Meyani Montano

Meyani Montano (she/her/ella) serves as the Director for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging overseeing the Office of Student Engagement & Belonging. As a proud Latina, her passions align with restorative justice practices, fostering a sense of belonging, and facilitating transformative dialogue. She aims to cultivate student leadership in the most motivating, engaging, and sustainable ways possible! She serves as the committee chair for the Bias Incident Response Team and the Cardinal Safe Zone program. She also spearheads the Sankofa Experience program and recently established the Latinx & Hispanic Staff & Faculty Network. 

She started her career here at North Central as the Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs in June 2022 after working at the Casa Latina Cultural Center at Western Illinois University where she received her Bachelor's degree in Law Enforcement & Justice Administration and Master’s degree in Public Safety Administration. During her time at WIU, Meyani discovered her passion for higher education and student affairs. After founding a social justice student organization rooted in dialogue, being involved in the Latin American Student Organization, and serving as a Fraternity and Sorority Life intern, she decided to change career paths and pursue a career in higher education.