The State Department has appointed Zakiya Carr Johnson to become the agency’s chief diversity and inclusion officer (CDIO).
As the new CDIO, Johnson will oversee the department’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) goals.
“American diplomacy can only succeed if it fully harnesses all of the talent that our nation has to offer,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in announcing the appointment. “That is why I created the position of CDIO to elevate DEIA within our organization and give it the dedicated senior-level attention that it deserves.”
“Over the past three years, the Department of State has made significant progress on this front but there remains work to be done,” Blinken said. “We will continue to pursue this mission aggressively, because recruiting, nurturing, and promoting the most capable workforce possible is critical to our national security.”
Johnson has been professional staff member House Committee on Foreign Affairs since 2021, and before that worked at the State Department for seven years in positions including director of the agency’s Race, Ethnicity, and Social Inclusion Unit, according to her LinkedIn profile.
“As our new CDIO, Zakiya returns to the Department with international expertise and a fresh perspective on how we build a workforce that reflects America,” Blinken said. “Her previous work promoting entrepreneurship and access to opportunity for underrepresented populations, as well as her commitment to inclusive leadership, make us stronger, smarter, and more innovative.”
