Dr. Stigler is an intersectional Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) advocate dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to see themselves as agents for change. In 2018 she earned her Ph.D. with honors in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Kansas. As a queer person with an invisible disability, the work of equity and inclusion as a deeply personal pursuit.
Dr. Stigler brings more than a decade of experience writing, researching, and teaching about identity based oppression and structural inequality to her role as the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST). Before joining CHEST, she was the inaugural Director of the Community Equity Research Center at the Chinese American Service League where she oversaw the organization’s equity, advocacy, inclusion and anti-hate work. Dr. Stigler specializes in supporting organizations in the early stages of their DEI journey.
In addition to her role at CHEST, Dr. Stigler sits on the Board of Directors for the Kenneth Young Center and is an Associate Board member for The Network (a membership organization focused on eradicating gender based violence). When she’s not working (which is almost never) you can find Dr. Stigler scouring estate sales and antique malls in search of weird and unique items to add to the home she shares with her partner.