Summary of remarks

Starting as a tenure-track faculty member, with no prior experience with INFORMS, made me feel as if I was a little behind in comparison to my peers, particularly since leaving industry and joining academia was a significant shift in my career path.

I believe it was Julie who introduced me to MIF. MIF served as a safe space to ease my transition into the broader academic community. It provided a means for me to connect with people who look like me while I was still trying to navigate how to be successful in this environment. MIF became my community and one of the things I looked forward to each year when I attended INFORMS. It provided the opportunity for me to grow my professional network and make long-lasting friendships, while giving back in the form of service to my community. Service is in my DNA, so participating in MIF was a natural fit for me and an easy way to get to know people. Julie did not hesitate to ask me to get involved, taking on roles such as creating MIF-sponsored sessions, serving as vice-president, president, and chairing the first-ever MIF paper competition.

Through MIF, I have had the opportunity to meet many people and connect with the larger INFORMS community. MIF served as the catalyst from which all other INFORMS connections were made. I have many great memories and experiences from being a part of MIF. In closing, I appreciate the opportunity to be recognized as a fellow. I appreciate the opportunity to connect with many of you through MIF. I look forward to the continued growth and success of MIF for the next generation.

The MIF has always stood for something profoundly important — the belief that excellence and inclusiveness go hand in hand. It has been a space where people from all backgrounds can see themselves, contribute their ideas, and find belonging in the broader INFORMS family.

Today, that mission matters more than ever. We are living in times when the very notion of diversity — once celebrated as a source of strength — has, in some circles, been unfairly and even cynically satanized.

Let us be clear: there is nothing divisive about seeking to include, empower, and respect one another. There is nothing wrong with opening doors that have been too long closed. And there is nothing political about wanting our profession to reflect the society it aims to serve.

When diversity is dismissed or distorted, we all lose — not only those who are excluded, but also the field itself, which thrives on the breadth of ideas, experiences, and perspectives that diversity brings.

MIF reminds us that inclusiveness is not an ideology — it is a professional and moral principle. It’s about fairness, respect, and intellectual vitality. It’s about ensuring that the next generation of students and practitioners can see a place for themselves here and feel empowered to contribute fully.

So, as I accept this honor, I do so with gratitude to my mentors, my students, and my colleagues who have shown what community looks like when it is generous, open, and kind. And I do so with renewed commitment: to help MIF continue to be a principled, inclusive, and welcoming forum, one that invites everyone who believes in a richer, stronger, and more active INFORMS community.

Thank you to the Minority Issues Forum, and thank you to all who keep the spirit of inclusion alive — not as a slogan, but as a way of building a better profession and a better world.