The Team | Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Immediate Office of the Director

Kevin D. Williams, Esq.

Director

Kevin Williams is the Director of the NIH Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. He joins us from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), where he was most recently Deputy Executive Director. In his previous role, Kevin oversaw the management and administration of the FTC, a federal agency with more than 1,200 staff. He also served as a member of the Pandemic Response Team, which assessed the effects of the coronavirus and its impact on FTC staff and operations. Before his role as FTC Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Workplace Inclusion, Kevin developed and implemented employee anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies while providing training across the agency.

He served as the subject matter expert for FTC on EEO and diversity and inclusion issues, representing the agency on internal and external committees tasked with addressing agency and broader EDI challenges, programs, and efforts. He initiated and led the FTC's Task Force on Racial Equity to address systemic workplace issues and develop agency goals to cultivate a high-performing, diverse, inclusive, equitable, and engaged workforce.

Kevin earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Morehouse College, Atlanta, and a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law, Washington, D.C.

Kimberly Kirkpatrick

Acting Deputy Director

Kimberly Kirkpatrick is the Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Since her arrival in March 2011, she has invigorated internal and external partnerships that support and provide reasonable accommodations to the disability community. Prior to joining NIH, Kimberly served as the Senior Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to monitoring EEO complaints and processing reasonable accommodations, she executed the Management Directive 715 for the Office of the Director and the Administration for Children and Families.

An alumnus of the University of Maryland, University College, Kimberly started her federal career in 1992 at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Since then, she has served as an EEO Counselor and Investigative Contracts Manager, and Co-Chaired a highly successful Special Emphasis Program. She has over 20 years of government service, including 15 years in the PBGC, Office of the General Counsel, Appeals Division. There, she was influential in implementing the use of the Workforce Recruitment Program for Students with Disabilities and directed the Organization’s first Job Shadowing Day and Diversity Day Observance. She also served as the Disability Program Manager and the Federal Women’s Program Manager. Kimberly is known for her ability to quickly assess issues, her strength in creative resolutions, and her forte in adapting to challenges.

Kay Johnson

Policy Advisor

Kay Johnson Graham has over 30 years of Human Resource Management experience working for the U.S. Federal government at the National Institutes of Health, NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. Kay Johnson Graham began her career serving as a Biologist for the U.S. Federal government for several years at the National Cancer Institute, NIH. Additionally, she became interested in bridging science, medicine and health related scientific employment opportunities to increase the diverse pool of applicants for Federal mission critical jobs. Later she acquired a position as an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist working in fields of outreach/recruitment; Civil Rights law; and Equal Employment Opportunity erwhere she worked tirelessly to assist in connecting employment opportunities to diverse talent. Ms. Johnson Graham has extensive experience in talent acquisition and management, outreach, and Civil Rights law in employment. Ms. Johnson Graham has expanded her academic learning to acquire skills in strategic Human Resources Management, Diversity and Inclusion theory and application, as well as strategic workforce planning. Ms. Johnson Graham attained her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland College Park. Also, she pursued a Master’s degree at Georgetown University in Human Resource Management with a focus on Diversity and Business. Ms. Johnson Graham is a native citizen of the U.S. She is working to establish new knowledge and expertise in the field of academic Human Resource Management to strategically meet the challenges and needs for the Federal Government. She is married and resides with her husband in Bethesda, Maryland.

Resolutions & Equity Division

Stephon L. Scott

Acting Division Director, Resolutions and Equity

Stephon has over 20 years of federal government service (military & civilian). He currently serves as Acting Director of the Resolutions and Equity Division, where he provides managerial oversight of the EEO Compliance Team. Recently, he served as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Director of EDI; there, he assisted in the development of comprehensive and strategic approaches to diversity management and identifying and addressing racial and other workplace inequities at the NIH.

Additionally, Stephon has served as Acting Director of the Guidance, Education, and Marketing Division in EDI, where he provided leadership on effective EEO and D&I marketing and communication strategies, as well as equitable access for the NIH community. He has also served as Branch Director of EDI’s Access & Equity Branch. There, he led the EDI Accessibility Consultancy, whose portfolio of services included Language Access, Reasonable Accommodation, and EEO Guidance. He has also served as the Team Leader and Subject Matter Expert for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Reasonable Accommodation Program, Office of Equal Opportunity & Civil Rights.

Prior to CMS, Stephon served the State of New Mexico, the University of New Mexico, and Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) as an educator, community outreach coordinator, project coordinator, diversity trainer, language access facilitator and collaborator, and higher education academic advisor.

While at APS, he served as the organization’s content expert on Social Cultural Studies and applied that expertise toward developing data-driven Cultural Proficiency trainings and equitable policies and curriculum.

Stephon's Master of Public Administration (MPA) professional paper, entitled “‘WHITES ONLY’ Racially Restrictive Real Estate Covenants: Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1940-1948,” earned him the Ferrel Heady Award for Most Outstanding Professional Paper, 2007-2008. That research has led to two investigative news reports and New Mexico (NM) county commissioners collaborating to remove racist language from NM property deeds (Dec.2020). As a Ronald E. McNair Scholar—and throughout his studies—Stephon has conducted extensive [unpublished] research on the construction of race and how it has been weaponized to control and oppress groups of people.

As a law student, Stephon served as a legal intern with the Office of General Counsel, Office of the Governor, Chief Counsel, State of New Mexico. He also worked as a law clerk with The Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Courts, Office of the Prosecutor, and with the Bernalillo County Attorney’s Office, Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

Presently, Stephon is pursuing his Ed.D. (ABD) in Educational Leadership, with an emphasis on Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies.

Mr. Scott’s watch-phrase is “where there is will and opportunity, advancement is sure to follow!”

Mr. Scott is also a United States Army combat veteran. He is married to his “North Star” and is the father of six lovely and thoughtful children.

Chinara Brown

Branch Director, Informal Complaints

Chinara A. Brown currently serves as the Branch Director of Informal Complaints. She started her federal career as a Clerk Typist in 1998 with the National Institutes of Health’s Student Temporary Employment Program in the Office of Research Services, Equal Employment Opportunity Office, and became a permanent NIH employee in 2001. With over 20 years of EEO experience, she’s held many positions within EDI; from Program Support Assistant, EEO Counselor, and Formal Complaints Specialist and now Branch Director. In her spare time, Chinara enjoys spending time with her family, friends, traveling and bingo.

Kenrick Small

Branch Director, Formal Complaints

Kenrick worked at the Food and Drug Administration since 2014 as a Formal Complaints Specialists and served as the Acting Director for Compliance and the Team Lead of the Compliance Team. He directed the coordination of assignments for all duties of the Compliance team including the preparation of accept/dismissal letters, issuance of reports of investigation, and transmittal of EEO complaint files, the processing of and the coordination of all appeals and remanded cases. From 2009-2013 Kenrick worked at the Department of Health and Human Services, as a Senior EEO Specialist. There he perform the full range of EEO services including, but not limited to complaint processing and adjudication functions, administering diversity management initiatives and administering affirmative employment and special emphasis programs. Kenrick’s EEO experience continues back to include Civil Rights Specialist, Attorney at Law, Probation Officer, Correctional Counselor, etc.

Kenrick earned his J.D., at Western New England College School of Law, Springfield, MA, and his Bachelors in Sociology at Springfield College in Springfield MA.

Jan Holland, Esq.

Branch Director, Investigations

Jan has over 20 years of professional experience in legal and managerial positions, serving her community in leadership roles in Federal, state, and local government, as well as private industry.

Jan currently serves as the Branch Director for Investigations within the Resolutions and Equity Division. She provides oversight and guidance to the staff of the Investigations Unit, ensuring that EEO investigations are timely, thorough, clear, concise, and legally sufficient.

Prior to joining the Resolutions and Equity Division, Jan served with the Social Security Administration (SSA) as Acting Deputy Director and Supervisor for Operations with the Center for Accommodations and Disabilities (CADS) under the Office for Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity (OCREO). Prior to joining CADS, Jan served with the Center for Conflicts Resolution (CCR) as the Team Lead for the EEO complaints Compliance Team, a Final Agency Decision Analyst, second-level reviewer, and as a Mediator. Jan received several Director's Awards at SSA, including awards for her role in establishing an in-house mediation team and improving the agency's timeliness in releasing final agency decisions. Jan was also recognized for developing the EEO Academy Training Program to train newly hired EEO analysts who joined the office. Prior to joining SSA, Jan adjudicated EEO decisions for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Employment Adjudication Division of the Office of Adjudication.

Jan also served in leadership roles for the District of Columbia government, serving as Director of the Policy Research and Analysis Division of the DC State Education Office, and as Deputy Director of the Student Hearing Office in the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

Jan credits her passion for justice and her legal foundation to the training she received as an attorney for the Juvenile Services Program with DC's Public Defender Service, as well as her work as an attorney with the Family Division of the Office of the Attorney General.

Jan has also enjoyed success as an entrepreneur with two business franchises, serving families throughout the DC Metropolitan area.

Jan graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA and the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. She currently resides in the DC Metropolitan area. Jan views her two young adult children as a source of pride and achievement. She enjoys creating art, biking, beaches, gardening, and nature walks with the family's pet.

Guidance, Education, & Marketing Division

Donna Peterkin, Esq.

Acting Division Director, Guidance, Education, & Marketing Division

Donna has extensive experience in EEO, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and civil rights experience in the public and private sectors. She has significant experience leading EEO and D&I organizations in support of geographically dispersed workforces ranging from 6,000 to 80,000 employees.

Donna has the tenacity for creating transformative spaces to address evolving workforce needs. She centers her focus on improving the quality and efficiency of EEO processes, developing meaningful affirmative employment strategies, and promoting diverse and inclusive environments, which are critical elements for attracting and retaining a diverse workforce.

Donna has significant experience in workplace investigations, climate assessments and proactive early resolution strategies. She is a certified EEO investigator, counselor, mediator, ELI Civil Treatment instructor and has substantial experience in leading and managing EEO, affirmative employment, reasonable accommodation, anti-harassment, and training programs.

Donna has experience launching a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives that include establishing and developing D&I councils, establishing and championing employee resource groups, developing interactive training and branding and marketing D&I concepts. Donna has a passion for providing the tools, consultancy and guidance needed to disrupt the status quo and employ current and innovative ways to proactively engage workforces and eliminate barriers to equal access and opportunity.

Donna received a Bachelor of Science in paralegal studies from the University of Maryland in May 1999 and a Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, in May 2003. She is the proud mother of her son Aidan and of her fur baby Onyx.

Jessica Center

Branch Director, Access & Equity

Jessica Center is an enthusiastic professional with a personal mission to help others. Ms. Center has been a federal contractor for over 4 years, providing Personal Assistance and Program Support to the Reasonable Accommodation Program under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In this work she has served a diverse, nation-wide, federal population by coordinating requests for accommodation and the provision of direct service accommodations.

Ms. Center is a graduate of West Virginia University where she worked with different groups to identify barriers for women, people with disabilities, and LGBT individuals. In this work she helped to raise community awareness and supported planning and implementing inclusion projects in the community and with the state government of West Virginia.

Ms. Center is a Maryland resident and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Jenn Pumphrey

Branch Director, Technology, Marketing, & Communications

Born and raised in Gaithersburg, MD, Jenn has 14 years of integrated marketing experience. She is passionate about helping others find their voice and amplifying it over the clutter in today’s marketplace.

She began her career in Bethesda, MD, working with the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) as a communications specialist, helping lead initiatives to raise the social footprint for the Association and its members. She returned to the area after an 11 year stay in Chicago, IL and San Diego, CA. While in Chicago, she worked in the nonprofit sector with the Alzheimer’s Association and in entertainment and media with Viacom’s Black Entertainment Television (BET) Networks. As a marketing strategist for BET Networks, Jenn played an integral role in broadcast and digital media sales enablement as well as brand solutions for major tentpoles including award shows and live events.

Upon the completion of master’s coursework in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies at Loyola University Chicago, Jenn relocated to San Diego, CA where she led business development and brand marketing in digital media, fintech, and the mortgage industry. Throughout her career, Jenn has positioned herself as a diversity specialist helping to establish brand marketing strategies that represent multicultural perspectives and elevate the voices of cultural minorities in vital national industries.

Jenn has served on several committees throughout her career, being selected by the Alzheimer’s Association, BET Networks, and Guild Mortgage Company to represent her department in corporate employee satisfaction efforts, which led to the restructuring of internal practices and procedures, limited turnover, and in the case of Guild Mortgage Company, recognition for “San Diego’s Best Place to Work” in the San Diego Tribune, two consecutive years.

Jenn attended Towson University where she studied Mass Communications and holds several certifications for Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Web Development, and Training.

Data Analytics & Customer Outreach Division

Zam Haque

Acting Director, Data Analytics and Customer Outreach

Zamiul Haque brings a wealth of quantitative and qualitative experiences from his federal, county, private sector, academic and DEI consulting roles. His passion is looking at how equity, diversity and inclusion, intertwined in organizations (through its people, practices, procedures and processes) are pivotal areas for meaningful change.

He has been involved with; workforce analysis, equity, diversity and inclusion analysis, and developing HR system tools with related reporting dashboards. Zam also developed and implemented; HR strategic plans, operating and academic policies, reward and recognition tools, recruiting programs, employee learning pathways, HR business processes workflows, all while managing people, teams and programs.

He received his BS from SUNY @ Albany, and his MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Zam has achieved the highest level of the Society of Human Resources senior level professional certification- SHRM-SCP. Zam had attained a Six Sigma, yellow belt from Florida's Sterling Council as well as recently completing his certification in Diversity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida. He has participated on equity, diversity and inclusion panels at non-profit conferences and served on program advisory board committees for the Lally School at Rensselaer.

Tamara Bruce, M.A.

Acting Branch Director, Data Analytics

Tamara has been involved with various aspects of social science research and analysis for over twenty years. She started her research career at the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD, examining the sexual assault and harassment of military populations. Prior to joining the National Institutes of Health, Tamara worked as a federal contractor on the design, implementation, and analysis of large-scale government funded health outcome studies.

Tamara holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University with a focus on how diversity impacts psychological, behavioral, and organizational outcomes. Her primary interests among these areas have been the harassment and discrimination of individuals that possess multiple protected characteristics.

Nicole Ray

Branch Director, Customer Outreach & Employee Development

Nicole Ray serves as the Director for Customer Outreach and Employee Development Branch in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Nicole began her Federal Career at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) where she served as the lead administrator in the Office of the Scientific Director. While in NIDDK, Nicole developed innovative programs focused on creating equity and opportunities for underserved communities both in and outside of the Federal Government.

Nicole started her career and work in public service as seventh grade math, science and social studies teacher in Prince George's County, Maryland. During her time as an educator, Nicole created a nonprofit organization for girls focused on mentoring, leadership and community service.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Maryland College Park and a Master of Business Administration from University of Maryland University College.

In addition to taking part in community service and advancing equity, Nicole enjoys investing in art, designing clothing, and most recently restoring furniture.

Diversity & Inclusion Division

Danny Dickerson

Director, Diversity and Inclusion

Mr. Danny Dickerson is the Director, Division of Inclusion and Diversity, for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is primarily responsible for overseeing the administration of the Affirmative Employment Programs and managing a robust Diversity and Inclusion Portfolio. Mr. Dickerson has also served as the EDI Senior Policy Advisor, as well as a Reasonable Accommodations consultant.

Mr. Dickerson is also a member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training cadre, where he is responsible for conducting training in the areas of Anti-Bullying, Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance, Civil Treatment, and LGBTI training (Safezone).

Previously Mr. Dickerson was a Senior Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist (EEO) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Mr. Dickerson retired from the United States Air Force after twenty years of service. He is married to his high school sweetheart and the father of two wonderful children.

Alma Mckune

Acting Branch Director, Strategic Diversity and Inclusion

Ms. Alma McKune is currently the Acting Branch Director for the Strategic Diversity and Inclusion branch. She designs, implements, and manages ongoing projects and directs the related resources, personnel, and activities to successfully complete the program and reporting process initiatives. In this capacity she conducts barrier analyses employing descriptive statistics to examine workforce trends and identifies benchmarks and research best practices. Complementary to this, she serves as consultant for 9 Institutes and Centers, supporting NIH executives, managers, supervisors, employees, and other stakeholders. She promotes taking proactive steps to ensure equal employment opportunity and diversity and inclusion on the operation and implementation of the overall NIH Affirmative Employment Program. She is a certified Arbinger and Civil trainer; and facilitates the broad range of mandatory EEO Compliance Training for Managers and Supervisors as well as employees.

Ms. McKune serves as a lead mediator with the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Services’ Shared Neutrals Program. In this role she serves as a transformative facilitator pursuing employee dispute resolutions. She served as a collateral-duty EEO Counselor for over 20 years.

Ms. McKune received a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Human Resource Certificate from the Catholic University of America in 2012. She is also a 2009 graduate of the USDA Graduate School’s New Leader Program. Likewise, in 2019 she graduated from the Office of Personal Management Mid-level DC Leadership Career Development Program.

Ms. McKune is a dedicated life- long learner with a wealth of experience and success utilizing creativity and innovative ideas. Ms. McKune is a strong advocate of counseling, mediation, and workplace diversity. She implements her philosophy that transformative communication and behavior is more powerful than barriers and adversities. Ms. McKune also believes that embracing diversity through recognition and acceptance of individual needs, interests, culture, and values is empowering and can lead to workplace solutions.

David Rice

Acting Branch Director, Special Emphasis Programs

David Rice graduated in 2009 from the Catholic University of America with a degree in Psychology, with a focus on social stigmas of people with Intellectual Disabilities. He has been at National Institutes of Health (NIH) since October 2009, as a Management Analyst for the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders (NIDCD). Being Deaf since the age of 3, he has a strong interest in the Disability Community. His work within the disability community started as a sophomore in high school, where he worked in summer camps for children with intellectual and physical disabilities. While in college David was part of the first American Sign Language (ASL) residential program, where students live a dorm in which hearing and Deaf students shared their desire to teach/learn ASL. He was also active in outreach for people with disabilities at Catholic University.

David is part of DIG (Deaf in Government), where he served as a policy chairperson and as the president of the organization. DIG empowers Deaf and Hard of Hearing Federal Employees to overcome communication barriers, resolve accessibility issues, and promotes a fully inclusive work environment through networking and fostering professional growth. Some of David’s accomplishments are initiating a workforce complaint program, developing a training program that fosters promotion in the federal government, establishing partnerships with different organizations, and creating networking and mentoring opportunities.

David has also changed the cultural stigma placed on people with disabilities have by changing the NIH mission statement. He led the Deaf NIH Employee Resource Group at NIH for those who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, by working closely with the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). David was also a part of Section 508 Advisory group whose mission is to make the internet a fully accessible environment; with his focus being on closed captions. In his spare time, David enjoys Baseball and all things Pittsburgh.