Metra recently announced that Janice R. Thomas has been named the agency’s first senior division director of diversity and civil rights, a position created to elevate Metra’s commitment and exposure to diversity and inclusion efforts.
Reporting directly to the Executive Director/CEO, Thomas will be responsible for the administrative oversight and management of the EEO/Diversity Initiatives Department and the Office of Business Diversity and Civil Rights, which were formerly separate offices at Metra.
Thomas, who was selected from a pool of internal and external candidates, has been the Senior Director of the Office of Business Diversity and Civil Rights since December 2010. She managed a 12-member team responsible for DBE certification, contract and labor compliance, community outreach and the Title VI program.
“Janice has been one of our ‘go to’ senior managers whenever we have a special task force need and she’s been a strong, smart, and capable senior leader at Metra who is constantly looking for new challenges,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “Because she is able to work well with colleagues inside and outside of Metra, she commands instant respect in this new position.”
Thomas has more than 17 years of experience in government, with a concentration in supplier diversity. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Chicago State University, is a certified professional public buyer and a professional member of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing. Additionally, Thomas is a graduate of the 2013 American Public Transportation Association Leadership Program, where she served on the human resources committee.
Thomas, along with Metra’s current senior director of the EEO/Diversity Initiatives Department, will have a direct reporting relationship with Orseno.
The decision to reorganize was made based on research indicating similar alignments were being made at peer agencies in the commuter railroad industry and others nationwide. By creating a higher-level position with more responsibilities, Metra hopes to provide employees, managers and vendors with services that not only meet Federal Transit Administration best practices, but are best in class.
“It is an honor to be selected for this position,” Thomas said. “I look forward to achieving Metra’s goal of being progressive and adapting to new challenges when it comes to attracting, training and retaining employees and vendors.”
