UPDATED: Framingham Selects Barros as First Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer

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FRAMINGHAM – Maritsa Barros has been named the City of Framingham’s first-ever Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer.

The City Council will be asked to approve the appointment in January.

Mayor Yvonne Spicer submitted Barros’ name to the Council yesterday, December 30.

“It is with great pleasure that I submit Dr. Maritsa Barros to serve as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the City of Framingham. Dr. Barros has an impressive professional career working with grassroots programs like the Urban Scholars Initiative to currently serving as the Interim Chief Diversity Officer at Lesley University. She is a remarkable candidate with a notable background who comes highly recommended,” wrote the Mayor to the Council.

“Barros has long been a champion of equity, inclusion, and diversity. She brings a very personal lens, as a daughter of immigrants, to view this work. She understands what it takes to build a welcoming and inclusive environment supported by policies and practices that truly reflect the diversity of a community. Framingham is fortunate to have attracted such a talented individual to assume this role,” wrote the Mayor.

The starting salary is $118,000 to $125,000.

Barros, who just received her doctorate degree in 2020, has been at Lesley University for the last 7 years.

She just became the Assistant Vice President of Special Projects at the University in December 2020. She was Interim Chief Diversity Officer for the Cambridge-based University since July 2020.

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Barros was hired as the Associate Diversity Officer and Executive Director of Urban Scholars Initiative in August of 2013.

She was the assistant director admission & multicultural recruitment at Framingham State University from July 2011 until she was hired by Lesley University.

Barros was the assistant director for multicultural recruitment at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts for 3 years from August 2008 to August 2011.

Barros received her Doctor of Education in organizational leadership from Northeastern University in 2020. She received her Masters in College student development & counseling from Northeastern in 2007. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth in 2005 with a degree in psychology. She has a minor in African & African-American studies.

“Reverend Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd, Dr. Connie Cabello, Dr. Lynn Moore, Dr. Esta Montano, Mr. Joseph Corazzini, and (Framingham HR Director) Ms. Dolores Hamilton,” served on the selection committee said the Mayor.

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Photo courtesy of Lesley University