https://hellowoodlands.com/lone-star-college-selects-chief-diversity-officer/

Lone Star College has named Carlecia Wright Chief Diversity Officer. Wright will work with LSC faculty, students, and the community to develop strategies to reduce obstacles which the underrepresented face.

“Carlecia brings a proven track record in developing strategies and implementing policies, initiatives and programs that level the playing field and reduce barriers for the underrepresented,” said Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., LSC Chancellor. “She will be an invaluable addition to the Lone Star College leadership team as we look to strategize new ways to focus on our college’s culture and our commitment to student success.”

Prior to joining LSC, Wright served as vice president, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at BiasSync whose mission is to create better outcomes for organizations by using science-based tools to reduce the negative impact of unconscious bias. Wright also served as the Chief Diversity Officer for the city of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity and as Director of Operations and policy advisor for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

“I am very excited about joining Lone Star College as the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer,” said Wright. “Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Head and his team as an external partner, gleaning their strong commitment to diversity and exceptional culture. As an internal partner, I plan to enhance their already strong culture and build intercultural competencies that create organizational change that ultimately impact student success.”

Wright holds a B.A. in Journalism from Columbia College Chicago, a Master’s in Public Administration, Public Policy from New York University, and has certifications as a Diversity & Inclusion Certified Professional, Cornell University and Unconscious Bias Certified Trainer & Facilitator, Cultural Intelligence Institute.

“Carlecia will be working with all employees, students and the community for an assessment, perceptions and input on where we are at Lone Star College and where we want to go in our efforts,” said Head.

Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 93,000+ students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of nearly $3 billion. Lone Star College consists of seven colleges, eight centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.

Los Angeles-based Startup Offers a New Online Solution to Assess Unconscious Bias in Corporations and Government

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biassync-appoints-diversity-strategist-carlecia-wright-as-vice-president-business-development-300909872.html

As Director for the Office of Business Opportunity for the City of Houston, Carlecia D. Wright leads a City Department that ensures diverse businesses have fair access to and active participation in Houston’s procurement program. In this mayoral-appointed role since April 2011, Carlecia has implemented a proven three-pronged approach – transparency, efficiency and innovation – to provide a seamless, easy- to-navigate operation that supports the City’s procurement process, along with the development of business development programs for small businesses that strengthens them structurally, operationally, financially and competitively.

Under Carlecia’s focused and strategic direction, the City of Houston’s highly ranked program has awarded nearly 25,000 contracts totaling $1.2 billion dollars to diverse businesses, and has become a model for cities around the country. Among other historic and innovative firsts, she garnered unanimous City Council approval to revise contract and procurement policy, and created Hire Houston First, the largest local procurement preference program in Texas and launched TweetMyJobs Houston, an online platform that has connected more than 20,000 individuals to 100,000-plus jobs.

A 16-year veteran of public service leadership, Carlecia’s commitment to economic and community development excellence is evidenced in the long-term impact she’s also made beyond Houston’s borders. Starting her service, after college as an Americorps NCCC Team Leader in San Diego, California where she worked on service projects in Education, Environment and Community Development throughout the Western Region of the United States. Early in her career, Carlecia was instrumental in the transformation of the Brooklyn landscape by gathering support to change land-use and zoning regulations from community and business stakeholders, along with the approval of five independent governing bodies. During her tenure with the City of New York’s Small Business Services and Housing Preservation and Development departments, she worked closely with executive leadership in both departments on organizational priorities, strategy, change management and key policy initiatives; in 2006 she received the Frederick O’Reilly Hayes Prize, which honors aspiring and emerging leaders in New York City government, because of her role in converting several failed properties that were city owned into viable tenant owned properties; and for her role in identifying city budget savings that turned a $14 million deficit into an $8 million gain for New York City.

Carlecia has received several local and national awards for her achievements, including the Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 professionals’ recognition and Breakthrough Woman from the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She has a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College of Chicago and a master’s degree from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. She is a graduate of the city of New York’s Leadership Institute, the Center for Houston’s Future, Leadership Houston and a Senior Fellow for American Leadership Forum.

An active community volunteer, Carlecia works with several organizations that support women, including My Legacy Foundation and Dress for Success. She serves on the University of Houston’s College of Education Dean’s Advisory Council, sits on the boards of various chambers of commerce and acts as president of her daughter’s school’s Parent Action Committee.

A native of Illinois, Carlecia is the wife of Philip Wright, Jr. and mother of Kaomi.