On Monday, July 24, City Manager Golden announced that Ineabelle Dominguez has been selected to serve as the city's next Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer. Ms. Dominguez (she/her), a Lowell resident, has been employed with the City of Lowell in the City Manager's Office since June of 2022. Ms. Dominguez will be the second individual to hold the title of Chief DEI Officer since it was created by Ordinance of the Lowell City Council in August of 2021.
Ms. Dominguez holds a certificate from Cornell University in Diversity & Inclusion Leadership and a degree from Middlesex Community College in Lowell. She came to City Hall with over 20 years of professional experience with the Lowell District Court. Since 2016, Ms. Dominguez was employed as the Cultural Proficiency Ambassador and worked on DEI initiatives with the Court System. Since joining the staff in the City Manager's Office, she was appointed a co-facilitator of the Center of Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation for Middlesex Community College (MCC) and has coordinated the first ever collaboration between the City of Lowell and MCC to offer DEI training courses to City Department Heads and seminars for other city employers.
The Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer is the principal advisor to the City Manager on issues of diversity, inclusion, and equitable practices throughout the City of Lowell. This position will provide leadership and serve as a channel and a resource for numerous divisions, staff programs, and activities to promote inclusive excellence and welcoming environments for all. The priority of this role will be in assisting the City in its efforts to create and maintain a diverse workforce and provide equitable outcomes for employees and residents by working across departments to examine and revise policies and procedures, generate, and analyze data, and propose and implement change as needed. This role will ensure professional and organizational efficiency in the application of prescribed policies, procedures, and methods. The Chief DEI Officer will also be a key stakeholder in developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy aimed at fostering a more inclusive workforce that is better positioned to serve Lowell's diverse population.
The creation of the Chief DEI Officer position came as the result of the City's 2021 human resources and DEI assessment, completed by CliftonLarsonAllen, an independent professional services firm. The assessment recommended that the city prioritize the hiring of a DEI Officer. The position was funded in the FY2024 budget, and the filling of the role has been the subject of several City Council motions throughout the current term.
"The City Council has, time and again stressed the importance of fostering a City workforce that is inclusive and that is positioned to serve Lowell's diverse population," said City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. "Ineabelle Dominguez has incredible emotional intelligence and an understanding of the systems and processes at City Hall which must be improved to facilitate a diverse and inclusive workplace. In her time with my office, to date, she has demonstrated the skills and abilities necessary for success in this new endeavor."