Over the past several months, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) hired three new directors—Shanell Hagood, Director of Racial Equity Strategy and Policy; Peter Andrew Danzig, Director of Training and Capacity Building; and Wendell Jackson, Director of Workforce Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Shanell, Peter, and Wendell will guide key DEI strategies across City government.

 

Individual headshot of Shanell Hagood from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.Shanell Hagood 

Prior to joining the City of Philadelphia, Shanell (she/her) dedicated her career to expanding postsecondary education access to Black and Brown students—working as both a practitioner at a four-year institution and researcher and evaluator of postsecondary state policy. Her work in postsecondary education focused on centering race in higher education state policy and her university’s recruitment and retention efforts. Shanell’s own identity as a Black woman, first-generation college student, and product of poverty has influenced her career choices to contribute to organizations focused on improving outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) populations through policy and social services. Shanell’s role as the Director of Racial Equity Strategy and Policy for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion allows her to implement the Mayor’s Racial Equity Strategy through City departments and contribute to improving outcomes for BIPOC populations in Philadelphia. Shanell hails from Detroit, Michigan and has been a proud Philadelphian for the past three years. She holds a Master of Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Q: How do you plan to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in your role, and what hopes do you have for the City of Philadelphia regarding DEI practices?

SH:  As part of our Racial Equity Strategy, I hope to engage City departments in meaningful and intentional training that appropriately assesses their department’s consideration and implementation of racial equity in their policies and practice. I hope to support all parts of the City structure in addressing barriers that have prevented their success in achieving racial equity and identify measurable, long-term goals. I hope to measure the success of our racial equity work through improved experiences and outcomes of BIPOC City workers and Philadelphia residents.

 

Peter Andrew Danzig, LSW, MSS, MA, CTPIndividual headshot of Peter Danzig from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Peter (they/them) joins the Mayor’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as the new Director of Training and Capacity Building and will be working to support the Administration’s commitment to Executive Order 1-20, which includes a directive to implement  training and build a more equitable and inclusive work environment. Prior to this appointment, Peter worked as a psychotherapist and researcher in community mental health, diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting, and is the Founder of Theatrical Trainer, a research collective serving the creative economy. Peter identifies as a proud GenderQueer, Latinx person with an invisible disability and first generation-college student. Peter’s passion is supporting and amplifying the voices of BIPOC and Queer populations as well as fostering an understanding that everyone processes DEI efforts differently. Peter hopes to hold space for us to grow together as a community. They are thrilled to support advancing training initiatives through evidence-based and experiential approaches. When not supporting the Mayor’s Office, Peter can be found enjoying fitness, geek culture, and creating as a performance artist. Peter holds a Master of Social Service from Bryn Mawr College and a Master of Arts from Villanova University. Peter is also a licensed social worker and certified trauma professional.

 Q: How do you plan to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in your role and what hopes do you have for the City of Philadelphia regarding DEI practices?

PD: Through innovative and engaging training, I hope to bring the difficult conversations about equity, race, diversity, and inclusion to the forefront of our best practices. In supporting Executive Order 1-20, I plan to engage our staff in the difficult conversations, supporting a “call-in”culture, in which we can learn from each other’s intersections and support cultural humility. I hope to support a growing effort in capacity building to hold space for BIPOC, Queer individuals, and people with disabilities at a municipal level, where empathy is the leading factor in our internal and external conversations. I’d like to see Philadelphia as a leader of change.

 

Individual headshot of Wendell Jackson from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.Wendell Jackson, PhD

Dr. Wendell H. Jackson (he/his) joins the Mayor’s Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as the Director of Workforce Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Prior to joining ODEI, Dr. Jackson worked for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations leading HR functions with a specialization in talent management, training, and development. A native Philadelphian, Dr. Jackson has lived in various areas of the United States and the world supporting the U.S. Department of Defense and various other organizations. Dr. Jackson’s dedication to DEI work began with his involvement with affirmative action training for the Department of Defense.  Since then he has assisted organizations in their efforts to promote and develop individuals of diverse backgrounds and heritages. Dr. Jackson’s role as Director of Workforce Diversity, Equity and Inclusion allows him to work collaboratively with the City’s departments and support their efforts to provide an equitable environment of opportunity and inclusion for its workforce.

Dr. Jackson identifies as a multi-heritage male and is a proud graduate of the Central High School of Philadelphia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management, a Master of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Postsecondary and Adult Education.  

Q: How do you plan to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in your role and what hopes do you have for the City of Philadelphia regarding DEI practices?

WJ: In my role I plan to support the City’s DEI efforts by collaborating with teams to help drive policies and efforts to support the mayor’s goals as established in Executive Order 1-20.  By doing so, I hope to help shape how Philadelphia presents opportunities for disadvantaged groups to prosper and grow within the City workforce.

Learn more about the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.