Chapel Hill Town Manager Maurice Jones announced Thursday that Shanekia Weeks has been named the town’s first ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer.

The DEI Officer’s job will be to further advance and transform the Town’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion — both internally and externally.

In that role, Weeks will collaborate with Chapel Hill leadership and the community to design and implement programs and activities which will celebrate the Town’s diversity and establish equal opportunities for all.

“We are very excited to have Ms. Weeks serve in this critical new role in our organization,” Jones said. “She has devoted her professional life to diversity, equity, and inclusion and will bring a well-rounded approach to furthering our goal of making Chapel Hill a place for everyone.”

Weeks is currently the District Administrator of the Guardian ad Litem Program in Stokes and Surry counties. She oversees a court-based program that provides foster care for children with a trained volunteer advocate and attorney for neglect and abuse hearings.

From to 2016 to 2020, she was the Director of Diversity, Equity and Trauma for EducationPlus — where she worked with leaders to uncover inequalities within their organizations and created professional development interventions to address them.

Her 22 years of experience in sectors including public health, public education, mental health, law enforcement, higher education and non-profits were all rooted in eliminating race and class-based disparities.

“I am honored to join the staff and residents of Chapel Hill in creating and sustaining a more just community,” Weeks said.

 

Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.

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