Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, a 30-year diplomat and the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the State Department, speaks during a ceremony at the State Department in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. Susan Walsh/AP

State Department announces departure of first chief diversity officer

Misty Severi June 06, 07:44 PMJune 06, 07:44 PM Video Embed

The State Department bid farewell to its first chief diversity and inclusion officer on Tuesday, ending Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley’s 30 years with the department.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked Abercrombie-Winstanley, whom he appointed to the position in 2021, in a statement announcing her departure.

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“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.”

No reason for Abercrombie-Winstanley’s departure was given, and no replacement has been named.

Abercrombie-Winstanley’s appointment as chief of diversity and inclusion was part of the Biden administration’s effort to address minority representation in the government. During the Trump administration, five of the 189 ambassadors he appointed were black. However, a history of discrimination in the department allegedly predated the Trump administration.

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Blinken credited Abercombie-Winstanley with playing an “integral role” in creating the department’s five-year plan on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, which he claims “sets the stage for further progress” in DEI programs for the department.

Before her appointment as the department’s first diversity chief, Abercrombie-Winstanley, who has 30 years of experience working in foreign services, served as the deputy coordinator for counterterrorism during the George W. Bush administration. She also served as the ambassador to Malta during the Obama administration from 2012 to 2016.

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