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December 12, 2024

Lamont names CT’s first chief equity and opportunity officer

HBJ PHOTO | GREG BORDONARO Gov. Ned Lamont sitting in his office inside the state Capitol during a Nov. 13 interview with the Hartford Business Journal.
By Greg Bordonaro

Gov. Ned Lamont Thursday morning announced that he is appointing Mariana Monteiro to serve as Connecticut’s first chief equity and opportunity officer.
 
In the position, Monteiro will lead the Connecticut Office of Equity and Opportunity, a new state office established by the governor earlier this year through an executive order. 

According to Lamont, the office is tasked with ensuring that “state government is a leader in equity and inclusion with the goals of eliminating institutional and systemic barriers and creating opportunity and access for all those it serves and employs.” 

The department is administratively held within the governor’s office and is funded through existing appropriations, Lamont said.

“Government is accountable to the public, and as such it should actively seek out and engage with individuals and opinions beyond those who typically have access and opportunity because doing so will create a stronger workforce within government offices while also implementing more effective and representative policies that benefit the public,” Lamont said. “In serving as Connecticut’s first chief equity and opportunity officer, Mariana will lead the efforts of state government offices to ensure they are doing everything possible to create a fair, equitable, and inclusive environment representative of the people who live in our state, and by doing so will help in our overall goals of addressing historical and ongoing disparities and promoting social justice.”

Monteiro has experience in human resources with several major global companies. She most recently worked for Lockheed Martin as executive director of global diversity and inclusion in which she developed and implemented the defense company’s efforts to support a more inclusive workforce culture. 

Prior to that, she worked with Raytheon Technologies as head of global workforce diversity equity and inclusion; with Otis Elevator Co.  as director of diversity, equity and inclusion; and in General Electric’s corporate and different business units, including energy and aerospace, in various capacities related to human resources, compliance and investigations, inclusive practices and community service.

She earned an MBA from Purdue University Krannert School of Management, a master’s in cultural studies from Purdue University, and a law degree from Universidad Nacional de La Plata.

The chief equity and opportunity officer’s responsibilities include: 

  • Serving as the coordinator of the state’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy;
  • Supporting equity-oriented efforts throughout the state to ensure services and resources are available and accessible to all in Connecticut;
  • Conducting comprehensive assessments of current and proposed policies and practices of state agencies to identify areas where disparities exist, and where underserved communities may face barriers to accessing services;
  • Developing a formal process for the development and implementation of agency equity plans;
  • Coordinating the publication of agency equity plans on a centralized and easily accessible website;
  • Developing equity-oriented systems, policies, and procedures that operationalize diversity, equity, inclusion and support sustainable practices within state agencies;
  • Identifying diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings opportunities for all state employees;
  • Developing statewide diversity, equity, and inclusion benchmarks and measures of progress;
  • Overseeing and providing guidance to state agencies on how to engage and incorporate the perspectives of underserved communities;
  • Partnering with state agencies to ensure communications with residents are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible;
  • Integrating equity considerations into the budget process and assess the impact of budget decisions; and
  • Providing strategies to promote equitable contracting and purchasing practices.
     

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