
Chris Hinesley
Associate Director (he/they)
He/They
Chris’ writing and research centers on transgender and queer students, the coming out process, gender transition, and gender-affirming care, policies, and practices. As a member of the NSF-funded AdvanceRIT project, he served on the team researching the lived experiences of women of color faculty, and the impact of the combination of race and gender in higher education. Chris is co-author of Promising Policies and Practices for Supporting Trans and Nonbinary People in Postsecondary Education and What’s the big deal with pronouns? His forthcoming book is titled Mattering: Showing up with love when it really counts from Unsung Voices Books.
For much of Chris’ career, he has provided education and led training both within and outside university settings. Chris has regularly guest lectured on gender-affirming care in healthcare and mental health settings. He delivers Safe Zone and Operationalizing Inclusion training for professionals in higher education, medical and mental health care, athletics, and for K-12 school districts. He shows audiences how to effectively respond to micro-aggressions and builds awareness around the experiences of overlooked LGBTQIA+ groups.
Using data and examples, he prepares participants for active allyship, facilitating concrete strategy-building to remove barriers and create new supports for marginalized groups. He creates a warm and welcoming space for audiences to explore the intersections and ways in which categories like gender, sexuality, racial identity, neurodiversity, disability, deafness, and indigeneity impact our lived experiences. For example, by recognizing the ways in which racism when combined with misogyny amplifies negative effects on individuals, participants can evaluate systems and policies for ways to better protect every member of our community. He empowers audiences to apply supportive practices and policies to advance the and structural environment for marginalized students, employees, and family members.
Chris earned his Master’s in Wellness Management at Ball State University and a Doctorate of Education from St. John Fisher University. In 2020, Dr. Hinesley was awarded the Isaac L. Jordan Sr. Staff Pluralism Award for staff excellence, an award which recognizes and affirms RITs collective aspiration toward a community that celebrates differences and allows individuals to develop to their fullest potential.
Chris is excited to be joining the BU community as a proud member, resource, and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community of faculty and staff.