Susan Baida
Inaugural Executive Director, Collaboratory Against Hate
2023, 2024
Susan Baida, a diversity, equity and inclusion leader in Pittsburgh, joined Carnegie Mellon University this fall as the inaugural executive director of the Collaboratory Against Hate, a joint effort between CMU and University of Pittsburgh.
The center aims to “develop and support innovative multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and cross-university research aimed at understanding how extremist hate is generated, how it circulates in online and real-life spaces, and how it polarizes society and provokes harmful and illegal acts, especially toward communities of color and other minoritized groups.”
In her new role, Baida will work with leadership to build multidisciplinary research, foster growth and manage daily operations.
Before joining CMU, Baida worked as the director of the Center for Engagement and Inclusion at UPMC, where she developed and implemented diversity and inclusion strategy for their 40+ hospitals and clinics. She also co-founded and acted as president of the healthcare technology startup eCareDiary, Inc., which addressed “the comprehensive needs of family caregivers caring for aging adults.”
Baida has also served in executive roles for Fortune 500 companies, which include Avon, Estée Lauder Companies and Starwood Hotels. She currently sits on the board of directors for the Women’s Center & Shelter of Pittsburgh, La Promesa Foundation and Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) Pittsburgh.
My network of professionals working on countering hate in all its forms grew exponentially after attending Eradicate Hate in 2021. The myriad voices represented at Eradicate Hate, from big tech companies to academic researchers to those with lived experience, reinforced to me the importance of cross-cutting and collaborative approaches to counter hate and its devastating impacts on society. I’ve been fortunate to sustain and build those networks with many of those I met at Eradicate Hate in 2021.
