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Our mission

At Mount Saint Mary’s University, we are committed to inclusive excellence in all forms and for all people. In doing so, we honor and remain steeped in the tradition of our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. We continue to work for the common good whereby we promote a culture of care and belonging.

Our mission is to foster a community where everyone can flourish and reach their full potential.

The Bernadette Gonzaque Robert Center for Inclusive Excellence provides strategic programs, services, resources and leadership guidance in support of the Mount’s 100-year commitment to building a more inclusive institution.

We envision a University where inclusive excellence:

• Fosters a shared sense of belonging with the understanding that all perspectives enrich the quality of our learning, scholarship, leadership and service.
• Is fully integrated as a core institutional value that informs thinking, practices, policies and accountability.
• Enriches our community through care for the whole person.
• Ensures that every person has the right to resources needed for full development, participation and flourishing.

Meet our team

Krishauna Hines-Gaither, PhD
Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships

Krishauna Hines-Gaither, PhD, is the inaugural Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles. At the start of 2022, she relocated from North Carolina to Los Angeles to assume her role. Hines-Gaither holds a bachelor’s degree from Salem College, a women's college in North Carolina, a master’s degree in Spanish education from Wake Forest University and a PhD in cultural studies from UNC-Greensboro.

For almost 20 years, Hines-Gaither was a college professor of Spanish; she also taught courses in Cultural Studies. She served as the first Director of Inclusiveness at Salem College. Thereafter, she served as the inaugural Associate Vice President overseeing Inclusive Excellence at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, and later as their Interim Vice President. At Guilford, she spearheaded many campus initiatives, increased strategic partnerships, and was appointed by the President to co-lead their campus efforts to increase enrollment. Her team's work received national awards.

Hines-Gaither is the owner of Hines-Gaither Consulting, LLC, which offers dynamic, engaging and results-driven consultation on a range of topics and across disciplines and business sectors. Her work for inclusion has been recognized locally and nationally. Honoring her commitment to inclusion, Hines-Gaither was named a Voice for Change by Spectrum News, Woman of the Year by the LA County Commission for Women and received the Trailblazer Hall of Fame award from the Black Women's Collective Empowerment Institute. She currently serves on the professional advisory committee for the Los Angeles Police Department.  She is the 2026 President of ACTFL, the first African American woman to lead the organization.

Arely Acuña, PhD 
Center for Inclusive Excellence Director

Arely Acuña, PhD, is the Mariette Sawchuk Director of the Bernadette Gonzaque Robert Center for Inclusive Excellence. She is an active higher education practitioner-scholar with experience fostering environments that welcome and embrace antiracism. Her expertise centers on asset-based approaches that contribute to minoritized college students’ experiences, retention and persistence toward graduation. Arely also teaches and engages in scholarship related to student development, and campus racial climate. Her experiences as a first-generation college student, Spanglish speaker, and immigrant from Mexico shape and contribute to her mission within the educational pipeline. Arely is excited to serve in a steering role to continue to build an antiracist campus at the Mount. Central to this effort is creating inclusive environments for everyone in the campus community to feel safe, welcomed, valued, and respected.  

Arely received her Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy with a concentration in Higher Education from the University of Southern California (USC). She also holds a master's degree in Student Affairs from UCLA, and a bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine. 

Contact us

For any questions or inquiries about the Center for Inclusive Excellence, please contact us.