Carin Silkaitis | SpeakerHub

Personal Details

Bio

Carin Silkaitis (They/Them) is a non-binary Dean of Arts and Sciences in the University of Alaska system and a well-known activist and advocate for gender equity and corporate well-being. Carin is an expert on current issues plaguing higher education and they have spent years training corporations how to create more inclusive spaces for executives and clients through a unique combination of improvisation, bystander work and antiracism training.

Whether a corporate retreat, company meeting, womenʼs conference, higher education retreat or event, Carin's expertise and story-telling ability delights audiences as they impart relevant information and cutting-edge training with aplomb, humor, and wit. Carinʼs years as an actor and improviser in Chicago serve them well as they speak about the contemporary issues that are important to the success and well-being of your community.

Prior to serving as the Dean of the School of Arts, Sciences and Business at the University of Alaska Southeast: Carin has been the Artistic Director of an Equity Theatre Company in Chicago, a Department Chair of Theatre at a large non-profit private institution, a working actor and director in Chicago, a Professor of Theatre and Gender and Sexuality Studies, the lead educator of the Green Dot Technique (a bystander training technique that eradicates power-based personal violence), a Title IX Investigator – after receiving Level 1 and Level 2 Certified Civil Rights Investigator training through ATIXA, and a Faculty Fellow serving on the Columbia College Chicagoʼs Antiracism Transformation Team (after spending a year training with Crossroads Antiracism in Chicago). Carin has led thousands of people through antiracism and bystander trainings, and they have helped dozens of work teams to become more efficient and productive.

Carin has also been published in scholarly journals on embodied dramaturgy/place-based theatre and as a freelance writer in journals and magazines on breast cancer/breast reconstruction, and the BRCA1+ gene diagnosis process.

In addition to their public speaking and corporate training/consulting, Carin is still a SAG/AFTRA, AEA actor who worked for many years with Gray Talent Group in Chicago. Now that they are living in Alaska, they spend time coaching actors on the business and working with them on their on-camera auditions. Carin’s notable TV/Film credits include: Co-Star on EMPIRE (FOX), CHICAGO FIRE (NBC) & THE RED LINE (CBS), Nurse in the SAG Feature UNEXPECTED (currently on Amazon Prime Video), and Joy in the award-winning short BEING HERE (winner - Best Supporting Performer, Berkshire Short Film Fest). Carin has also appeared in numerous commercials and industrials, and they have lent their talents to many voiceovers and print gigs.

Carinʼs work in advocacy, inclusivity and well-being has a fresh/unique perspective because they have their clients practice this work during their trainings. Donʼt just talk about it – practice it.

Current position (1)

Dean of Arts and Sciences

University of Alaska Southeast

Achievements (3)

Civil Rights Investigator One - ATIXA

Training for civil rights investigators, deputies, and Title IX Coordinators looking to acquire the fundamental skills necessary to conduct sex- and gender-based harassment, discrimination, and violence investigations. This training meets both the Title IX and VAWA Section 304 training requirements.

Civil Rights Investigator Two - ATIXA

Focuses on both refining interviewing techniques as well as post-interview tasks, including an introduction to investigation report composition, assessing credibility, and synthesizing information. This training meets both the Title IX and VAWA Section 304 training requirements for participants.

Certified Green Dot Trainer/Educator

The Green Dot program trains participants to engage in proactive behaviors that model and endorse norms that are incompatible with violence. The ultimate goal is not simply to react to potential violence as it is occurring, but rather to simultaneously shift community norms that support violence.

Degrees (2)

Psychology and Theatre

Indiana University

1989 to 1993

MFA in Performance

Roosevelt University

1995 to 1999

Presentations

Presentations (4)

Courageous Spaces

The Courageous Space: Antiracism/Bystander Overview is designed to introduce you to the idea that oppression, and in particular, racism, is a systemic, institutional problem that operates independently of the intentions and actions of individuals. Too often we are focused on addressing an individual moment of prejudice without ever considering the entire system. The Courageous Space workshop provides room for conversation about racism, power, and privilege. Carin Silkaitis, Dean of Arts and Sciences, blends antiracism theory, social justice, and Green-Dot bystander techniques to provide a roadmap toward action, accountability, and healing. Together, we will grapple with the impacts of microaggressions in our workspaces and find ways to uproot these oppressive practices. We will revisit Green Dot’s 3-D’s and apply them towards antiracism work in the same way they apply to anti-violence work. This workshop is open to anyone ready to have a courageous conversation.

Pronoun Showdown: Gender Inclusivity Workshop

Itʼs imperative that our community feels fully recognized in our spaces. As faculty, staff, and administrators, you have great power in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive. Respecting pronouns and using gender-inclusive language can help folks feel like they belong and be fully present at work or in the classroom. In this workshop, I will cover best practices and resources for fostering more inclusive campus spaces/work environments and supporting folks - specifically transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, gender questioning, and other gender diverse community members. Come spend some time with me learning about sex, gender, and sexuality on a Friday afternoon!

Mindfulness and Inclusivity: Tiny Shifts Yield Big Results

In a 2014 John Hopkins study, Madhav Goyal found the effect of mindfulness on reducing anxiety/depression was equal to that of anti-depressants. We hear the term "mindfulness" everywhere, but many people have no idea what it is, let alone how to practice it. In this presentation, weʼll learn about mindfulness in the workplace, and practice a few techniques. Weʼll also talk about how being more inclusive, even in small tangible ways, can increase a sense of well-being amongst colleagues.
I see well-being as one of the most detrimental issues facing employers/employees. Well-being is affecting retention, productivity, and overall happiness in the workplace. If we find ways to keep folks happier at work, they will be more productive and ultimately... they will stay.

Creating an Accessible Classroom

Sometimes, the way college and university classes are structured creates unintentional barriers for students. These barriers prevent students from being able to fully participate to the best of their abilities. However, there are many proactive steps faculty can take in order to incorporate accessibility into their course design that will strengthen their classes and allow students to see themselves as full participants in the classroom experience. This talk will cover these steps from the lens of the advocate (students, parents, and disability services professionals).

Workshops (2)

Courageous Spaces

2 hours

Pronoun Showdown: Gender Inclusivity Workshop

90 minutes