Chenthu Jayton

Executive Director

Pronouns (he/him)

Degrees

BS in Legal Studies and Political Science (University of Wisconsin-Superior)

MS in Counseling Education (University of Wisconsin-Superior)

MS in Communication Studies (University of Iowa)

Ph.D (ABD) Communication Studies (University of Iowa)

Ph.D. Business Management (University of Denver) - anticipating graduation in Summer of 2026

Professional Biography

Chenthu is originally from Colombo, Sri Lanka and moved to the United States in 1999. Since then, Chenthu has pursued his education and worked in the higher education and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice advocacy industries. In his last two roles prior to joining Equity Lab, at the University of Denver and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute he served in leadership roles in supporting the organizations to upskill and create sustainable infrastructure to support just and equitable living, learning and working spaces. Equity and justice work has always been at the center of Chenthu’s learning and professional ethos. Having grown up in a country ravaged by a civil way based on ethnic and religious identities, he has always sought to create spaces of belonging. The work at Equity Labs is simply an extension of his worldview and a place where he gets to place his passion.

Specializations

Higher Education, Government and Policy, Non-profit organizations

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice moment of celebration

Chenthu considers his work at Equity Labs as one of his most important achievements. Creating an organization where love is the grounding ethic and integrating loving care into how the organization functions but also guides how it supports clients is evidence that there is different way of doing business than the classical capitalist ways.

Connect with Chenthu at chenthu.jayton@du.edu.

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