Marcy Crary

My academic career has centered on the field of organizational behavior, with much of my research, writing, and teaching focused on understanding the offerings, power, and challenges of diversity in the workplace. I’m sure that my interest in that field was stirred by attempting to make sense of the world as a middle child of five, along with my love of group relations training that came from my involvement with Soc Rel 120 and its accompanying grad seminar in William James Hall. After getting my PhD from Case Western University I joined the management department at Bentley University in 1981, and I retired from there in 2018. My teaching, writing, and research focused on diversity pedagogy, dynamics in cross-identity work relationships, and the challenges of DEI organizational change work. I joined in the development and support of diversity and inclusion initiatives during my tenure at Bentley. I treasure all those semesters of working with wonderful colleagues across the university and our efforts to make “good trouble” together inside and outside the classroom. Beyond the university walls now I continue to be invested in the work with white people to build our muscles for engaging in effective anti-racism, equity, and social justice initiatives.

For the past six years I’ve been a member of a dynamic, five-person research team studying professional employees in three companies and their experiences with retirement transitions, so my academic work continues, but outside the walls. The joys of book construction are now under way.

A helpful antidote to the dynamics of academia has been my involvement in supporting live theater in the Boston area over the last three decades. I was a founding board member and later board chair of the New Repertory Theatre, a regional professional equity theater in the Boston area, where I continue to offer my support as a member of its advisory council. I have joined others in supporting initiatives to increase the diversity of theater boards in Boston.  

Tim and I will celebrate our thirty-sixth wedding anniversary the end of this June. My two stepkids and their spouses, now in their fifties, are thriving in their careers, and all five of my stepgrandkids are heading into or just out of college. My daughter, Mary Lauran, and her husband, Michael Hendrix, now have a five-month-old daughter and have moved back to Massachusetts, so we are delighted to see them more often. Lots of family moments to celebrate and be deeply thankful for! It turns out that an understanding of organizational behavior seems to come in handy in navigating the shoals of family dynamics, as well in the doings within a research teams and theater organizations.