Our Office | Staff & Deputy Title IX Coordinators
Our Mission
MIT is committed to providing a working, living, and learning environment free from discrimination and discriminatory harassment for all community members including students, faculty, and staff. While preventing incidents is a community-wide responsibility, the Institute Discrimination and Harassment Response Office supports community members who have experienced harm to access available resources and reporting options.
In Spring 2020, our office, previously known as the Title IX & Bias Response (T9BR) office, became the Institute Discrimination and Harassment Response Office (IDHR). In addition to handling student concerns related to Title IX (including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other forms of discrimination) our office is also a central resource for the entire MIT community for concerns related to discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and bias. This centralization is part of an Institute-wide effort to streamline informal and formal complaint processes to ensure that a dedicated and well-trained team is available to address incidents and establish centrally tracked incident reports at MIT.
Institute Discrimination & Harassment Response Office Staff
Please note: Any student, faculty, or staff member who has concerns related to discrimination and/or harassment (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate-partner violence, and stalking) is encouraged to seek the assistance of the staff members listed below. They will provide information on resources for assistance and options to address concerns.
Learn more about IDHR Staff attended trainings and materials. Additionally, you can email idhr@mit.edu.
[Open Position] Administrative Assistant
Sarah Rankin
Director of IDHR & Institute Title IX Coordinator
Sarah Rankin is the Director of the IDHR Office and serves as the Institute Title IX Coordinator at MIT. She oversees the education, case management, and investigation branches of the office, develops policies and procedures, conducts trainings across the Institute, and manages compliance efforts. Formerly, she was the Director of Harvard University’s Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, where she coordinated a large peer education program focused on sexual assault prevention efforts. Sarah earned her master’s degree in Psychology from Western Washington University in 1996. Aside from her professional positions, Sarah brings her experience as a mother of a teenage daughter and son to the work of gender equity. In her free time, she watches far too much reality TV and is embarrassed at how much she knows about the Kardashians. To reach Sarah, email her at srankin@mit.edu or call (617) 324-7526. This is a non-emergency office number.
Nina N. Harris
Restorative Resolutions Coordinator
Nina Harris serves as the Restorative Resolution Coordinator in the IDHR Office. Nina facilitates adaptable resolution processes - such as facilitated dialogue, mediation, and restorative conferencing - as alternative resolution pathways to investigation/adjudication for addressing concerns of bias, discrimination, harassment, and misconduct based on protected classes. Bringing the lens of restorative practice, she works to expand opportunities for holistic solutions to individual and community harm beyond just disciplinary action.
An equity and violence prevention advocate, educator, and restorative justice practitioner with over twenty years of experience in higher education, administration, and student engagement, Nina has provided crisis and resource counseling for hundreds of survivors of gender-based interpersonal/sexual violence and identity-based harm and harassment. Her practice anchors around frameworks of anti-racism/anti-oppression, restorative/transformative justice, strength and resiliency building and trauma-informed praxis. Nina formerly held the roles of advocate, crisis counselor, program manager, educator and TIX/conduct case manager (for complainants and respondents) at Harvard University, Swarthmore College, and the University of Pennsylvania. To reach Nina, email nnharris@mit.edu.
Jamie Sinetar
Case Manager
Jamie serves as the Case Manager in the Institute Discrimination and Harassment Response Office. She strives to conduct intake interviews and manage cases so that all parties feel they have been treated with sensitivity, courtesy, and respect. Prior to joining the Institute in August 2015, Jamie worked for the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), where she was responsible for planning and executing large scale equity compliance reviews at numerous universities and served as a consultant on many Title IX investigations. During Jamie’s tenure at (OCR) she was recognized for her trauma-informed approach to investigations and use of focus groups to examine campus climate. To reach Jamie, email her at jsinetar@mit.edu.
Erin Farley
Education Specialist
Erin is the Education Specialist in the IDHR Office. She facilitates trainings for the MIT community on creating inclusive environments, MIT policies, reporting options, and other prevention education efforts. Prior to joining the IDHR team, Erin spent two years in the Greater Chicago area at Oakton Community College, where she worked in the Office of Access, Equity, and Diversity, planning educational programs and events. Erin holds a Master’s in Higher Education from Penn State University, where she spent five years working in the University’s Gender Equity Center, first as a graduate assistant and then as a full-time programming coordinator. In her work with the Gender Equity Center, Erin coordinated two peer education groups, developed a sexual assault prevention program for fraternity and sorority members, and facilitated trainings on Title IX, sexual violence, healthy relationships, and other gender equity topics. In her free time, Erin enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, cooking, and going to Zumba classes. To reach Erin, email her at ehfarley@mit.edu.
Simi Ogunsanwo
Education Specialist
Simi Ogunsanwo is an Education Specialist at IDHR. In her role, she engages in prevention efforts and facilitates IDHR trainings to the MIT community. These trainings cover topics from promoting inclusive environments to MIT policies and reporting options. Prior to joining IDHR, Simi was the administrative coordinator at Boston University’s Sexual Assault Response and Prevention center where she managed both response and prevention logistics. She also developed curriculum around healthy relationships and occasionally facilitated trainings to the BU undergraduate student population. Simi holds a Master of Public Health degree from the Boston University School of Public Health. To reach Simi, email soguns@mit.edu.
Moriah Silver
Manager of Investigations
Moriah serves as the Manager of Investigations for IDHR. She manages the investigation team which is charged with neutrally investigating formal complaints alleging that an MIT student, staff member, or faculty member engaged in discrimination or discriminatory harassment (including allegations of violations of the nondiscrimination policy, racist conduct, harassment based on a protected class, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, intimate partner violence, stalking, violence based on protected class, and retaliation). Moriah also conducts investigations and is, in general, the lead investigator for allegations that an MIT employee engaged in discrimination or discriminatory harassment. Prior to joining IDHR, Moriah was the Program Officer for Title IX and Professional Conduct at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Science. Before working in higher education, she worked as a prosecutor in California. Her legal and policy career include work at the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, the Victim Rights Law Center in Boston, and with the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women under the Obama Administration. Moriah holds a JD from Northeastern University School of Law and a Master in Public Health from Tufts University School of Medicine. Moriah loves watching procedural crime shows, spending time near any body of water, and snuggling with the nearest canine (which is usually her dogs Rohan and Shadowfax – yes, there is a Lord of the Rings theme). To reach Moriah, email her at mhsilver@mit.edu.
Justin Brogden
Investigator
Justin is an Investigator in the IDHR Office. He investigates complaints as a neutral party and provides a written report of his findings. Justin is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Oberlin College and holds a law degree from Boston College Law School. Previously, Justin served as a domestic violence shelter Advocate, a Homelessness Case Manager, and practiced child welfare law. Justin spends much of his free time being followed around by his annoying but lovable dog, Pia. To reach Justin, email him at jbrogden@mit.edu.
Courtney Wilson
Investigator
Courtney is an Investigator in the IDHR Office. She investigates complaints as a neutral party and provides a written report of her findings. Courtney is a Massachusetts native and earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. She practiced corporate law for many years, specializing in securities regulation and mergers and acquisitions. Courtney enjoys reading debut novels and watching hockey and lacrosse, and is a long-time member of the Head of the Charles Regatta’s Race Operations team. Email her at cawilson@mit.edu.
Vera Grbic
Communications Coordinator
Vera Grbic serves as the Communications Coordinator for IDHR where she strategizes outreach and promotes the office’s offerings to the MIT community. A communications professional of 10 years, Vera previously worked in government and non-profit sectors. She was with the Government of Canada for five years, including as a senior communications strategist with National Research Council Canada, the Government of Canada’s main research and technology organization. Vera also served as a publicist for two film festivals, including the renowned Toronto International Film Festival. Moving from Canada to the U.S., she was proud to join the Cambridge Women’s Center, fulfilling her long-time wish to uplift an organization that specializes in women’s empowerment and violence prevention; the experience at the Center especially prepared her for her role at IDHR. Vera earned her M.A. in Communication from Carleton University and B.A. in Communication and English Literature from the University of Ottawa. In her free time Vera is always ready to see a great art exhibit and film, or travel with friends. Email her at vgrbic@mit.edu.
Manasi Vaidya
Graduate Community Fellow
Deputy Title IX Coordinators
For concerns specifically related to gender-based discrimination (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking), there are additional, designated community members with whom you may feel more comfortable discussing your experience.
Deputy Title IX Coordinators are trained staff and faculty members who are knowledgeable about resources and reporting options available to students at MIT, specifically regarding concerns of gender-based discrimination. The Deputy Title IX Coordinators are available to receive reports alleging violations of the Institute's policy on sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other sexual misconduct (intimate partner violence and stalking).
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For Undergraduate and Graduate StudentsNaomi Carton |
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For Graduate Students & Office of the Vice ChancellorSuraiya Baluch |
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For StaffRaquel Irons |
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For the Office of the Vice President for Research |
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For FacultyElizabeth Lennox |
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For AthleticsJessica Rooney Gallagher |
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For School of Architecture and PlanningMartha Collins |
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For School of EngineeringCatherine Kim |
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For School of Humanities, Arts, Social SciencesMarc Jones |
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For Sloan School of ManagementJacob Cohen |
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For School of ScienceAnn E Warner-Harvey |
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For Lincoln LaboratoryFelicia Gauthier |
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For Schwarzman College of ComputingEileen Ng
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For Schwarzman College of ComputingDiane Ramirez-Riley |