New Organizational Transformation Fellows Named
Faculty and staff will collaborate on projects that advance workplace culture, professional growth and organizational change
Key Highlights
- Sacred Heart University announced its 2025–2027 Organizational Transformation Fellows, a program that advances workplace culture, employee engagement and organizational learning
- The fellowship supports faculty and staff in developing initiatives that strengthen belonging, professional growth, organizational agility and community well-being
- Fellows partner with Maurice Nelson, associate vice president for organizational transformation, and HR to design projects that build connection and long-term institutional capacity
- 2025–2027 Fellows: Colleen Butler-Sweet, Tylon Crook, Bronwyn Cross-Denny, Crystal Hayes, Jonix Owino, Francesca Salvati and Nidhi Shrivastava
Sacred Heart University has announced its 2025-2027 cohort of Organizational Transformation Fellows, continuing a program launched two years ago to strengthen workplace culture, enhance organizational agility and advance the University’s commitment to community.
The fellowship provides faculty and staff leaders with a platform to shape projects that support employee engagement, learning, workforce development and institutional change. Fellows collaborate with the human resources office and Maurice Nelson, associate vice president for organizational transformation, to design and implement initiatives that build connection, foster growth and contribute to the long-term vitality of the Sacred Heart community.
The fellowship underscores SHU’s ongoing dedication to innovation and community care. By empowering faculty and staff to lead change initiatives, the program continues to cultivate a workplace that values collaboration, learning and the shared pursuit of purpose.
“This fellowship represents the next chapter in how we invest in our people and strengthen the culture of Sacred Heart University,” said Nelson. “The seven fellows bring creativity, insight and a deep commitment to social justice. Together, they will help us imagine new ways to support staff and faculty growth, enhance workplace learning and prepare our community for the future.”
Nelson continued, “The Organizational Transformation Fellowship is about building capacity for the long term; developing leaders who understand both the human and strategic dimensions of change. Each of these seven fellows embodies the spirit of innovation and collaboration that defines Sacred Heart. Their work will help ensure that as we grow, we do so in ways that keep people, purpose and belonging at the center.”
The incoming fellows represent a range of disciplines and professional experiences across the University.
Fellows
Colleen Butler-Sweet
An associate professor of sociology, criminology & criminal justice, Butler-Sweet’s research explores family structure, racial identity and the intersections of race and class. She brings to the fellowship a deep understanding of how culture and identity shape experiences in organizations. Her work will contribute to projects that enhance inclusivity and understanding within SHU’s academic and professional communities.
In a time of change and uncertainty, I’m delighted to participate in the Organizational Transformation Fellowship program as it continues to reflect our University’s mission to embrace a vision for social justice and educate students in mind, body and spirit.
Tylon Crook
Crook is a counselor educator, school and mental health counselor and has served students, families and clients across multiple states and settings. A veteran of the United States Air Force, his research and teaching emphasize social justice advocacy, racialized trauma and mental health issues among veterans. Through the fellowship, he aims to advance initiatives that promote wellness, resilience and enhanced understanding within SHU’s learning and workplace environments.
Bronwyn Cross-Denny
Cross-Denny, chair of health sciences in the College of Health Professions, has led collaborative program development across colleges and disciplines. With more than two decades of clinical and academic experience, her expertise spans diversity, social justice and health equity. As a fellow, she will focus on fostering systems and practices that support well-being, inclusion and shared leadership.
I look forward to working with my faculty and staff colleagues to foster a sense of belonging and community across the university, especially during the current political climate and the challenges we have faced together over the past year.
Crystal Hayes
A social worker, educator, prison-based doula and reproductive justice scholar, Hayes teaches in the Master of Social Work program and mentors several social work doctoral students in the School of Social Work. Her work centers on the intersections of human rights, reproductive justice and the carceral system. Through her fellowship, she seeks to expand opportunities for dialogue and learning that connect core social work and reproductive justice principles and values to organizational growth and a culture of care.
The Organizational Transformation Fellows program is an opportunity for SHU to lead through practice, to build a culture where our systems mirror the compassion, accountability and collective care that define the best of social work. Bringing social work perspectives to this work strengthens the University because social workers understand how structure and experience shape one another. We know that transformation happens when empathy, evidence, accountability and collaboration are built into the process. This fellowship positions SHU to model what it looks like when practice and principle align, when our policies and relationships work together to help people do their best work and truly belong.
Jonix Owino
An assistant professor of psychology, Owino’s research centers on the well-being of older adults, particularly aging refugees. Her work explores resilience, trauma-informed care and cultural approaches to mental health. Through the fellowship, she aims to strengthen connections between research, community partnerships and SHU’s commitment to holistic health.
Francesca Salvati
As a residence hall director, Salvati oversees student engagement, wellness and community building in campus housing. With experience in clinical training and student support, she brings a perspective grounded in care, inclusion and safety. Her fellowship focus will center on strategies to strengthen belonging, recognition and cross-departmental collaboration among staff and students alike.
Nidhi Shrivastava
An assistant teaching professor in English, Shrivastava’s scholarship explores gender, memory and representation in South Asian literature and film. Her work examines the intersections of the #MeToo movement, 1947 Partition of India narratives and the politics of forgetting. Through her fellowship, she will bring her expertise in storytelling and cultural analysis to initiatives that deepen understanding, empathy and connection across the SHU community.
Shrivastava said she’s pleased to be named to the fellowship, working alongside people who support Sacred Heart’s vision and celebrating the individuals within the University. “Working on projects—both individually and as a team—strengthens SHU as a community,” she said.
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