The Business Decode Magazine proudly announces the feature of Shontay Delalue, PhD, Senior Vice President and Senior Diversity Officer at Dartmouth College, on the front cover of its latest edition, “The 10 Most Successful Black Businesswomen Making a Difference in 2026.” Her career reflects a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, education, mentorship, and institutional transformation.
With more than two decades of experience across higher education, Shontay Delalue has developed a distinctive leadership approach grounded in cultural humility, critical reflection, collaboration, and positive change. Her work spans academic administration, global engagement, institutional equity, diversity strategy, teaching, and community leadership.
A Career Built on Education and Purpose
Shontay’s professional journey began in higher education as an Admission Counselor at the University of Maine, her alma mater. That first role established the foundation for a career that would take her through a wide range of academic environments, including state colleges, a high school, a business school, and Ivy League institutions.
Over the years, she has served in positions including director of admission, wellness counselor, advising dean, assistant provost, vice president, and senior vice president. Alongside her administrative responsibilities, she has continued teaching since 2004, reflecting her commitment to education and developing future generations.
Before joining Dartmouth College, Shontay held significant leadership positions at Brown University. As Assistant Provost for Global Engagement, she helped build infrastructure supporting more than 1,500 international students. She later served as Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity, where she oversaw a $165 million DEI strategy plan.
Her academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a Master of Education from the University of Maine. She also attended Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education and earned a Ph.D. in Education through a joint program of the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College.
Leading With Cultural Humility
At the heart of Shontay’s leadership philosophy is cultural humility. She emphasizes that people encounter different cultures and perspectives every day, while recognizing that no individual can possess complete knowledge of another person’s experiences.
Her approach encourages continuous learning, critical reflexivity, and meaningful engagement with the work required to create positive institutional change.
This philosophy has shaped her career in DEI leadership. Although she was initially reluctant to become a Chief Diversity Officer, her extensive experience and desire to create meaningful change eventually led her to embrace senior DEI leadership.
As a first-generation college graduate from a low-income background, Shontay encountered barriers throughout her educational and professional journey. She describes experiences of sometimes being the only Black person or woman in a room, but chose to view those moments as opportunities to bring perspectives that might otherwise remain unheard.
Her experiences have strengthened her commitment to what she describes as radical joy, resilience, and pioneering new territory.
Transforming Diversity at Dartmouth College
In July 2021, Shontay became Dartmouth College’s inaugural Senior Vice President and Senior Diversity Officer, leading the division responsible for institutional diversity and equity.
In this role, she works as a senior strategist alongside Dartmouth’s leadership to advance institutional diversity and equity goals. Her responsibilities encompass strategic planning, implementation, service, and responding to situations affecting the campus community.
In 2022, the division introduced “Toward Equity,” a three-year DEI plan designed to help unify institutional efforts around diversity and equity.
Shontay joined Dartmouth during a significant period in the institution’s history, including its celebration of 50 years of coeducation and renewed commitment to its original charter concerning Native youth.
Her leadership also extends beyond administration. She teaches in the residential Master of Public Health Program at the Geisel School of Medicine and has been appointed a research fellow with the TIAA Institute.
Mentorship, Recognition, and the Next Generation
For Shontay, one of the most meaningful forms of recognition comes through handwritten notes from students, staff, and faculty members describing how her words or actions influenced their lives.
Her commitment to mentorship and professional development also extends to her own team. She encourages continuous learning, transparent communication, professional development, and shared reflection. Team retreats provide opportunities to recharge and reconnect around common goals.
Her leadership journey demonstrates the importance of creating environments where people can learn, contribute, and develop their own leadership capabilities.
Integrating Leadership and Family
Executive leadership comes with significant demands, and Shontay balances her professional responsibilities with family life as a wife and mother of two children.
Her approach to work-life integration centers on intentionality. She schedules personal and family time with the same discipline applied to professional commitments, ensuring that important personal priorities remain part of her calendar.
This approach reflects a broader philosophy that sustainable leadership requires space for reflection, relationships, and personal well-being alongside professional responsibilities.
Through its “The 10 Most Successful Black Businesswomen Making a Difference in 2026” edition, The Business Decode Magazine recognizes Shontay Delalue for her contributions to higher education, diversity and equity leadership, mentorship, and institutional transformation. Her journey illustrates how cultural humility, resilience, education, and purposeful leadership can create lasting impact across organizations and communities.