JUNE 16, 2017--During the week of June 13, the OR&R Diversity Committee had a two-day operational meeting to evaluate their progress over the past two years and align on an action plan for the coming two years.

Held in Silver Spring, the meeting was an opportunity for new members to meet face-to-face for the first time; meet with the OMT to discuss progress, challenges, and opportunities; review the results of the OR&R-wide diversity survey; and chart a path forward by creating a new action plan for 2017-2019. Dave Westerholm, Director of OR&R; Tony Penn, Assessment and Restoration Division Chief; Nancy Wallace, Marine Debris Program Chief; and Scott Lundgren, Emergency Response Division Chief, joined the meeting to share reflections on the past few years and provide guidance and suggestions on areas the committee should focus its efforts in 2017-2019. The meeting was also made a success with the help of Rebecca Hoff, who facilitated the event, and Shelby Cosby, who led the committee in several team-building events related to the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator. The conversations during the meeting were largely driven by data from the 2017 OR&R diversity survey results. Every two years since 2011, the OR&R Diversity Committee has conducted a diversity survey of OR&R staff that provides essential insight and information upon which the committee builds its biannual diversity action plan. Staff responses to this survey directly guide the types of events, activities, and initiatives that the Diversity Committee will implement in the future. The 2017 survey results, insights from managers, and reflections from committee members resulted in a draft of the 2017-2019 action plan, including milestones, timelines and assignments, focused on helping OR&R fully achieve the OR&R diversity vision and mission (login required). More results of the meeting, including survey results and a finalized action plan, will be shared at upcoming OR&R All Hands meetings and divisional meetings. For further information, contact LaTonya.Burgess@noaa.gov or Kristen.Faiferlick@noaa.gov. OR&R strives to build and maintain a diverse, high-performing workforce that includes and empowers all staff and leverages diversity to better reflect the composition of the U.S. civilian labor force, to better serve our communities, increase innovation and improve decision making in our all aspects of our work. Go back to OR&R Weekly Report.