Karla Long, accountant in food science and human nutrition, is the recipient of the staff 2024 Inclusive Excellence Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. Her dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is evident through her work with the college and her department.
Long has been involved in the CALS Staff Council since its onset, approximately five years ago. She was the inaugural diversity, equity and inclusion officer for the council and was instrumental in establishing the diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging committee in 2021. As chair, she led the establishment of the committee’s objectives and fostered an environment of engagement within the council. She also serves on the college DEIB committee, representing staff.
Long has worked diligently to bring diversity issues to the forefront, even in the face of uncertainty over the past year. When a fully planned DEIB event had to be postponed due to an Iowa Board of Regents decision, Long worked with committee members to restructure the ideas and is leading plans to collaborate with the CALS Assistant Dean for Diversity on several events in the spring.
In addition to her work at the college level, Long has served as a member of the food science and human nutrition department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and was recognized as having passion and organizational skills. Last year she was asked to chair the committee. “Allowing a talented, professional staff member to chair a committee is also an important step in more equity in FSHN,” states a colleague.