Erika Duthiers, Associate Vice President of Compliance and Ethics/ Deputy General Counsel

Since 2010. Sixteen years.

I lead RIT’s Office of Compliance and Ethics, where I work to ensure that the university meets its legal, regulatory, and policy obligations while fostering a culture of integrity and ethical decision-making. My office oversees the university-wide compliance and ethics program, and key risk and compliance areas such as enterprise risk management, Title IX, Clery, conflicts of interest, and export control. We also investigate concerns involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other compliance matters. In addition, we provide guidance on labor and employment compliance matters – including immigration and medical and disability accommodations – and manage university-wide training to keep our community informed and empowered.

What keeps me at RIT is really the combination of variety and people. Every day brings something different, and I love the challenge and the opportunity to keep learning. I also feel a strong sense of purpose. My work supports the university’s educational mission, and that’s incredibly motivating. Plus, I get to collaborate with so many thoughtful, dedicated people across the university, which makes the work both meaningful and enjoyable.

I was fortunate to begin my legal career at the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court. There, I had the great honor of clerking for the Honorable George Bundy Smith, a trailblazer and only the second Black judge in the Court’s then 150-year history. Judge Smith was the ideal mentor for a young lawyer. As a Freedom Rider who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he helped me understand the law through the unique lens of a transformative period in our nation’s history.

After my time at the Court, I spent nearly 10 years at a large law firm in New York City practicing commercial litigation and international arbitration. When I moved to Rochester in 2007, I was able to continue my work with the same firm until I joined RIT in 2010.

I wish I had a more compelling origin story for why I wanted to become a lawyer, like a dramatic courtroom moment or a life changing constitutional insight, but honestly, as the child of Haitian immigrants, success wasn’t just encouraged, it was expected! Let’s just say in my house, the career advice was less “follow your dreams’’ and more “doctor, lawyer, engineer. Pick one.” I chose law and everyone was happy! Now, nearly 30 years into the profession, I deeply appreciate what my younger self could not yet see: that the law would give me a meaningful way to help people, solve problems, and contribute to something larger than myself. What started as a practical choice became a profession I genuinely love.

I say go for it! I always encourage young people to consider law school because a law degree is incredibly flexible. It gives you a powerful foundation you can take in so many directions—business, real estate, policy, education, you name it. Legal education teaches you how to think, advocate, analyze, and solve problems, and those skills open doors you may not even know exist yet.

I give back to my community because I feel a real responsibility to pay it forward. As the child of immigrants, I grew up knowing that none of us gets anywhere alone and that many of my opportunities came from someone opening a door or believing in me before I believed in myself. Giving back is my way of honoring that generosity and helping others see what’s possible for them. Whether I’m mentoring, volunteering, or simply showing up, it keeps me grounded and reminds me that community is something we build every day through small acts of care and connection.

I come from a long line of strong, independent women who are smart, learned, educated, hardworking, and entrepreneurial. Women who forged paths to success through countless examples of perseverance and excellence. However, I always come back to my mother and my grandmother when I think about who has influenced me most. They grew up in Haiti during a time of political unrest, and when they later emigrated to the United States, they faced the discrimination often directed at the diaspora. They stayed resilient, confident, and independent, working hard to help support their families all while managing to be effortlessly stylish. From them, I learned to show up for your community, value your family, treat people with kindness, and maintain the steady strength to get through anything from political upheaval to your kids’ teenage years!

Artesano! I love treating myself to a café mocha.

Neither anymore! When I first started my career, I could stay up all night like it was nothing. Then I had kids and suddenly became an early bird by force, not choice. Now? I reject the extremes. I just want good, peaceful, drama free sleep hygiene.

I love taking visitors to the Strong National Museum of Play, regardless of whether they have kids. I have served on the board for years, and it truly has something for everyone. It is a place filled with games, play, nostalgia, history, cool exhibits, and a genuinely good time.

Track! I ran cross country and track in college and quickly discovered it’s the perfect sport for people who enjoy endurance sports, fresh air, and rethinking their life choices.

I have a tough time picking just one favorite book. I’m an avid reader, and I love how a great story can completely transport you. Lately, I’ve been revisiting old favorites, and it’s surprising how differently they land now. I recently revisited The Color of Water by James McBride, and it reminded me why it’s such a powerful read - beautifully written, deeply human, and full of insight about identity, family, and resilience.

The same goes for podcasts. I listen to quite a few regularly, but my new favorite is one my cousin started with her friend called Brief Recess. Hearing her voice each week is like time travel. I’m instantly back to the two of us as little girls, gabbing on the phone for hours about absolutely everything and nothing at all. It’s become my long-distance way of staying close to her and laughing with her, even though we’re miles apart.

Most weekends I’m either out for a long run with friends or doing something else outdoorsy like biking, snow shoeing, or swimming…or I’m fully nesting at home with my family and pets, wrapped in blankets and binge-watching something or reading.

I love old-school rap and cheesy romance novels.

rit.edu/aes

2 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623  

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