Stephen Menendian

Assistant Director & Director of Research,
The Othering and Belonging Institute (formerly the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society).
University of California-Berkeley 460 Stephens Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720

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EMPLOYMENT

Assistant Director and Research Director, The Othering and Belonging Institute (formerly the Haas Institute for Fair and Inclusive Society), University of California-Berkeley, June, 2012-present.

Senior Legal Researcher, The Kirwan Institute For the Study of Race and Ethnicity, The Ohio State University, 2008-2012.

Research Associate, The Kirwan Institute For the Study of Race and Ethnicity, The Ohio State University, September, 2005-2008.

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND SERVICE

Board Member, California Renters Legal Advocacy and Education Fund

Board Member, American Values Institute

SELECTED AWARDS

The 2011 Equal Employment Opportunity Academy Award of Excellence, The Ohio Department of Administrative Services’ Equal Opportunity Division (October, 2011).

Certificate of Appreciation for the Furtherance of Fair Housing, The Ohio Civil Rights Commission (November, 2018).

EXPERT TESTIMONY

California Housing Defense Fund v. City of Los Altos. 2025.

Baker et al. v. City of San Diego. 2024.

LDG v. Prospect et al. 2024.

Trauss, SF BARF v. City of Lafayette. 2017.

CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION

Co-Chair. “Race & Inequality in America: The Kerner Commission at 50,” Berkeley, CA. February 27-March 1, 2018.

Conference Organizing Committee. “The Othering & Belonging Conference.” Oakland, CA. April 8-10, 2019.

Conference Organizing Committee. “The Othering & Belonging Conference.” Oakland, CA. April 30-May 2, 2017.

Conference Planning Committee. “The Othering & Belonging Conference.” Oakland, CA. April 24-26, 2015.

Conference Planning Committee. “Detroit Beyond Bankruptcy Conference: Organizing for Change in Distressed Cities,” Wayne State University. April 7-8, 2014.

EXPERT REVIEWER

The Trust in American Institutions Challenge. Lever for Change. August, 2025.

The Belonging Barometer, Project Over Zero. 2022.

The Stronger Democracy Award, Lever for Change. October, 2021.

COURSE WORK

 Co-Instructor. Ethnic Studies 144 American Cultures: Racism and the Law. University of California – Berkeley, Spring 2017. 

Co-Instructor. Race and the Law. Wayne State University. Detroit, Michigan. Fall, 2009.

Other Hobbies/ Interests

Stephen is the 2007 Vintage Magic: The Gathering World Champion, a former Pro Tour competitor, the Season 1 (2014) Vintage Super League Champion, and was the Wizards of the Coast R&D selection to play on the 2008 Magic Invitational in Germany.