MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
October 10, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 102 of the Racial Equity Achieves Results
(REACH) Amendment Act of 2020, effective March 16, 2021 (D.C. Law 23-181; D.C. Official Code
§ 2-1471.02), I am pleased to nominate the following individual:
Gabrielle Parsons
Maryland Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(Ward 5)
for appointment as a member of the Racial Equity Advisory Board, filling a vacant seat formerly held
by Charles Wilson, for a term to end December 17, 2026.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor ~ ~ n
3
at the request of the Mayor
4
5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
7
8
9
10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11
12
13
14
15 To confirm the appointment of Gabrielle Parsons to the Racial Equity Advisory Board.
16
17
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Racial Equity Advisory Board Gabrielle Parsons Confirmation
19 Resolution of 2024".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
21
22 Gabrielle Parsons
23 Maryland A venue, NE
24 Washington,
DC 20002
25 (Ward 5)
26
27
as a member of the Racial Equity Advisory Board, established by section 102 of the Racial
28 Equity Achieves Results (REACH) Amendment Act of 2020, effective March 16, 2021 (D.C.
29 Law 23-181; D.C. Official Code§ 2-1471.02), filling a vacant seat formerly held by Charles
30 Wilson, for a term to end December 17, 2026.
31 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
32 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
33 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. GABRIELLE PARSONS, M.ED.
CHANGEAGENT|DIVERSITY,EQUITY&INCLUSIONLEADER|EDUCATOR
DO
Diversity,Equity&InclusivenessConsultant,Am
Ernst&Young(EY)|July2021-present
*Developandimplementbest-in-classlearning,policiesandprogramsforapproximately9,000internalclients
acrosstheUnitedStates,Canada,andUKtoattract,retainandpromoteadiverseandinclusiveworkforce
*Partnerwithbusinessleaderstoaddressspecificneedsacrossninemultifunctionalgroups:Brand,Marketing&
Communications;EnterpriseSupportServices;Finance;Innovation;Legal;Markets&BusinessDevelopment;Risk
&Independence;Neuro-diverseCenterofExcellence;andTalent;supportincreasedID&Eownershipandself-
servicewithintheorganizationbygrowingexistinginitiativesandtrainingleadersonSOPsandtools
+AdvanceDEIobjectiveswithcomprehensiveanalyticsofID&Edata/metrics,inadditiontorecruitment,talent,and
inclusionmetrics,tounderstandinsightsandidentifykeyareasofopportunity
*ActasSubjectMatterExpert(SME)onDEItheories,concepts,andpracticestoembedintotheorganization's
Initiatives;synergizeandmaintainstrategyandKPISacrossacomplexmatrixtoovercomehurdlestoresults,
achievesolutions,andmeettheorganization'sobjectives
*Provideleadershipforandactiveengagementwiththeorganization'seightProfessionalNetworks(ERGs)atlocal
andvirtualeventstopropelinclusionandscaleimpactfortheAccessibility,Pan-Asian,Black,Latinx,LGBT+,
Veteran,andWomen-identifyingcommunities,andothercommunitiesofinterest
+AdministerstrategicleadershipforwomenofcolorinCoreBusinessServices;developed,implemented,and
facilitatedtwoflagshipprograms:aseriesofleadershipdevelopmentworkshopsinSpring2022,andadrop-in
callonwellbeingandresilienceinSpring2023;impacting600uniqueparticipantsacrosstheUnitedStates
1sCoreBusinessServices
AssistantDirectorofDiversity&Inclusion
IndianaInstituteofTechnology|2020-2021
*ReporteddirectlytotheVicePresidentofInstitutionalDiversity,Equity,andBelongingtoserveapproximately
2,000clients,addressingtheneedsofunderrepresentedandmarginalizedcommunitieswithintheorganization
*Developed20+ID&Eco-curriculartrainingsandprogramseachsemesterforstakeholdersatalllevels
+Implementedresponse-basedinitiativesforcriticalclimate,socialjustice,andorganizationalissues
*Identifiedandsourcedkeypartnershipswithcommunity-basedNGOs,nonprofits,andeducationalorganizatio
‘manageddeliveryofinitiativesandpartnershipecosystem
‘+Administeredleadershipintheprogrammingandstrategiesfortheorganization'sBlackEmployeeResource
GroupandBlackStudentUnion
‘+ManagedID&Eoperations,marketing&communications,andbudget;managedteamoffourdirectreports
ForeignLanguage&CultureAmbassador;AssistantLangua,
TokyoMetropolitanGovernment|2017-2019
+Implementedandmanagedculturalexchangeandforeignlanguageeducationatthelocallevelacrossaportfolio
of2,000Japaneseclientstoscaleinternationalization,equity,&inclusioninadvanceofthe2020TokyoOlympics
+IdentifiedopportunitiesforEnglishLanguageInstructionprocessimprovement,implementednewstrategiesand
‘mechanisms,resultingingreaterlearningimpactandEnglishlanguageacquisition
*Yielded100%acceptancerateofstudentspursuingentryintotop-tieruniversities
Teacher
ProgramManager,MulticulturalStudentSuccess
DePaulUniversity|2015-2017
*Developed,delivered,andassessedanidentity-consciousprogramfor3,000undergraduatewomenofcolor
focusedonacademicsuccess,professionaldevelopment,andcommunitybuilding
*Integratednewproductsandprocessestostreamlineandimproveprogrammanagementanddelivery
*Yieldeda400%increaseinclientsanda200%increaseintouchpoints
M.Ed.EducationalLeadership(2017) B.S.Education&SocialPolicy(2015)
Capstone:ImprovingMulticulturalAffairs AfricanAmericanStudiesMinorDegree
Programming CivicEngagementCertificate
DePaulUniversity,Chicago,IL NorthwesternUniversity,Evanston,IL Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Gabrielle Parsons
Ms. G abrielle Parsons is a global, progressive, and inclusive educator,
experienced in empowering learners and fostering diversity, equity,
inclusion, justice, and belonging. She has approximately 8 years of
experience doing diversity, equity, and inclusion ( DEI) work, and her
intention in every experience is to interject empathy, strengthen culture
and collaboration, and produce big results for all stakeholders.
Currently, as a DEI Consultant for Ernst & Young (EY), she develops
and implements innovative learning, policies, and programs for 9,000
internal clients across the United States. Prior to this role, she served as
a teacher at nonprofit organizations, a DEI program manager in higher
education, and as an English language instructor in Japan.
Her key competencies include facilitation/training, fostering critical thinking and candid dialogue,
research and analysis, technology integration, writing, public speaking, stakeholder engagement,
and application of intersectional and global lenses.
A Ward 5 resident, Ms. Parsons earned her Bachelor of Science in Education and Social Policy
from Northwestern University and her Master of Education in Educational Leadership from
DePaul University. GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Tomas Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: September 16, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolutions nominating Shareefah Al’Uqdah, David
Coleman, Kelly Crawford, Kenya Hutton, Yolanda Lewis, Vivian Lowery
Derrick, Lamont Mitchell, and Gabrielle Parsons as members of the Racial Equity
Advisory Board
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolutions and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-
724-1303, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish