Cultivating Courage, Curiosity, and Candor in Public Service: DEIA in Federal Government

Muslim Americans in Public Service is proud to host “Cultivating Courage, Curiosity, and Candor in Public Service” on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

In June of 2021, the Biden administration made history by releasing the first executive order tasking every federal agency of the U.S. government to develop concrete action plans to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). To reap the benefits of a more inclusive workforce, there needs to be an ecosystem where courage, candor, and curiosity are celebrated. It’s not enough to have demographic diversity represented in the senior ranks if those, especially on the periphery of power, don't have the psychological safety to voice their views and contribute meaningfully to policy discussions.

Our panelists will talk about what it will take to transform federal institutions into spaces that are more just, more equitable, and more innovative – so that all employees can reach their full potential. And in doing so, remake our public sector to be more effective and responsive to the nation we serve. The moderator and all panelists will be speaking in their personal capacities and their views do not necessarily represent their respective institutions.

Moderator:

Maryum Saifee is a career U.S. diplomat at the Department of State and is a prominent voice on DEIA efforts at the State Department. In her personal capacity, she led the Truman Center for National Policy “Transforming State” task force and was a member of the American Council on Germany’s task force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Panelists:

Mark Hanis is the founder of Inclusive America, a nonprofit advocacy group that focuses on building more transparency and accountability in efforts to diversify the federal workforce.

Ahmad Maaty is the co-founder and Chair of Muslim Americans in Public Service and currently serving in the U.S. Department of Justice. In his personal capacity at MAPS, he co-developed a blueprint for action to operationalize the White House Executive Order to advance DEIA.

Dr. Victor Marsh is a former U.S. diplomat and is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Toronto. He has published extensively on DEIA in the federal workforce, including co-authoring a recent piece in the Foreign Service Journal on DEIA and data transparency.

Jennifer Rizzoli is a career U.S. diplomat at the Department of State. She served as a Pearson Fellow in the U.S. House of Representatives and led efforts to craft legislation to build a more inclusive federal workforce.

We want to thank our co-sponsors – Inclusive America, Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS), the Truman Center for National Policy, and Asian American Federal Employees for Nondiscrimination (AAFEN) for their leadership in creating safe spaces for leaders of all backgrounds, including underrepresented groups, to thrive in public service.

Join MAPS or learn more by visiting www.mapsnational.org.