The 2020 murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd brought about a racial reckoning some would argue had not been seen since the 1960s. U.S. society was able to get a literal glimpse into how, despite the Civil Rights movement, Black lives have continued to be devalued, minimized, and deemed inconsequential by police, government, and institutions. After the reemergence of the Black Lives Matter movement and countless national and international protests against the anti-Black and oppressive justice system in the United States, college and university leaders felt compelled to make statements about their commitment to Black folks. On many college campuses, chief diversity officers (CDOs) have been the face of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This research study sought to explore the question: What background experiences of CDOs affect their workplace experiences (e.g., perceptions of tokenism, perceptions of institutional commitment to diversity, engagement in their CDO roles)? Quantitative criticalism, critical race theory, intersectionality, and Black feminist thought were the theoretical frameworks that guided this study. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey research design was employed in this study. This study found the larger the institution, the more CDOs perceived their institution was committed to DEI; the more tokenized the CDOs felt in the role, the less they felt their institution was committed to DEI; and the more engaged in their job CDOs were, the more they felt their institution was committed to DEI. Additionally, CDOs who shared DEI had become political perceived they were solely responsible for initiating DEI on their campuses and institutions often paid "lip service" to DEI. The findings suggested CDOs need more support and resources to carry out their jobs, the political climate around DEI affects CDO job safety and support structures for underrepresented and marginalized students, and institutional overreach results in less support for DEI in higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]