Meet the Advisory Committee

The H. George Frederickson Center for Social Equity is co-chaired by Michael Massiah and Rosemary O’Leary. 

Michael Massiah recently retired from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as its first chief diversity officer. He held numerous roles there throughout his career including manager of HR employment, director of the Office of Business and Job Opportunities, deputy director of HR, director of the Family Liaison program, director of human resources, director of the Office of Organizational Effectiveness and Change Management, director of the Management and Budget Department, chief of capital planning and asset management and chief diversity and inclusion officer. He was appointed chairperson of the Port Authority’s Leadership Steering Committee on Race Dynamics in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd. Under his leadership, the committee listened to more than 2,400 employees, analyzed data and produced action teams to raise standards for workplace fairness and equity.

Rosemary O’Leary is Distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of Kansas. Many of the ideas for her research have roots in her years as a public servant and have earned her 13 national research awards and two international research awards, including four best book awards. She has also won 11 teaching awards, two of them national.  O’Leary was a member of NASA’s Return to Flight Task Group, assembled in response to the Columbia space shuttle accident, and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Award for her efforts. In 2019, the International Research Society for Public Management established the annual Rosemary O'Leary Prize for Outstanding Scholarship on Women in Public Administration.

Current members of the HGF Advisory Committee include:

  • Abraham David Benavides, Professor, University of Texas at Dallas
  • RaJade Berry-James, Associate Dean, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Brandi Blessett, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota
  • David Frederickson, U.S. Department of Labor
  • Susan Gooden, Dean, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Mary Guy, Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado-Denver
  • Meredith Newman, Professor, Florida International University
  • James Nordin, Retired, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Phin Xaypangna, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, County of Ventura CA

Click on the "Get Involved" link on the left, or here, to send a message to the committee.