Governor Charlie Crist has reappointed Dr. Donna Elam of Orlando as a Commissioner of the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR). Upon Senate approval, Dr. Elam will serve a three-year term expiring September 30, 2012.
“This year, the Commission is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the agency’s creation,” said Derick Daniel, Executive Director of the Commission. “It is people like Commissioner Elam who have made the Commission such a successful organization over the past four decades through hard work and dedication to the people of Florida. Her passion and accomplishments are exemplary, and we are very pleased to continue to work with her for the next three years.”
Dr. Elam is the Associate Director of Program Development and External Affairs for the College of Education at the University of South Florida. She has served on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Diversity Task Force, on the Board of Directors for the Florida Institute for Policing and on the Executive Board for Peace Institute in Broward County. Dr. Elam has educated thousands of professionals nationally and across the globe on integrating cultural competency into educational curriculums. She is the author of “Why They Marched: The Struggle for the Right to Vote” and “New Directions for Culturally Competent Leadership; Implications for Policy and Practice.”
The Commission consists of 12 commissioners of various racial, religious, ethnic, social, economic, political and professional groups within the state, all appointed to four-year terms by the Governor subject to Senate approval.
The Florida Commission on Human Relations, established in 1969, is the state agency charged with enforcing the Florida Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act. Fair treatment, equal access and mutual respect are the benchmarks of the Commission’s commitment. Through education, outreach and partnerships, the Commission works to prevent discrimination through teaching best practices and fostering cultural understanding in communities statewide.
For more information, please visit http://fchr.state.fl.us .