(LibertySons.org) – President Joe Biden created a new position at the White House when he took over. The country’s first-ever chief diversity officer served in the job for three years. Now, he’s leaving his position.
On January 25, the White House announced Michael Leach, who served as the chief diversity and inclusion officer, will be leaving the administration soon. Leach spoke to Bloomberg News about his time at the White House, calling it “the honor of a lifetime” and saying he looks forward to seeing what the administration is going to do “to build upon the progress [he] made towards a more equitable and promising future.”
The senior White House official said that he was looking forward to “making a broader impact” by helping people across the world. Leach took the position in the administration in 2021 after working on Biden’s presidential campaign and diversifying that. Prior to his stint in public office, he worked for the NFL’s Management Council, the Miami Dolphins, and the Chicago Bears.
The president hired Leach to bolster diversity in the administration, as he had in the campaign. Under his authority, the number of non-white employees increased by five points to 49%. The number of women increased to 59%, but the percentage of people of color and women in senior roles was lower than it was in 2022.
Leach isn’t the only diversity official leaving the administration. In mid-January, Janice Underwood, the director of the Office of Personnel Management’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, also announced she was leaving her post. She accepted a position with Disney to oversee diversity and inclusion for the entertainment giant.
Like Leach, Underwood was responsible for ensuring the federal government set an example of DEI policies in the workplace. Republicans contend the policies are divisive, not inclusive, and supported cutting her salary.
The president will now have to find candidates to serve in both positions. The search for Leach’s replacement is ongoing.
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