What We Do

In September 2019, Governor Ralph S. Northam appointed Dr. Janice Underwood to serve the Commonwealth, as the nation’s first cabinet-level Chief Diversity Officer.  With the creation of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Virginia is becoming a national exemplar in addressing the historical injustices and inequities that have existed for the last 400 years within all systems across our Commonwealth.

The shared goal of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is to develop Virginia into an inclusive state where people can live, learn, work, visit, and thrive.  The purpose of the DEI office is to:

1. Create a statewide assessment to evaluate inequities with formal and informal systems, processes, leaders, legislation, and overall logistics;
2. Develop a sustainable framework for the continued promotion of inclusive practices across state government;
3. Collaborate with 105+ state agencies within the Commonwealth to ensure equity and inclusion within the areas of employee engagement, hiring and retention practices, and the implementation of a diversity strategic plan; and
4. Engage with diverse stakeholders around the Commonwealth to establish and increase inclusive excellence across the Commonwealth

The equity leadership task force directs the work of the Health Equity Work Group (HEWG) as part of the unified command for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

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