Boston's Walsh Creates New Office Of Diversity

Mayor Marty Walsh is creating Boston's first Office of Diversity, which he hopes will increase diversity in the city's workforce.

Shaun Blugh, who's currently an employment recruiter with a New York-based company, will be chief diversity officer, Walsh announced Tuesday, and Freda Brasfield, who works for the mayor's office as administration and finance manager, will be deputy chief diversity officer.

“Even before being sworn in as Mayor, I made some very ambitious and serious promises about increasing diversity across our workforce and ensuring that City government reflects the people we represent,” Walsh said in a statement. “I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken and the progress we’ve made, and I know that the addition of Shaun in this Chief Diversity Officer role will serve to strengthen and grow the foundation we’ve built.”

The new office will also be tasked with reporting the city's employee diversity data, and also increasing opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses to engage with the city.

Walsh is nearing the one-year mark of his mayoralty. He took office in January.