HARRISBURG – March 8, 2022 – Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams, in her commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive capital city, celebrated Harrisburg’s inaugural meeting of the Citizen’s Equity Roundtable on Tuesday.
More than 40 local, state, and national leaders in both the public and private sector have been invited to take part in this new committee which is dedicated to enhancing equity partnerships across the City of Harrisburg, and develop strategies to address, and ultimately, eradicate structural and systemic racial and economic disparities.
“Creating a more equitable city for the people of Harrisburg is among my top priorities,” Mayor Williams said. “We want to have inclusion. We talk about being diverse. Everybody needs to be held accountable and it starts with leading from this administration.”
Mayor Williams’ Equity Roundtable consists of four subcommittees, focused on specific areas of which her administration is focused on improving: Education, Health, Law, and Workforce. Committees will meet virtually every month, and the whole roundtable will meet virtually every other month.
Tuesday’s inaugural discussion centered on introductions and brainstorming ways to improve equity in those four areas. Dr. Travis Waters, currently an associate professor for Shippensburg’s Educational Leadership Program and former Superintendent at Steelton-Highspire, chairs the Education Committee. Tina Nixon, who leads diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for UPMC, heads the Health Committee. The Law Committee is run by Sheldon Murray, Director and CEO for Diversity Inclusion Professionals of Central PA, and the Workforce Committee is chaired by Alisa Harris, Vice President of Legislative Affairs for UGI Utilities.
“These are the foremost thought leaders in our community. They are committed to the intentional equity and inclusivity this city needs,” Mayor Williams said.
Other participants include Aiisha Herring-Miller, Rebuild (Philadelphia); Andre Campbell, Northwestern Financial; Andrea Fields, Bellevue Strategies; Angel Schuster, Penn State Health; Cate Barron, PA Media Group; Charlotte Katzenmoyer, Capital Region Water; Danielle Bowers, Harrisburg City Council President; Francia Henry, Mion Consulting; Gilliam Sumpter, PA Diversity Coalition; Jeannine Peterson, Hamilton Health Center; Joseph Robinson, MLK LDI Jr. Institute; Karima Fitzgerald, UPMC Williamsport; Kyron Robinson, Pro Rank Business; Lynette Chappell-Williams, Penn State Health; Myneca Ojo, PA Turnpike Commission; Robert Bee, ABC27; Rogette Harris, Pa. Department of Health; Rob Baldwin, Amerihealth Caritas; Ruben Warren, Hollywood Casino; Ryan Unger, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & Capital Region Economic Development; Steve Bishop, Annie E. Casey Foundation; Tameka Hatcher, Civil Rights Educator; William Slaton, Pennsylvania State Police; John Ski, Harrisburg Area Community College; Danielle Martin, Temple HBG; Denise Pearson, PASSHE; Leahmond Tyre, F&M Trust; Nikole Hollins-Sims, Pa. Department of Education; Pam Auer, Center for Independent Living; Steve Williams, PA Statewide Afterschool Network.
Karl Singleton, who serves as Mayor Williams’ Chief Equity and Compliance Officer, ran Tuesday’s inaugural meeting.
For more information, contact Matt Maisel, Director of Communications, at [email protected] or call (717) 678-5166.
