Energetic, Authentic, and Inviting are how colleagues, students, community members and workshop participants would describe Taryn Petryk’s style of engaging with others.  Taryn is passionate about creating intentional spaces for individuals to explore their own identity development and has a gentle way of challenging others to  “dig deep” to reflect on how their own identity, family background and personal experiences effect their perception of power, privilege and social structures that exist in our society.  Grounded in storytelling, Taryn models the art of empathy and vulnerability in sharing her personal journey around the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, body size and gender, amongst many others. 

With 17 years of progressive experience, Taryn has worked in a number of capacities in higher education including diversity and inclusion, intergroup dialogue, first year experience and residence education. Her background has provided a foundation for Taryn to be a resource in areas such as training facilitators and leadership in the theory and practice of intergroup dialogue, teaching for inclusive facilitation in the classroom, strategies for developing and supervising a cohesive, inclusive team of individuals working towards a common goal. Currently, Taryn serves as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan where she engages with faculty, staff and students to  move forward Ross’s 5 year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.  Taryn developed her passion and commitment for engaging individuals across identity differences while working with The Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR) where she was responsible for teaching courses, overseeing research teams, and training students, staff and faculty on issues of social inequality, inequity, bystander intervention and intergroup relations.   In addition, throughout her career, Taryn has developed and facilitated consultations and trainings for executive leadership, staff and faculty at institutions across the country in areas such as designing dialogue programs, developing facilitator skills and creating organizational change that are grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion.
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Taryn received a B.S. in Interpersonal Communications with a minor in psychology from Eastern Michigan University and a M.S. in Education with a concentration in College Student Affairs from Eastern Illinois University.

​Pronouns: She/Her/Hers