For Immediate Release

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Media Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: kelsey@jgpr.net

Arlington Health and Human Services Hires First Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator

ARLINGTON — Director of Health and Human Services Christine Bongiorno is pleased to announce that the Town of Arlington has hired Jillian Harvey to serve as its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator.

Harvey began her new role on Monday, Dec. 30, and will coordinate the work of Arlington’s Disability Commission, Human Rights Commission and Rainbow Commission. She will additionally be engaged in racial equity efforts that the town will embark on over the next year in partnership with the National League of Cities’ REAL (Race, Equity and Leadership) Initiative as well as GARE (Government Alliance on Racial Equity).

“Jillian’s professional and personal experiences exposed her to the realities of lack of access to healthcare and the educational gaps within certain communities, which compelled her to further serve those communities and combat social injustices,” said Bongiorno. “Jillian is excited to join the Arlington community and is committed to advancing positive change in the town.”

A Framingham native, Harvey has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree in public affairs from Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. While pursuing her master’s degree at Brown, Harvey focused on U.S. public policy and assisted in advancing the program’s diversity and inclusion initiatives by researching best practices, creating cultural competency activities and developing diversity programming and training.

Prior to pursuing her master’s degree, Harvey worked in the Autism Spectrum Center at the Boston Children’s Hospital and as a youth leader at the Brookline Teen Center.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jillian to our team,” Bongiorno said. “Her broad range of experiences makes her a great fit for this position, and we are excited to engage with residents as we work to support and promote diversity, equity and inclusion in Arlington.”

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