Vijay Pendakur

Dr. Vijay Pendakur is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in driving diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across various sectors.

His expertise lies in crafting evidence-based strategies to promote organizational equity and measurable return on investment for DEI efforts.

Vijay is known for his role in leading teams, fostering alliances, and empowering frontline staff to advance equity agendas.

Apart from his organizational development work, he is a prolific writer with publications in academic journals, magazines, and books, focusing on practical applications of theoretical frameworks.

Vijay is recognized as a thought leader, keynote speaker, and panelist in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Curriculum Studies from DePaul University, an M.A. in American History from the University of California, San Diego, and a B.A. in American History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with studies in East Asian Studies at Kansai Gaidai University.

Throughout his career, Vijay has held key positions such as Vice President - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at VMware, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Zynga, and Presidential Advisor on Diversity and Equity at Cornell University.

His previous roles also include serving as an Advisory Committee Member on the Director's Working Group on Diversity at The National Institutes of Health, Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean Of Students at Cornell University, Associate Vice President at California State University, Fullerton, and various roles at DePaul University and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Vijay Pendakur brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion, making significant contributions to the advancement of equitable practices in organizations.