Marilyn Ortega, PhD

ACTIVE MEMBER • Assistant Director of Belonging and Strategic Initiatives

Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine 

Dept Page

maortega@vt.edu

As a social innovator in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, I am dedicated to advancing transdisciplinary research that fosters holistic well-being. Holding a Doctorate in American Studies from the University of Kansas, my work is grounded in experiential knowledge and situated within Women of Color Feminisms, Critical Trauma Studies, and Critical Prisons Studies. My expertise in grassroots transformative justice and abolition work profoundly shapes my approach to strategizing solutions for complex challenges in higher education. 

In my role as Assistant Director of Belonging and Strategic Initiatives, I engage evidence-based strategies to cultivate expansive and dynamic coalitions. In addition, I am committed to developing community-driven initiatives, such as the Collective Innovations Lab (CIL), a dynamic platform for collaborative learning and innovation at VMCVM. My work aligns with the Whole Health Consortium’s mission by advancing healing-centered frameworks that transform holistic health and well-being on a collective level