National Role Model Administrator Award | 2015
- Notre Dame of Maryland University: Service Learning Faculty Award | 2014
Professional Experience
FACTUALITY® | Baltimore, MD
Creator & Facilitator | 2016-Current
- Created FACTUALITY, a comprehensive tool that serves as a crash course, facilitated dialogue, and board game, all in one, that rapidly disseminates facts pertaining to various tiers of structural inequality in America (in less than 90 minutes).
- FACTUALITY Facilitator: Engage participants in a simulated discussion that explores the areas of racial, gender, religious, faith, and sexual orientation discrimination, gender and racial pay gaps, redlining and gentrification, median income averages by race and gender, (mental) health disparities, prison and bail disparities, accessibility, education inequity, and intersectionality.
- FACTUALITY Baltimore models the original crash course with a focus on inequality in Baltimore City.
- Just the FACTS by FACTUALITY serves as the virtual equivalent of FACTUALITY the Game and captures COVID-19's implications for marginalized populations.
Stevenson University | Owings Mills, MD
Assistant Vice President, Multicultural Experience | 2016-2018
- Provide leadership focused on diversity and inclusion initiatives and implement programs for students, faculty, and staff that develop awareness of other cultures, beliefs, and practices, fostering positive discourse on the following: racial and ethnic identity, age, nationality, social and economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, political and ideological perspectives, and physical and mental ability.
- Title IX Investigator.
Notre Dame of Maryland University | Baltimore, MD
Adjunct Faculty | Sociology: Race, Class, & Gender | 2016
- Applied theoretical frameworks from sociology and criminology to the intersecting systems of race, class, and gender. Discussed the disparities in various social systems including health care, criminal justice, education, and the economy. Developed the critical thinking skills required to understand structural inequality & dismantle tension between different cultures.
Notre Dame of Maryland University | Baltimore, MD
Director of Student Leadership and Inclusion | 2012-2016
- Developed co-curricular opportunities that supported student retention through the planning and promotion of diversity initiatives, leadership development programs, and community service for a student body of 3000; over 200 events, programs, and service opportunities were offered to students, annually, through the the Office of Student Leadership and Inclusion.
- Coordinated the reinstatement of the Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Council; developed the vision, purpose, and charge.
- Facilitated inclusion trainings, programs, and lectures for various campus constituencies.
- Created a heritage month programming series, a racial dialogues series, and a Women’s History Month programming series.
- Participated in the Director on Call duty rotation, respond to crisis situations accordingly, provided oversight to the operations of the Honor Board, conducted investigations, and adjudicated conduct cases of all levels including Title IX.
Pine Manor College | Chestnut Hill, MA
Director of Student and Community Engagement | 2011-2012
- Facilitated a leadership workshop series that explored the areas of inclusivity/diversity, working effectively as a team, increasing self-confidence, conflict resolution, and career exploration.
- Directed the planning and coordination of various Pine Manor traditional events including the annual diversity celebration.
- Participated in the staff on-call rotation and responded to crisis situations accordingly. Managed the campus conduct process and adjudicated conduct cases of all levels.
Wheelock College | Boston, MA
Director of Student Leadership and Diversity Programs/Residence Director | 2010-2011
Coordinator for Student Leadership and Diversity Programs/Residence Director | 2007-2010
- Co-developed and advised the Student Diversity Advisory Council; the Council advised Wheelock’s Chief Diversity Officer and promoted an institutional commitment to diversity.
- Served on the President’s Council on Diversity; assisted the Council in implementing its strategic plan to advance inclusivity.
- Served as the general advisor to over 30 clubs/organizations including Class Councils, Campus Activities Board, Black Student Union, La Herencia Latina, Gay-Straight Alliance, Student Government Association, and African American, Latino, Asian, Native American Association (ALANA). Assisted with program planning and troubleshooting. Reviewed and approved all club/organization contracts and expenditures; maintained a programming budget of $150,000.
- Created a marketing and advertising plan that doubled ALANA’s monthly fundraiser proceeds. Received recognition from community organizations for fundraising efforts/contributions and created opportunities for internships/job placement.
Regional/National/International Presentations
Illinois Assocation for College Counseling: Virtual FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2021
She Runs It Multicultural Bootcamp: Virtual FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2021
Global Citizen Forum: Virtual FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2021
NAIS People of Color Conference: Virtual FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2020
The 2020 Maryland Family Engagement Summit Webinar Series: Virtual FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2020
46th Annual American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity: Virtual FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2020
Baltimore County Public Schools: Leadership Advance Conference: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
National Association of Social Workers: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019 | Participants received CEUs
Maryland Cultural Proficiency: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
Super ACAC Idea Institute Pre Conference Session: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
National Conference for College Women Student Leaders: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
69th Annual Jack & Jill Teen Conference: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
Lockheed Martin: Global Diversity & Inclusion Conference: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2018
Annual Biomedical Conference for Minority Students: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2018
Loyola University New Orleans Annual Feminist Festival: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
McDonogh School Sankofa Conference: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
10th Annual Southern California Sexual Health Summit: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2019
Maryland Cultural Proficiency: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2018
Games 4 Change Festival: FACTUALITY Talk & Facilitation | 2018
Women of the World Festival: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2018
The University of Arizona, Women of Color in Leadership: Panelist | 2018
American College Personnel Association (ACPA): FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2018
TEDx: Holistic Minimalism | 2018
District of Columbia College Personnel Association: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2017
Mid-Atlantic LGBTQA Conference: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2017
Maryland Cultural Proficiency: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2017
Maryland College Personnel Association: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2017
Culturally Responsive Teaching: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2016
Women of the World Festival: FACTUALITY Facilitation | 2016
Women of the World Festival: Is Feminism Failing Women of Color? | 2016
International Association for Human Caring Conference: FACTUALITY Poster Presentation | 2016
Maryland College Personnel Association: WOC (Women of Color) & The Workplace | 2016
NASPA: Turning Your Diversity Based Co-Curricular Interests into a Career | 2015
Minority Access Inc.: Tapping Our Strengths to Accelerate Diversity in Higher Education | 2015
NCORE: Ain’t I a Woman: Supporting African American Women in Higher Education | 2013