Chris Woods

Name pronunciation: krIs wUdz  |  Pronouns: he/him/his

Chris Woods is the senior director of inclusive policy and director of the NYU LGBTQ+ Center. He serves as the primary point of contact for inclusive policies, practices, and initiatives for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff, in addition to leading the strategy, vision, and day-to-day management of the LGBTQ+ Center. Additionally, he collaborates with University partners and across OGI leadership on inclusive policy development and operational work to advance the University's core mission in support of global inclusion, diversity, belonging, equity, and access (GIDBEA).

Chris has over a decade of professional experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion work in higher education, including a focus on LGBTQ+ center work. Prior to this role, Chris served as the associate director of multicultural affairs and LGBTQ+ outreach at Columbia University and as the program administrator for the NYU LGBTQ+ Center. His scholarly and professional contributions include peer-reviewed publications and national talks on topics such as queer and trans people of color; racial justice and intersectionality; the experiences of marginalized and minoritized communities with sexual violence on college campuses; and the intersections of faith, race, and sexuality. Additionally, Chris is a former board co-chair and racial justice chair for the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. Chris received his Bachelor of Arts in English and Religious Studies from NYU and his Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Sociology of Education at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.