National leaders join NECO’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council

Comprised of national leaders in diversity, inclusion and equity, these external leaders will guide NECO on best practices, support alignment of NECO’s overall strategy, and help leadership institutionalize human capital practices that support and accelerate D&I goals.

“I am honored to partner with President Howard Purcell and the NECO team on their vision and commitment to establish an external diversity, equity and inclusion council which will be implemented across the NECO community,” states Janet LaBreck, NECO Board member and special advisor to the president. “Recommendations from national thought leaders and key stakeholders with a wide array of expertise will help build on a NECO culture that is authentic in its endeavor to promote equitable and inclusive practices that allow organizations to unleash the power of a diverse workforce.”

“The external view and diverse expertise they bring are important if we want to have a lasting impact on diversity and inclusion,” states President & CEO Howard Purcell. “The Council represents unique perspectives that we wouldn’t have otherwise have, and I’m grateful for their generosity of time and knowledge.”

NECO D&I Advisory Council

Brian K. Gibbs, PhD, MPA, is Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer, and Associate Professor at Oregon Health & Science University. He is a visionary and highly collaborative leader with an in-depth understanding of local, national, global, historical, and contemporary social justice issues facing higher education and underserved communities.

Mamie W. Mallory is President & CEO of Mallory & Associates, LLC. She is a recognized Civil Rights Leader and an accomplished Program Manager/Engineer in the Federal Government. She is formerly the Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Mary Otiato is the Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives/Ombudsman, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB). Mary oversees the Central Registry, MCB’s entry point for consumers and responds to consumer inquiries to improve and redesign processes, programs, policies, and service delivery. She has more than 13 years’ experience in management roles in human services organizations, and previously served as MCB’s Greater Boston Regional Director and Chief of Staff.

Jim Sinocchi is Head of the global Office of Disability Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase. Jim works with leaders and employees across the firm to set the strategy for driving an inclusive culture for recruiting, hiring and promoting qualified people with disabilities. He represents the firm in forums at the United Nations, in discussions with members of Congress, and in meetings with government officials and nonprofit entities.

Frances West was IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer and is founder of FrancesWestCo, a global strategy advisory company focused on working with business, governments, nonprofits and startups to operationalize digital inclusion as a business and technology imperative. She is author of Authentic Inclusion™ Drives Disruptive Innovation. The book draws on her unique personal background and global business experience in technology innovation—from her personal journey as a first-generation, non-English speaking immigrant to her professional path as a woman in technology.