Staunton City Council appoints members to Equity and Diversity Commission

Staunton City Council appointed 14 people to serve as the initial members of the Equity and Diversity Commission at the regular meeting on Thursday.

Lou Boden, Sabrina Burress, Joamarie Garcia, Mark Jeter, Vicki Keyser, Jake Krug, Lindsey Lennon, Beth Nelsen, AnhThu Nguyen, Nathaniel Riddle, Daniel Stuhlsatz, Jennifer Trippeer, Susan Venable and Zavia Willis will serve two-year terms, commencing with their appointment.

Mayor Andrea Oakes and Councilmember Brenda Mead will serve as the City Council liaisons to the commission.

“We had a process and the process worked…and we ended strong,” said Dr. Robin Stacia, the Virginia Risk Sharing Association’s inclusion resident, who supported the work of developing and supporting the new commission.

The city procured a $25,000 grant from VRSA last year to pay for Dr. Stacia’s time, and since then she has been working with city staff and City Council on the details of how the commission should come together and move through its initial steps once formed.

“The support of Dr. Stacia, City of Staunton staff and the community got us to this point, and for that, we are grateful,” Oakes said. “And we are very proud to now be appointing a group of individuals who care so deeply about diversity, equity and inclusion issues in our community that they are willing to step up and share a large amount of time and energy moving the city forward.”

The Commission was officially formed by City Council through adoption of a resolution during its regular meeting on Feb. 24 and is charged with “objectively evaluating existing data, studies, and reports from available sources concerning social and racial equity in the City of Staunton that evaluate social determinants and inequitable outcomes within the City of Staunton.”

On June 4, commission members will receive an orientation explaining in further detail the work and expectations ahead of them.

Additional information regarding the Equity and Diversity Commission can be found on the city’s website www.staunton.va.us/equity.