The State Department is saying goodbye to its first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO), Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Abercrombie-Winstanley’s departure in a June 6 statement, thanking the diplomat for her public service.
“The only way to ensure our foreign policy delivers for the American people is to recruit and retain a workforce that truly reflects the American people,” Blinken said.
“Thanks to Gina’s leadership, the department has made significant progress to live up to our commitment to create a more inclusive workplace,” he added. “She played an integral role in developing our department’s five-year strategic plan on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility which identified specific priorities, goals, and objectives, along with a series of other concrete, systemic accomplishments in DEIA that will set the stage for further progress in this important space.”
Abercrombie-Winstanley has served as the CDIO since April 2021. Before that, she served in several senior positions at the department, including ambassador to the Republic of Malta, foreign policy advisor to the commander of U.S. cyber forces, and deputy coordinator for counterterrorism.
The State Department has yet to announce Abercrombie-Winstanley’s successor.
