Today, I am thanking and saying farewell to Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, a diplomat with 30 years of experience, and the Department's first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO).
The only way to ensure our foreign policy delivers for the American people is to recruit and retain a workforce that truly reflects the American people. Since my first day as Secretary, it's been a key priority to make sure the Department of State is a place where people of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and nations of origin have a chance to contribute, advance, and lead.
Thanks to Gina's leadership, the Department has made significant progress to live up to our commitment to create a more inclusive workplace. She played an integral role in developing our Department's five year strategic plan on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility which identified specific priorities, goals, and objectives, along with a series of other concrete, systemic accomplishments in DEIA that will set the stage for further progress in this important space.
On behalf of the Department, I thank Gina for her service and dedication to our country and our workforce.
