Summary:
A Message from the Assistant Secretary for Administration.
Growing up, my parents taught me a lesson that has guided me throughout my life: you are never too busy to help others. My father embodied this lesson when he, a small-town farmer from Maryland, was drafted and defended his country in World War II. When he boarded a segregated train in Baltimore, MD to go off to war, as the train approached our US southern states, he and his fellow black troops had to cover their windows or lower the window shades, so people wouldn’t throw rocks at black men in uniform. However, this prejudice did not stop my father from being willing to lay down his life to protect the freedoms of all people.
My father’s example taught me to face adversity, fight for what I believe is right, and pay forward good fortune. I was humbled and excited when I was called to be the first woman and person of color to serve in the Assistant Secretary for Administration position. At HHS, one of the largest federal agencies, I could champion equity and inclusivity so 90,000+ employees could feel safe, supported, and thrive no matter their background or skin color.
Three years later, I am so proud of the investment HHS has made in instilling Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) principles into our ways of working across the Department.
Bringing DEIA best practices into our processes, from recruiting and team building to improving healthcare outcomes for our communities, opens the door of opportunity for our staff and creates a brighter future for all.
Organizations that prioritize DEIA initiatives better address unconscious bias, stand out in the job market, and create a stronger workforce with more capacity to focus on mission-critical work.
In summary, when HHS takes care of our people, we can build more equitable and transformative healthcare systems for all Americans.
It takes an unwavering commitment to successfully introduce DEIA values into the workplace and we have made great strides in operationalizing our Strategic Plan and making DEIA a foundational part of the HHS experience.
In 2022, I hired the first Chief Diversity Officer, Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Karen Comfort, to operationalize the Strategic Plan inclusively and intentionally.
This dedicated investment in DEIA allowed us to focus on increasing diversity across all divisions of the Department. We have established strategic relationships with minority-serving institutions, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to attract talent from diverse backgrounds and open young professionals’ eyes to the benefits of public service.
Graduates who would have never known about federal employment opportunities are now earning invaluable hands-on experience in the workforce, connecting with mentors, and accelerating their professional development.
It is through these partnerships that we can dismantle barriers to access and affect enduring change. By empowering the next generation of leaders and federal employees, we are shaping a more inclusive future for public health and human services.
I am also dedicated to understanding and advocating for our current employees. As the
Assistant Secretary for Administration, I take people development seriously.
HHS was the first federal agency to ever send out a Demographics Workforce Survey, so leadership can make evidence-based decisions on where and how to develop our staff. We are also building an Employee Demographics Self-Service Portal where employees can have ownership over their personal information and leadership can have an accurate representation of our workforce.
No HHS employee should ever feel like my father did on the train as we prepared for war. No one should have to hide who they are or what they care about.
Our teams are supporting lifesaving work every day, so, with my father’s lesson ringing in my ear, it is my mission that everyone has a space to feel heard and valued in our Department.
“Investing in DEIA is about cultivating a more resilient tomorrow. Fighting for a more equitable and inclusive future will foster prosperity for generations to come.”
We need every tool at our disposal: accurate data, diverse talent pipelines, Employee Resource Groups, and the Special Emphasis Program – all are critical to building a culture in which every employee can reach their highest potential and succeed at HHS.
We are more innovative, more creative, and more effective when we value and uplift diverse perspectives and experiences.
It will take all of us embracing this exciting new future to see real change at HHS, but if each of us commits to striving for equity, we can affect not only our place of work but our nation.
Let us showcase to the world the power of unity in fighting for a healthier, fairer, and more just world. Let that be the HHS legacy.
Cheryl R. Campbell
Assistant Secretary for Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
Continuing our DEIA journey
The DEIA journey is a continuous process of learning and improvement. Committing to DEIA is not just the right thing to do—it is the smart thing to do. It makes HHS a stronger federal agency, a more effective leader and partner in advancing the health of the nation, and an attractive home for the nation’s best and brightest talent.
Leadership change stories will evolve as we collaborate across HHS and make shared progress. We will move forward with a focus on continuous improvement and addressing existing and emerging leadership needs.
For questions, resources, or additional information, please email DEIAStrategicPlan@hhs.gov.
