It all begins with an observation.
As a scholar-practitioner, Mateo’s work is guided by one central goal: To design and deliver evidence-based interventions that advance change leaders at the intersection of identities.
Dr. Mateo Cruz (pronouns: he/him) is a nationally recognized teaching-scholar at Bentley University. His primary research examines unconscious, invisible, and/or covert dynamics that occur in workplace contexts specific to diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice (DEIJ), and change. His research has been published in top management and psychology outlets and presented to academic & executive audiences in the US, UK, and South Africa.
Mateo teaches a wide range of courses including organizational theory, group & team dynamics, interpersonal relations, change leadership, and applied research. His teaching spans undergraduate, graduate, and executive audiences. He has received two “Innovation in Teaching” awards, the Joseph M. Cronin Award for Academic Advising & Mentoring, and the Dr. Earl L. Avery MLK Leadership Award. In 2025, Mateo received the national “New Educator Award” from the Management & Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS), a prestigious recognition of his classroom impact and groundbreaking research on teaching and learning in business education.
Mateo holds 20+ years of experience as an organization development and change (ODC) consultant & trainer specializing in inclusive leadership, group & team dynamics, and organizational change. He currently serves as a Faculty Advisor to the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University and is a proud member of the Executive Board of Directors for GLSEN National, the leading LGBTQ+ education advocacy organization in the US. In 2024, Mateo received Bentley’s Presidential Faculty Fellowship which provides resources for him to direct Bentley’s first leadership summit for LGBTQ+ professionals and allies.
Mateo holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in social/organizational psychology from Columbia University, and a B.A. in social work and psychology from the University of Portland.
Dr. Cruz is an active contributor to internal (at Bentley University) and external events.
Where is Mateo now?
“No action without research; no research without action.”
Kurt Lewin
Check out Mateo’s research.
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Cruz, M., DuBois, H. T., Sawyer, K. B., & Thoroughgood, C. N. Defending transgender and nonbinary people from gender ideology and extremism (forthcoming). In E. B. King, Q. M. Roberson, & M. Hebl (Eds.), Call to Action for Policymakers: Defending and Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Research on Social Issues in Management.
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Management educators play a central role in the development of student diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) competencies. Yet few resources exist to support management faculty to teach about concepts beyond the binary constructs of “men” and “women” despite the increased visibility of transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) issues in DEI work. In the following chapter, we explain why TGNB integration into the management curriculum is relevant, necessary, and central to the advancement of intersectional social justice in our institutions. We also identify and untangle four paradoxes faculty may grapple with when teaching TGNB content including: (1) defining gender; (2) adopting inclusive language; (3) validating TGNB students’ identities; and (4) approaching TGNB issues from a positive, yet realistic, perspective. We argue that the effective integration of TGNB content in management education calls for a reflexive approach, one where faculty become comfortable with the discomfort of not knowing. We conclude with a summary of practical recommendations and resources for TGNB integration in the management classroom.
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Profiles in persistence: A latent profile analysis of coping strategies among women in the sciences
The purpose of this study was to examine how women in STEM occupations engage multiple coping strategies across locations of response. Beyond discovering merely “high” or “low” engagement with specific strategies in isolation, our work presents a complex and multifaceted display of strategies combined in unique constellations.
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The purpose of this research was to understand how women in academic STEM navigate careers in professional contexts that are infused with systemic stereotype threat.
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Sexual harassment training: Often necessary but rarely sufficient
Even the best developed and most evidence-based training will have limited impact if the training is embedded in an institutional context that does not support the training, or worse, tolerates incivility and other exclusionary behaviors.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose a systems approach to diagnosing DEI issues in organizations for consultation and change.
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The goal of a brave dialogue is not to produce a one-off solution; rather, to engage with an ongoing practice that deepens trust, increases belongingness, and harnesses differences to advance individual and organizational learning.
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Read the latest headlines.
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Artificially intelligent (AI) technologies are positioned to disrupt the world of work. But creating a workplace where employees feel valued and able to bring their unique perspectives to the table still takes some very human skills. Bentley Magazine, Summer 2023.
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As DEI consultants, students offer strategies for improving workplace culture. Read the full article HERE.
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Dr. Cruz kicks off the start to Pride month as the keynote speaker at the Flag Raising Ceremony at Bentley University. Read the full article HERE.
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In a Bentley University Newsroom article, Dr. Cruz’s student-led workshops spark conversations about DEI issues in — and outside — the workplace. Read the full article HERE.
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In a Bentley University Newsroom article, Dr. Cruz’s student explores the hidden costs of bias in the Finance sector. Read the full article HERE.
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In an Academic Minute article, Dr. Cruz writes about his research on women in STEM and the stereotype threat they face. Read the full article HERE.