Staff Bios

ELIZABETH PATHY SALETT, MSW: President

Drawing on her experience working in diverse communities in the United States and internationally, Liz founded the National MultiCultural Institute (NMCI) in 1983. Her goal has been to create a society that is strengthened and empowered by its diversity and to enable people with different perspectives, belief systems and life experiences to find common ground and common purpose.

Born in Budapest, she grew up in Alexandria, Egypt and came to the United States as a teenager. She was an early participant in the Peace Corps in Venezuela and as Brazil Desk Officer in Washington, DC; she worked in the anti-poverty program in Washington, DC; directed a statewide health care and family planning project in New Jersey; and worked as a clinical social worker and family therapist in Columbia, MD.

Liz has a B.A. from Wellesley College, an M.A. in International Education from Columbia University, Teachers' College, a Certificate from the University of Paris in Economics and Sociology and an M.S.W. in Clinical Social Work from the University of Maryland. She has lived, worked and traveled extensively in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

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MARIA MORUKIAN, MA: Executive Director

Maria’s combined expertise in organizational development and cross-cultural communication provides guidance to organizations in the implementation of diversity and cultural competence initiatives.  She works with diversity councils and executive leaders to develop strategic plans for embedding diversity practices into their organizational culture, designs and delivers customized training programs to build knowledge and skills for working effectively across differences. 

Maria is the co-author of one of NMCI’s newest publications, Designing and Implementing a Diversity Initiative: A Guide for Organizational Culture Change, and has written articles for several professional publications, including "Under One Roof: Managing Across Generations and Cultures," for NASPA's Leadership Exchange, an association for student affairs administrators in higher education. 

Prior to joining NMCI, Maria was the Director of Office Operations for Foreign Reports, Inc., a private international consulting firm in D.C.  Maria earned her M.A. in International Communication from American University, and a dual B.A. in Organizational Studies and Spanish from the University of Michigan.  She studied at the Instituto Superior de Relaciones Internactionales in Havana, Cuba, as well at Saint Louis University in Madrid, Spain.  She also earned her TESOL certificate to teach English as a second language from Oxford House College in Barcelona, Spain. 

Maria currently serves as an adjunct faculty at George Washington University’s School of International Education, teaching graduate courses on Designing Cross-Cultural Training Programs.  She serves as the Co-Executive Coordinator for the D.C. Chapter of the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR-DC), and is an active member in the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).

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EVELYN P. BOYER, PhD: Senior Associate

Dr. Boyer’s areas of specialty are Change Management, Diversity, and Business Ethics. A strong facilitator, speaker, and researcher, Dr. Boyer’s original curriculum designs, including diagnostic and inventory instruments, interactive activities, lecture materials, and organizational studies have been requested by a number of major U.S. corporations and government agencies. Dr. Boyer’s organizational culture and change consultations and research activities provide creative and innovative solutions for clients.

Evelyn brings to this position over twenty years of experience in all facets of organizational development. As co-founder of an educational and health care firm in 1979, Dr. Boyer served as Executive Vice President and oversaw hundreds of contracts in direct health care services and organizational consulting. Dr. Boyer was EVP of this organization for seventeen years, before starting her own firm in 1996. A licensed psychologist, Dr. Boyer maintains a small psychology practice, and brings a behavioral and systems perspective to her organizational work.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Howard University, a Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology from Howard University. She is the author of the articles "Value Clarification as an Approach to Moral Development," and "Ethics and Diversity: A Correlation Enhanced Through Corporate Communication," which was published in the March 1992 issue of IEEE Transactions.

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AUDREY MAY: Director of Finance and Operations

As Director of Finance and Operations, Audrey is responsible for the financial management of the organization: maintaining financial goals and planning, performing accounting activities, preparing financial statements, and assisting the President in the preparation of the annual budget. Ms. May brings to NMCI over ten years of experience as a corporate accountant as well as several years as a social worker. She earned her B.A. from Goucher College, an M.S.W. from University of Pennsylvania and a Certificate in Accounting from University of Virginia. In a continuing effort to combine her social work interests with her accounting skills, Audrey's free time is spent providing accounting support to a hospice organization.

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MANNY BRANDT: Lead Trainer

Manny designs, develops and conducts organizational diversity initiatives for a wide range of clients. He facilitates training and interactive technical assistance to promote diversity awareness and cultural competence. Mr. Brandt also works with diversity councils to facilitate strategic planning and change management. He is a regular presenter for training of trainers workshops at NMCI's twice annual conferences. In addition to diversity training, his areas of expertise include systems planning, community organizing, and substance abuse. In his previous position, Mr. Brandt served as the Director of Prevention Systems Planning and Development for Circle, Inc., and coordinated the strategic planning component of the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Training System. He has a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Iowa.

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EVA YOUNG, MS: Senior Associate

Ms. Young is an Organizational Development (OD) Practitioner who works independently and in                                                 collaboration with management consulting firms to design and deliver strategic interventions. Ms. Young provides technical assistance, small and large group interventions, facilitation and training in areas such as: Leadership Development, Managing Diversity, Retreat Facilitation, Team Training and Development, Anti-Racist and Anti-Homophobic Work, Community Capacity Building, Train the Trainers, and Cultural Competency.

Ms. Young has provided consultation to profit and non-profit companies interested in creating productive, inclusive and culturally effective workplaces. She values a participatory and appreciative approach to planned change; she helps organizations assess their readiness for change through   cultural audits. Ms. Young engages small and large groups in individual and collective learning processes with a commitment to action.

Ms. Young has a Masters in Social and Organizational Learning from George Mason University, and she is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) Community Fellows. Some of the clients Ms. Young has worked with independently or in collaboration with other consultants include: Monsanto, SodexhoUSA, National Parks Conservation Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the Fairfax County Public Schools, Texaco, District of Columbia Public Schools, The National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York State Health Department AIDS Institute, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Montgomery County Health Department, and the United Nations.

Ms. Young’s sample publications include Spirit of Diversity (SodexhoUSA, 2004); Diabetes: La Comunidad en Acción (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000); Hispanic Latino Leadership Institute (Center for Substance Prevention, 1993); and Women United in Action/Mujeres Unidas en Acción: A Popular Education Process (Harvard Educational Review, 1990).

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KELLY REID, MSc. : Program Manager

Kelly Reid serves as Program Manager with NMCI’s Organizational Training and Consulting team. In this capacity she manages client development, collaborates in conference planning and supports the design and delivery of diversity trainings and initiatives.

Ms. Reid graduated from the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in Political Science and holds a Master’s degree in Gender from the London School of Economics. She developed a keen awareness and interest in issues surrounding diversity and multiculturalism through her work in refugee resettlement and international development.  

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NATHANIEL THOMAS, MSA: Program Manager

Nathaniel Thomas serves as Program Manager with NMCI’s Organizational Training and Consulting team. In this capacity he manages client development, collaborates in conference planning, and supports the design and delivery of diversity trainings and initiatives.

Prior to joining the program management staff of NMCI, Mr. Thomas served as a public school high school teacher and was Director of Planning and Program Development for Community Teachers Institute, Inc. Mr. Thomas has a strong background in strategic planning, group dynamics training, and has designed professional development institutes on cultural competency for the past five years.

Mr. Thomas is a graduate of Hampton University with a B.A. in Political Science and holds a Master of Science in Administration degree from Trinity University.

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