FY22-FY26 NIST DEIA STRATEGIC PLAN | PAGE 0
LAURIE

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LAURIE LOCASCIO 

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FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About NIST

• NIST At A Glance

About NIST DEIA

• NIST DEIA At A Glance

• NIST DEIA Governance

About The NIST DEIA Strategic Plan

• Plan Approach

• Plan Alignment

NIST DEIA Priority Areas

• NIST DEIA Mission and Vision

• NIST DEIA Definitions

• NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 1: Diversity

• NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 2: Equity

• NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 3: Inclusion

• NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 4: Accessibility

• NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 5: Inclusive Economy

NIST DEIA Emergent Themes

Appendices

• Appendix A: NIST DEIA Resources

• Appendix B: NIST Voluntary Employee Organizations

• Appendix C: NIST DEIA Maturity Model

• Appendix D: NIST DEIA Survey and Self-Assessment Team

• Appendix E: NIST DEIA Strategic Planning Team

• Appendix F: DEIA Executive Orders and Memorandums

• Appendix G: Executive Order 14035 DEIA Definitions
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 3

ABOUT NIST

NIST At A Glance

The National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) is a subcomponent bureau 

within the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). 

NIST’s mission is to promote U.S. innovation and 

industrial competitiveness by advancing 

measurement science, standards, and technology 

in ways that enhance economic security and 

improve the quality of life. Through this mission,

the institute envisions itself as the world’s leader 

in stimulating innovation, fostering industrial 

competitiveness, and improving the quality of life 

by creating critical measurement solutions and 

promoting equitable standards. NIST’s mission 

and vision is accomplished by a workforce 

consisting of over 7,000 federal employees and associates across three (3) directorates for Laboratory Programs (LP), 

Innovation and Industry Services (IIS), and Management Resources (MR) – with locations covering a geographic footprint that

includes but is not limited to Gaithersburg, MD, Boulder, CO, and Charleston, SC.

In addition to its core competencies, which includes measurement science, rigorous traceability, and the development and 

use of standards, NIST maintains the following four (4) core values to ensure a high-performing and welcoming work 

environment:

• Excellence: NIST applies rigor and critical thinking to achieve world-class results and continuous improvement in 

everything it does. 

• Inclusivity: NIST works collaboratively to harness the diversity of people and ideas, both inside and outside of the 

institute, to attain the best solutions to multidisciplinary challenges. 

• Integrity: NIST is ethical, honest, independent, and provides an objective perspective.

• Perseverance: NIST takes the long view, planning the future with scientific knowledge and imagination to ensure 

continued impact and relevance for our stakeholders.

NIST’s commitment to these core values, as reflected in both its past and present work, readily positions the institute to 

further cultivate a corporate culture that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible for its colleagues, customers, and the 

broader community of measurement science and standards. 
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 4

ABOUT NIST DEIA

NIST DEIA At A Glance

The NIST workforce is its most critical asset and

as such, the institute recognizes the strategic 

need to create a work environment where 

everyone feels engaged and empowered. NIST 

relies on a high‐performing workforce with 

world‐class expertise to optimally accomplish 

its mission. Given the institute’s mission to 

drive a competitive advantage in innovation 

and industry through measurement science and 

standards to improve our quality of life, it is 

inherently important to ensure that we have an equitable, inclusive, and accessible range of diverse lived experiences across 

all segments of society — as greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility [DEIA] is a proven driver of creativity and 

performance.

The FY20-FY25 NIST Strategic Plan endorsed a set of aligned goals to ensure that the institute would be well positioned to 

remain a leader of innovation in today’s rapidly evolving society and technical landscape. These strategic goals include 

positioning the institute to advance U.S. science and innovation, maximizing stakeholder impact through high-value service 

delivery, creating the infrastructure for a 21st century research institution, and building a “One NIST” culture. The plan affirms 

that NIST is on a journey to create such an environment, which must far exceed just diversity — and instead extend to equity, 

inclusivity, and accessibility. This includes strategic objectives to ensure that a diverse workforce is united around the NIST 

mission, vision, and core values.

It can be said that NIST began its journey towards DEIA soon after its founding in 1901. In as early as the 1910s, employees 

from underserved communities provided administrative and maintenance support and occupied positions across NIST in the 

Electrical Division, Heat Division, and Chemistry Division. In the wake of World War I, NIST, then the National Bureau of 

Standards (NBS), hired nearly 100 women who contributed to many technical areas. However, despite breaking barriers, 

employees from underserved communities were often an exception instead of the norm. During the Civil Rights Movement, 

NIST established its Civil Rights and Diversity Office (CRDO); however, during this same period, the institute also relocated its 

headquarters from Washington, DC to Gaithersburg, MD, which is suggested to have resulted in the loss of employees from 

underserved communities as the rural location presented challenges with housing and transportation1.

In more contemporary times, the NIST Committee for Women was founded in 1973 and the NIST Multi-Year Affirmative 

Action Program for Women and Minorities was established in 1982. In 1993, the agency published the “Women Affirmative 

Employment Committee Report,” as well as the “African American Affirmative Employment Committee Report,” which 

addressed concerns regarding the underrepresentation of Black employees in all career paths at NIST — and found that “in 

order to establish the diversified workforce that will be required for NIST to maintain its level of excellence into the 21st

century, it must actively recruit, retain, and provide career development for a much larger number of African Americans and 

other minorities.” In that same year, NIST appointed its first woman as director — followed by a “NIST Diversity and 

Mentoring Study” in 1997, which helped to establish an agency-wide diversity statement and diversity board. In 2007, the 

institute published a NIST Diversity Strategic Plan and soon after, the institute’s first Black director was appointed in 2015.

In 2018, NIST established the Steering Group for Equity in Career Advancement (SGECA), which sponsored DEIA-related 

studies that were spearheaded at the employee level and secured a $1.8M investment by the institute to examine inequities 

among employees from underserved communities. Over the years, these studies have included but are not limited to

“Needed Improvements in Standards and Transparency for Staff Promotion,” “Survey on Gender, Equity, and Inclusion,” 

“Mapping Employee Networks through the NIST Interactions Survey,” “Assessing Inclusivity of Women at NIST: A 

Comprehensive Examination of HR Data, In-Depth Interviews, and Survey Data,” “Promising Practices for Equitable Hiring: 

Guidance for NIST Laboratories,” “Supporting Women and Under-Represented Minorities in the Sciences: Implementing 

Equitable Approaches to Organizational Change,” and “Examining Recent HR Data for Gender Bias Among Federal Employees 

at NIST” (see Appendix A: NIST DEIA Resources). The following year, NIST established a strategic goal to “Build a One NIST 

1

“Report Hits U.S. for Housing Bias”, Chicago Daily Defender, June 23, 1969. p.8
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 5

Culture,” which reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to inclusivity as a core value as embodied by more than thirty (30)

voluntary employee organizations [VEO] that provide inclusive spaces for employees to connect over interests, identities, 

and|or initiatives (see Appendix B: NIST Voluntary Employee Organizations). 

In 2019, SGECA hosted the institute’s first inclusivity summit, which was envisioned as an annual meeting among supervisors

and supporters centered around inclusivity as a core value. In the following year, SGECA, which received the Optical Society of 

America’s 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Recognition, hosted an inclusivity showcase to raise awareness about the 

institute’s recent successes with DEIA-related initiatives. For example, in addition to professional development offerings such 

as the Leadership for All (L4A) Program and NIST Mentoring Program, NIST expanded its learning opportunities to include 

training sessions, such as “What’s Your Micro Trigger,” “Inclusive Leadership,” and “Difficult Conversations in a Diverse 

Workplace.” Moreover, NIST supported the training of an employee through the U.S. Geological Survey, who then trained a 

cadre of nine (9) additional peer facilitators via a train-the-trainer model to expand the peer-to-peer bystander intervention 

workshops. The institute began using LinkedIn Recruiter to increase candidate pool diversity and piloted a software package 

called “Textio” to aid in writing inclusive job advertisements. In addition to equity cafes, which are structured DEIA-related 

staff discussions, the VEOs hosted several events during special observances, to include programs like the “HBCU Research 

Showcase” by the NIST Association for Black Staff (NABS) during Black History Month, “Flash Mentoring” by Women in 

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (WiSTEM) during Women’s History Month, “Estrellas in Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Seminar Series” by the Association at NIST of Hispanic Americans (ANHA)

during National Hispanic Heritage Month, and “From Model Minority to Model Target: Anti-Asian Violence in American Life” 

by the Association of NIST Asian-Pacific Americans (ANAPA) during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

NIST endeavors to achieve parity with DOC and the Federal Government across several markers on gender, race, disability 

status, and military status that the institute currently tracks to measure its progress against DEIA goals. In FY21, women 

accounted for 38.9% of the institute’s federal workforce compared with 46.2% at the department level; people of color 

accounted for 27.9% compared with 38.6%; individuals with disabilities accounted for 9% compared with14.3%; and military 

members accounted for 8.1% compared to 11.3%2. In the same year, employees who identify as women represented over 

70% of administrative positions compared with 78.7% of senior technical positions that were occupied by white males. 

Additionally, while individuals with disabilities and military members occupied 9% and 25% of scientific technical (ZT)

positions, they occupied approximately 7% and 4% of scientific professional (ZP) positions and approximately 6% and 0% of 

senior technical (SL and|or ST) positions.

Yet, based on results from the FY21 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), NIST has demonstrated positive trends over 

the past three (3) years as exhibited by notable increases of five (5) percentage points or more across several indices that are 

directly related to DEIA goals, such as the Employee Engagement Index (81.6%) and Intrinsic Work Experience (84.5%). On the 

heels of the appointment of the second woman to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and 

NIST Director coupled with the institute’s recent recruitment of the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity, this plan

serves as the next steppingstone in NIST’s DEIA journey toward full maturation as an outcome-driven organization with the 

foundational capacity to lead and sustain DEIA as an integral part of the institute’s mission, vision, core values, and priorities 

(see Appendix C: NIST Maturity Model). 

NIST DEIA Governance

NIST endeavors to establish a sustainable DEIA infrastructure that will scale across enterprise-wide capabilities—recognizing 

that the infusion of DEIA as a strategic priority within technical and administrative areas is critical to positioning the institute 

with a competitive advantage in support of long-term mission accomplishment. In support of this effort, NIST currently 

executes its DEIA priorities across two (2) offices: the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Office (DEIO), which focuses on 

workplace culture; and the Equal Employment Opportunity and Accessibility Office (EEOAO), formerly CRDO, which focuses 

on workplace compliance. Both offices work collaboratively with the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), which 

addresses workplace concerns, as well as the Ombuds Office, which is tasked with addressing and resolving work-related 

conflict, challenges, and issues. All four (4) offices work collaboratively to provide thought leadership on DEIA goals by placing 

an emphasis on people, practices, policies, programs, and priorities to advance DEIA-related outcomes.

2 The provided data was collected by NIST’s Office of Human Resources Management, which does not currently collect data on gender non-conforming and|or 

gender non-binary markers. As defined by the Office of Personnel Management, the markers for people of color includes the following ethnicity and race 

indicators – American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian American or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Two or More Races. This 

data only represents the federal workforce and does not include the associate workforce. The data for military members includes those employees deemed 

eligible for Veterans’ preference.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 6

Additionally, to further position the DEIA capability for inclusion and influence as a strategic advisor across all lines of 

business, DEIO currently reports directly to the Chief of Staff as part of the Director’s Office. DEIO’s current bench strength 

only extends to two (2) detailees; however, the office intends to expand its roster of dedicated staff as part of this plan. As for 

EEOAO, the office currently consists of four (4) full-time employees and includes a director-level position that reports to the 

Associate Director of Management Resources (ADMR). 
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 7

ABOUT THE NIST DEIA STRATEGIC PLAN

Plan Approach

The FY20-FY25 NIST Strategic Plan leverages a strategy map to drive its objectives, and similarly, this plan will use the “DEIA 

Roadmap for Agency Action” provided in the 2021 Government-Wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, 

and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce. This roadmap is designed to improve policies, processes, programs, and practices 

to help advance DEIA goals across both the employee and customer experience, which will help the institute in its continued 

maturation beyond mandated compliance toward the full integration of DEIA as a mission-critical capability.

NIST leveraged a multi-phased approach to guide the development of the FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan. During the first 

phase, the institute was charged with conducting a NIST DEIA Survey and Self-Assessment as a first step to guide the plan’s 

data-driven development. This process utilized both quantitative and qualitative sources to analyze the institute’s current use 

of promising practices across a set of internal capability areas, to include recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention, 

professional development and training, pay and compensation, reasonable accommodation, safe workplaces and sexual 

harassment, culture, and religious accommodation (see Appendix D: NIST DEIA Survey and Self-Assessment Team). 

In an effort to ensure an inclusive strategic planning process, during the second phase, the institute established a NIST DEIA 

Strategic Planning Team, to include working groups consisting of senior leaders, supervisors, and staff, which were tasked 

with identifying barriers, aligning objectives, establishing goals, creating strategies, developing action items with milestones, 

defining output and outcome metrics, and determining accountability mechanisms across the plan’s key priority areas (see 

Appendix E: NIST DEIA Strategic Planning Team). These areas for action planning were identified and prioritized by the NIST 

DEIA Strategic Planning Team, which in addition to benchmarks and best practice research, were based on findings from the 

NIST DEIA Survey and promising practices from the NIST DEIA Self-Assessment, as well as recommendations from studies and 

subject matter experts.

The FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan includes a set of four (4) internal-facing priority areas, to include high-impact 

opportunities across the sphere of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, which are supported by short-term goals for 

accomplishment within two (2) years, as well as emergent areas of opportunity for long-term planning. These high-impact 

opportunities were identified based on an analysis of the institute’s current use of promising practices as part of the NIST 

DEIA Survey and Self-Assessment, which included several sources, such as but not limited to the Management Directive (MD)

715, Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program Report, FEVS, as well as findings from NIST-sponsored DEIA-related 

studies (see Appendix A: NIST DEIA Resources). 

While the FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan includes an emphasis on internal priority areas that are in direct support of 

Executive Order (EO) 14035, it also infuses other DEIA-related orders and memorandums in support of the Biden-Harris 

Management Agenda, to include an external-facing priority area to drive inclusive economy through external-facing equitable 

service delivery as part of EO 13985 on “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the 

Federal Government” (see Appendix F: DEIA Executive Orders and Memorandums). 

The third phase will focus on the implementation of the plan, which will be driven by deployment teams across each priority 

area as part of the NIST DEIA Implementation Team — and supported by a communication strategy with change management 

considerations as part of deployment. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Office (DEIO) will help to monitor the 

implementation of the plan on an annual cycle, which will be assessed by the NIST Director and DEIO alongside a set of senior 

leaders who have been identified as executive sponsors for each area. 

During the fourth and final phase, DEIO will conduct quarterly and|or annual reviews to measure the institute’s progress 

against its DEIA goals as determined by the plan’s provided milestones and measures. In addition to these reviews and 

updates for key stakeholders, the plan will be revised on an annual basis as the institute proceeds from these foundational 

steps toward establishing a strengthened and sustainable DEIA infrastructure at NIST. 
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 8

Plan Alignment

Although NIST is charged with driving the development and implementation of its respective DEIA-related initiatives as a large 

subcomponent bureau, these initiatives feed into a larger government and department-wide strategy in support of senior 

leadership’s commitment to cultivating a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible work environment at the NIST and DOC

level, as well as throughout the federal government.

3 The Biden-Harris Management Agenda envisions a more equitable, 

effective, and accountable government that delivers results for all, which is realized by governing through values in action.

The plan consists of three (3) key priorities, to include strengthening and empowering the federal workforce, delivering 

excellent, equitable, and secure federal services and customer experiences, and managing the business of government to 

build back better. The FY22-FY26 DOC Strategic Plan cascades from this vision as part of its overarching goal to help grow the 

American economy, which is advanced through several supporting strategic goals, such as driving U.S. innovation and global 

competitiveness, fostering inclusive capitalism and equitable economic growth, and providing 21st century service with 21st

century capabilities. 

On June 25, 2021, President Joe Biden signed EO 14035 on “Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the 

Federal Workforce,” which requires a whole-of-government approach to cultivate DEIA across the federal government. On 

November 23, 2021, the 2021 Government-Wide Strategic Plan to Advance DEIA in the Federal Workforce outlined a series of 

priorities in support of implementation of EO 14035, to include safe workplaces, chief diversity officers, data collection, paid 

internships, partnerships and recruitment, professional development and advancement, training and learning, pay equity, and 

equitable employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, and LGBTQI+. The plan 

is guided by a set of principles to help ensure a sustainable DEIA infrastructure across the federal government, to include use 

of data and evidence-based decision-making, focus on continuous improvement, adoption of a collaborative and whole-ofagency mandate with partnership engagement, prioritization of accountability and sustainability, and understanding of the 

perspectives of employees and customers.

As part of EO 14035, cabinet-level agencies were required to submit cascading plans to the Domestic Policy Council (DPC), 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) within 120 days of the issuance of the 

government-wide plan. In response, NIST served on the departmental strategic planning team to contribute to the 

development of the FY22-FY23 DOC DEIA Strategic Plan and leveraged the issuance of the plan as an opportunity to

strategically align to department-wide DEIA goals — while also reaffirming the institute’s continued commitment to DEIA. As 

part of this commitment, NIST developed the FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan at the subcomponent bureau level, which 

describes the institute’s strategic approach to tactical action planning in support of its overarching objective of using diversity, 

equity, inclusion, and accessibility as distinct levers in cultivating a culture of belonging among both internal and external 

stakeholders.

To ensure strategic alignment with the whole-of-agency approach to implementing the DEIA-related orders and memoranda, 

NIST serves on the DOC DEIA Council, also known as the DOC Equity Council, which is co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary and 

includes cross-bureau representation. The council consists of eight (8) supporting committees, which include a focus on 

accessibility, environmental justice, gender, immigrant and international affairs, LGBTQI+, race and ethnicity, underserved 

communities and businesses, and workplace culture. In addition to chairing the DOC Equity Council’s Race and Ethnicity 

Committee, DEIO staff currently serve on OMB’s Chief Diversity Officer Steering Committee Council in support of strategic 

collaboration across the government as DEIA is institutionalized across the federal landscape. 

3 The FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan strategically aligns to each priority within the 2021 Government-Wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, 

Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce with the exception of expanding employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals as the 

institute awaits policy guidance.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA STRATEGIC PLAN | PAGE 9

NIST DEIA PRIORITY AREAS

NIST DEIA Mission and Vision

• NIST DEIA Mission: NIST will drive innovation and industrial competitiveness through measurement science and 

standards by cultivating a culture of belonging that integrates diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all ways 

of working.

• NIST DEIA Vision: NIST will improve the quality of life by drawing from all segments of society as it positions itself as a 

model institute that values and champions diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. 

NIST DEIA Strategic Plan Definitions4

• Diversity: The practice of including individuals from communities, cultures, identities, abilities, backgrounds, and|or 

beliefs that represent all segments of society.

• Equity: The consistent and systematic treatment of individuals from all segments of society, which is fair, just, and 

impartial.

• Inclusion: The acknowledgement, appreciation, and application of the talents of individuals from all segments of 

society.

• Accessibility: The design and development of infrastructure to ensure that individuals from all segments of society, 

including individuals with disabilities, can engage in full and independent usage.

• Underserved Communities and Disadvantaged Businesses: The populations and industries sharing a particular 

characteristic that have been systemically and historically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of 

economic, social, and|or civic life.

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 1: Diversity

NIST defines diversity as the practice of including individuals from communities, cultures, identities, abilities, backgrounds, 

and|or beliefs that represent all segments of society. The federal government is committed to positioning itself to recruit, 

retain, and advance the nation’s best talent by building a diverse workforce through a transparent and fair process that is 

consistent with merit system principles, which aligns with NIST’s objective to create a workforce that embodies the “One 

NIST” vision and its core values. However, despite its longstanding journey, NIST’s efforts with DEIA have been largely siloed 

across directorates. As a result, there is varied understanding of the institute’s definition of and direction for DEIA at an 

enterprise-wide level, which serves as a key barrier in accomplishing NIST’s DEIA mission to advance and embed diversity, 

equity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout all ways of working. 

During a recent congressional hearing titled “Good for the Bottom Line: A Review of the Business case for Diversity and 

Inclusion,” the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion reinforced DEIA as a business imperative —

reiterating its linkage to the federal government’s ability to ensure optimal performance by ensuring that its workforce 

reflects all segments of society, which in turn will help to drive its capacity to reach and service to all segments of society. As 

NIST endeavors to shift DEIA from the fringe through pockets of grassroots activity and into the institutional fabric, the 

priority area on diversity will focus on infusing DEIA into the organizational DNA as one of the most critical diversity-related 

4 The list of full definitions from EO 14035 from which NIST developed its adapted definitions for the DEIA Strategic Plan is provided in Appendix G: 

Executive Order 14035 DEIA Definitions. The list of underserved communities includes but is not limited to women, people of color, LGBTQI+, 

religious minorities, individuals with disabilities, individuals in rural areas, individuals afflicted by poverty, first generation professionals, formally 

incarcerated individuals, military members and spouses, elderly adults, caregivers, and speakers of other languages (EO 14035). The list of 

disadvantaged businesses includes but is not limited to small business (SB), small disadvantaged business (SDB), women-owned small business 

(WOSB), historically underutilized business zones (HUBZone), veteran-owned small business (VOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small business 

(SDVOSB), and 8(a) certified.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 10

challenges facing NIST in its aspirations to recruit, retain, and advance a diverse workforce that is reflective of those societal 

segments.

According to the OPM Memorandum titled “Agency Opportunities to Establish Chief Diversity Officer or Diversity and 

Inclusion Officer Pursuant to Executive Order 14035,” diversity is our greatest strength as a nation and our greatest asset in 

the civil service. In support of this directive, cabinet-level agencies and large subcomponent bureaus, such as NIST, are 

directed to establish a DEIA infrastructure to further advance the cultivation of a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible

workforce. This directive includes guidance to properly position Chief Diversity Officers (CDO) for success by designating the 

role as a senior executive-level position with line of sight to the agency head, as well as with budgetary and decision-making 

authority — which should be supplemented with sufficient support staff. For example, despite an approximate 107% increase 

in the recruitment of CDOs across the general labor force in the last two (2) years, as reflected by NIST’s recent recruitment of 

the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity, the average turnover is three (3) years due to issues ranging from 

ineffective positionality within the organizational structure to a lack of dedicated resources. 

Based on best practice research, most DEIA-related programs fail because the CDO and|or Director has little to no interaction 

with the head of the organization for which the position should have a dotted reporting line, as well as a close working 

relationship with front-line capabilities, such as human resources (HR) and communications. For example, according to the 

Harvard Business Review, “Your new hire must have a seat at the senior leadership table if you want to see meaningful 

change. A new CDO cannot come in, wave a magic wand, and transform an organization overnight. In addition to generously 

compensating [them] for taking on this challenging role, you’ll need to set aside more budget and create a dedicated team.” 

In a subsequent article titled “Are Your Company’s D&I Efforts Shallow?,” the review reiterated the need to ensure that DEIArelated initiatives are not performative in nature, but instead are leveraged as a value proposition as part of the business 

strategy to drive performance. 

To help reinforce the use of DEIA as levers to drive both belonging and business outcomes, NIST will develop a governance 

structure that supports data-driven decision making and fosters a learning culture at NIST in order to produce leaders who are 

not only competent in DEIA — but also champions. Additionally, when recognizing diversity as a national asset in the civil 

service, VEOs, and more specifically affinity groups, will continue to emerge as a business imperative as the Census Bureau 

projects that minorities are expected to reach majority status by approximately 2044 and organizations can harness their 

collective interests and identities to drive mission-driven initiatives.

Through a focus on diversity as a priority area, NIST will leverage the below objectives, strategies, and action items over the 

next two (2) years to help establish a DEIA infrastructure that is properly positioned for success, which will help to advance 

DEIA goals in support of the institute’s overarching mission of cultivating a culture of belonging.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 11

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 1: Cultivate an Institutional Culture That Is Diverse 

NIST DEIA Strategic Alignment

• OMB DEIA Strategic Priority: Chief Diversity Officers, Data Collection

• DOC DEIA Strategic Goal: Create and Promote an Organizational Culture that is Diverse, Strengthen and Sustain Accountability and DEIA Infrastructure

NIST DEIA Maturity Signal: DEIA Approach, Diversity Framework, Organizational Structure, DEIA Integration, DEIA Program Structure, Culture of Inclusion

Objective 1.1. Institutionalize DEIA at NIST

Strategy Action Item

Establish DEIA as an enterprise-wide 

capability

• Establish the infrastructure of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Office (DEIO) 

• Explore reclassifying the DEIO Director position as the Chief Diversity Officer or Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Officer

• Recruit dedicated staff for DEIO

• Develop brand identity for DEIO

Establish accountability mechanisms to 

advance DEIA goals

• Assess and|or address the “State of DEIA at NIST” on a quarterly and|or annual basis

• Confirm quarterly progress indicators and annual outcome metrics to measure progress against DEIA goals

• Establish tools to measure progress against DEIA goals

• Establish requirements for DEIA learning opportunities for staff and supervisors

• Operationalize DEIA elements within performance plans for staff and supervisors

• Establish expectations for civil engagement through the development and deployment of guiding principles

Examine needs, enhance capabilities, 

and|or educate on the sphere of DEIA

• Develop and deploy DEIA Strategic Plan

• Charter NIST DEIA Council

• Socialize DEIA definitions

• Support department-wide initiatives to establish directive on gender inclusivity

• Develop and deploy a communication strategy to better reflect the breadth of technical and non-technical staff through internal and external 

communications 

• Expand communication channels to further amplify DEIA-related activities and announcements to include an emphasis on special observances and 

heritage months

Examine needs, enhance capabilities, 

and|or educate on the sphere of VEOs

• Reorganize the support structure in DEIO for VEOs

• Support department-wide initiatives to refine existing directive on VEOs

• Charter NIST VEO Council

• Establish roles and responsibilities for executive sponsors for VEOs

• Identify executive sponsors for VEOs

• Establish an operational and financial infrastructure to better support and sustain VEOs
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 12

Objective 1.2. Examine, Enhance, and|or Educate on Human Resources Policies, Processes, Programs, and Practices to Further Institutionalize DEIA at NIST

Strategy Action Item

Examine needs, enhance capabilities, 

and|or educate on human resources data 

analytics 

• Develop and deploy directive on internal data requests, use, and privacy in coordination with the Chief Privacy Officer in DOC Office of Privacy and Open 

Government as applicable

• Procure necessary software licenses to expand data collection, access, and analytic capabilities

• Collect end-user feedback on initial data analytics dashboard

• Support government and department-wide initiatives to collect sexual orientation and gender identity data

Adopt promising practices for inclusive 

human resources management across the 

full employee lifecycle

• Continue to promote awareness of internal job vacancies and detail assignments 

• Explore use of blind hiring process

• Examine existing onboarding and enculturation process

• Operationalize offboarding process

• Operationalize use of exit feedback mechanisms 

• Operationalize use of retention feedback mechanisms

• Operationalize use of heterogeneous interview, selection, and promotion panels

• Provide vendor-led learning opportunities on inclusive application processes for hiring managers and interview, selection, and promotion panels
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 13

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 2: Equity

NIST defines equity as the consistent and systematic treatment of individuals from all segments of society, which is fair, just, 

and impartial. The Federal Government is committed to providing fair and equal opportunities for career mobility by growing 

the next generation of diverse leadership, which aligns with NIST’s objective to attract, retain, retrain, and grow talent. In 

support of this objective, equity as a priority area will focus on addressing both the lack of representation of employees from 

underserved communities and long-standing concerns regarding pay, performance, and promotion as some of the most 

critical equity-related challenges facing NIST. 

Several recent analyses of the institute’s demographic data have shown that the relative amount of employees who identify 

as women and people of color tends to decrease in higher pay bands. For example, NIST’s DEIA Self-Assessment revealed that 

the institute currently uses a limited amount of partnerships, programs, and networks to drive candidate sourcing among 

underserved communities and generally lacks sufficient resources for strategic recruitment and outreach activities. NIST must 

enhance its limited use of interactive recruitment tools, such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn, and expand candidate pools through 

such tools as LinkedIn Recruiter. Additionally, the institute has an opportunity to conduct subsequent root causes analyses 

and expand the scope of future DEIA assessments across the full workforce, to include both technical and non-technical staff. 

Moreover, NIST has an opportunity to create even greater consistency, clarity, and transparency within its personnel 

management system to advance equity in career mobility. For example, the SGECA-sponsored studies, as well as a series of 

listening sessions, highlight notable dissatisfaction with the current system, particularly as it relates to consistency with 

performance evaluations across organizational units (OUs) and clarity with pay and promotion criteria. The studies suggest 

that improved consistency, clarity, and transparency in the personnel management process could reduce any inequities in 

pay, performance, promotion, and personnel actions while advancing a culture of belonging through improved career 

mobility. According to the 2021 FEVS, while 81.1% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their job and 85.7% expressed a 

sense of personal accomplishment, only 71.4% expressed satisfaction with recognition for doing a good job, 69.8% expressed 

satisfaction with their pay, and 62.4% agreed that differences in performance are recognized in a meaningful way.

A recent report by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) titled “Best Practices for Diversity and Inclusion in 

STEM Education and Research: A Guide By and For Federal Agencies,” provides several promising practices that can help drive 

equity goals at NIST. These include expanding recruitment efforts at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI), Minority-Serving 

Programs (MSP), and Predominately White Institutions (PWI) with pipeline programs for students from underserved 

communities, as well as leveraging special hiring authorities and incentives, such as student loan repayment, paid internships,

and work-life flexibilities, to diversify the STEM workforce at all levels across the Federal Government. As NIST endeavors to 

heighten its capacity to recruit, retain, and advance a diverse federal and associate workforce, the institute has an 

opportunity to leverage these promising practices to ensure an equitable employee experience across all stages of an 

employee’s career.

Through a focus on equity as a priority area, NIST will leverage the below objectives, strategies, and action items over the next 

two (2) years to help cultivate a culture of belonging by ensuring an equitable landscape for career mobility across the full 

employee lifecycle. 
 FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 14

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 2: Cultivate an Institutional Culture That Is Equitable

NIST DEIA Strategic Alignment

• OMB DEIA Strategic Priority: Partnerships and Recruitment, Professional Development and Advancement, Pay Equity

• DOC DEIA Strategic Goal: Create and Promote an Organizational Culture that is Equitable

NIST DEIA Maturity Signal: DEIA Approach, Diversity Framework, Data-Driven Workplace Policy, Practices, and Procedures, Culture of Inclusion

Objective 2.1 Address the Lack of Representation of Underserved Communities in the NIST Federal and Associate Workforce to Reflect DEIA Goals

Strategy Action Item

Cultivate strategic partnerships with 

minority-serving institutions and|or 

initiatives

• Recruit additional dedicated staff for strategic recruitment program

• Develop index of MSIs, MSPs, and PWIs with pipeline programs

• Ensure cross-coordination with recruitment and outreach strategies and activities 

• Examine and|or enhance effectiveness of current recruitment and outreach strategies and activities

• Explore collaborative opportunities with public, private, and|or non-profit organizations with a focus on underserved communities

• Conduct targeted recruitment and outreach activities with MSIs, MSPs, PWIs with pipeline programs, and community colleges

• Track targeted recruitment and outreach activities for MSIs, MSPs, PWIs with pipeline programs, and community colleges

Objective 2.2. Examine, Enhance, and|or Educate on Pay, Performance, Promotion, and Personnel Policies, Processes, Programs, and Practices across the NIST Federal Workforce to 

Drive DEIA Goals

Strategy Action Item

Assess and|or address past, present, and 

potential barriers to advancement to 

increase the representation of 

underserved communities and ensure an 

equitable work environment and 

experience for federal employees

• Establish a committee as part of the NIST DEIA Council to review results and advance recommendations for follow-up to existing NIST DEIA-related 

studies on inequalities and inequities among employees from underserved communities

• Continue to examine inequalities and inequities among employees in both technical and non-technical positions

• Coordinate with DOC Office of Civil Rights to establish department-wide initiatives to assess challenges with compensation, classification, and caps within 

the personnel management system

• Examine and|or enhance effectiveness of the promotion process to ensure its clear, communicated, and consistent application 

• Examine and|or enhance effectiveness of the bonus process to ensure its clear, communicated, and consistent application
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 15

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 3: Inclusion

NIST defines inclusion as the acknowledgement, appreciation, and application of the talents of individuals from all segments 

of society. The federal government is committed to providing an inclusive workplace where employees feel embraced and 

engaged, which aligns with NIST’s objective to strengthen the culture of the workplace environment. In support of this 

objective, inclusion as a priority area will focus on cultivating a learning culture and addressing the historical lack of 

representation of leaders and advisors from underserved communities — two of the most critical inclusion-related challenges

facing NIST. To further promote a sense of belonging, this area is supplemented by the institute’s commitment to designing 

more representative spaces and fostering a more inclusive work environment and experience for the associate workforce.

5

Currently, NIST demonstrates varied levels of cultural competency and capability in DEIA, which results in differing degrees of 

applied strategies to advance overarching DEIA goals at all levels of leadership and the impact is cross-cutting across the 

institute’s workforce. For example, according to the 2021 FEVS, when asked if senior leaders generate high levels of 

motivation and commitment in the workforce, 63.4% of employees responded positively while 22.1% responded neutrally

and 14.6% responded negatively. Further, 14% of employees responded either neutrally or negatively when asked if their 

supervisor is committed to ensuring a workforce that is representative of all segments of society. While this limited 

representation may be more evident among the workforce and internal leadership corps, it also extends to the external 

advisory cadre, which can create a potential myopia when providing diverse perspectives on how to better the quality of life 

for all segments of society through the institute’s programs and services. For example, NIST currently maintains 

approximately ten (10) Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) bodies and while the institute is prohibited from requesting 

demographic data from committee members, there appears to be a significant lack of representation among women and 

people of color based on “observed diversity.” Through diverse membership, NIST will ensure a breadth of expertise and 

experiences that could be leveraged to further meet the mission of each respective committee.

In recent years, NIST has made strides in building its DEIA capacity by addressing cultural competencies and capabilities, 

which has extended across the leadership ranks. For example, the institute has a proven record of impact across its current 

professional and leadership development programs as evidenced through its average evaluative rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 for 

DEIA-related courses and 4.3 out of 5.0 for leadership-related courses, such as L4A. However, NIST can do more to fulfill its 

mission to improve inclusion. Studies like “Advancing Diversity Training,” by the Rutgers Business Review, have shown that 

DEIA-related learning opportunities are most effective when modeled by leadership — and supervisors are not explicitly 

expected to complete any of the institute’s current DEIA-related curricula. For example, despite recently added course 

offerings including “Bystander Intervention” and “What’s Your Micro Trigger?”, data from the Commerce Learning Center 

(CLC) suggest that only approximately 8.5% of the NIST federal workforce has participated in DEIA-related courses, to include 

mentoring and coaching programs. NIST Internal Report (NISTIR) 8362 on “Survey on Gender, Equity, and Inclusion” and NIST 

Technical Note 2143 on “Voices of NIST: A Study of Gender Inclusivity” recommend, at minimum, the establishment of 

learning requirements for all supervisors, echoing earlier recommendations in the “African American Affirmative Employment 

Committee Report” from 1993.

As NIST commits to expanding its current learning culture beyond traditionally recognized technical areas, the institute also

has an opportunity to further expand its reward and recognition framework, which currently focuses on technical 

accomplishments with minimal attention to staff and supervisors who model NIST core values, in particular inclusivity. NIST 

recognizes the equal importance of inclusivity as a core value alongside its commitment to excellence, integrity, and 

perseverance. However, while nominations for NIST Fellows and NIST Senior Research Scientists consider the institute’s core 

values, only two (2) of the institute’s seventeen (17) awards currently include the awardee’s demonstrated commitment to 

inclusivity as a selection criterion. In particular, the Distinguished Mentoring Award and Diversity, Inclusivity, and Equal 

Opportunity Award are the only existing awards with a specific emphasis on the advancement of DEIA goals. Additionally,

71.4% of employees responded positively to prompts on recognition as compared to 15.7% and 12.9% who respectively 

responded neutrally or negatively during the 2021 FEVS. 

5 As of FY21, NIST maintains approximately fourteen (14) associate categories, including but not limited to researchers, contractors, non-technical support 

personnel, facility users, student volunteers, and offsite collaborators. The FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan will focus on domestic and foreign guest 

associates with research responsibilities; however, the institute will explore how best to foster a more inclusive work environment and experience across all 

associate categories as an emergent theme for subsequent strategic planning.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 16

These limitations also extend to the institute’s current model to highlight and honor its workforce across both physical and 

virtual displays. These efforts do not accurately represent all the segments of society who have contributed to NIST’s success 

and they lack visible diversity in the portrayal of which employees are regarded as its best and brightest. Further, there are 

also limited mechanisms to reward and recognize the NIST associate workforce, which has a long-standing history of 

supporting mission accomplishment and which accounts for over half of the institute’s workforce. Yet, they are currently 

deemed ineligible for inclusion in the institute’s most esteemed homage to its history, also known as the NIST Portrait Gallery, 

because of their associateship status.

Due to statutory, regulatory, and|or procedural constraints, associates are not allowed equal and equitable access to all of 

the institute’s opportunities and offerings — ranging from reward and recognition to compensation and career mobility.

Additionally, the lack of a clear, communicated, and consistent application of associateships, as well as challenges with 

monitoring the associate experience across the full associate career cycle, further compounds the issue. As a result, the NIST 

associate workforce has expressed dissatisfaction with its current level of inclusion as part of the organization, which in 

addition to impacting a culture of belonging, also presents notable challenges for the institute’s long-term sustainability.

NIST does not consistently apply well-defined methods to inform decisions on the distribution of internal resources based on 

the evaluation of technical, fiscal, and DEIA-related variables, which can result in the inequitable distribution of funding 

opportunities across the workforce based on a “fund a friend” model. Similar to other STEM organizations that include 

broader impacts in its grant evaluation process, such as the National Science Foundation, NIST has an opportunity to consider 

DEIA-related criteria as part of its selection framework for internal resource distribution6. To help drive an equitable 

distribution of funds, the institute can employ a strategic approach that is applied with clarity and consistency to better align

internal resource distribution decision-making with both programmatic priorities and DEIA-related goals. 

Through a focus on inclusion as a priority area, NIST will leverage the below objectives, strategies, and action items over the 

next two (2) years to help foster work environments, ranging from physical and virtual campuses to leadership and advisory 

cadres, that reflect inclusivity as not only a core value, but also a fundamental underpinning in positioning the institute as the 

world’s leader in measurement science and standards. 

6 The current processes associated with internal resource distribution include but are not limited to developing annual budgets, establishing teams around 

programmatic priorities, selecting project proposals for funding, and allocating space and supplies.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 17

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 3: Cultivate an Institutional Culture That Is Inclusive

NIST DEIA Strategic Alignment

• OMB DEIA Strategic Priority: Partnerships and Recruitment, DEIA Training and Learning

• DOC DEIA Strategic Goal: Create and Promote an Organizational Culture that is Inclusive and Supports a Sense of Belonging, Strengthen and Sustain Accountability and DEIA 

Infrastructure

NIST DEIA Maturity Signal: Data-Driven Workplace Policy, Practices, and Procedures, SES and Leadership Involvement, Culture of Inclusion

Objective 3.1 Create a Learning Culture that Values the Use of Professional and Leadership Development and Reward and Recognition to Drive DEIA Goals

Strategy Action Item

Provide learning opportunities for staff 

and supervisors to help advance DEIA 

goals

• Complete deployment of the NIST Leadership Competencies Model

• Develop DEIA-based curriculum for staff and supervisors

• Promote existing professional development, leadership development, and mentoring programs for staff and supervisors

• Operationalize use of individual development plans among staff and supervisors

• Operationalize use of 360-degree evaluation tools among supervisors

• Develop and deploy a coaching program

Enhance reward and recognition 

opportunities for staff and supervisors 

that advance DEIA goals

• Incorporate demonstrated commitment to DEIA values within criteria for awards

• Expand award categories for demonstrated commitment to DEIA-related goals

• Assess and|or address the decision-making model for internal resource distribution

Objective 3.2 Address the Lack of Representation of Underserved Communities in the NIST Leadership and Advisory Cadre to Reflect DEIA Goals 

Strategy Action Item

Cultivate strategic partnerships to drive 

diverse membership on federal advisory 

committees

• Contact Designated Federal Officials to obtain input on current diversity goals 

• Explore DEIA-related learning opportunities for new and existing committee members

• Incorporate DEIA goals in committee charters 

• Establish welcoming committee for new committee members

Develop a targeted recruitment strategy 

to increase the representation of 

underserved communities on federal 

advisory committees

• Review the policies, processes, and practices used to recruit and select committee members

• Examine strategic recruitment methods currently used to recruit committee members

• Contact Designated Federal Officials to obtain input on current recruitment goals

• Ensure cross-coordination with recruitment and outreach strategies and activities 

• Examine effectiveness of current recruitment and outreach strategies and activities

• Conduct targeted recruitment and outreach activities with professional networks with an emphasis on underserved communities 

• Track targeted recruitment and outreach activities and applicant flow data among members of professional networks with an emphasis on underserved 

communities in compliance with any applicable laws
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 18

Objective 3.3. Design Physical and Virtual Spaces to Reflect DEIA Goals

Strategy Action Item

Leverage design frameworks that equally 

and equitably honors history while 

celebrating diversity

• Develop a new portrayal model for physical and virtual spaces

• Pilot the new portrayal model in the NIST Portrait Gallery

Objective 3.4 Examine, Enhance, and|or Educate on Policies, Processes, Programs, and Practices across the NIST Associate Workforce to Drive DEIA Goals 

Strategy Action Item

Assess and|or address the role of 

associates in supporting mission 

accomplishment

• Ensure clear, communicated, and consistent application of roles and responsibilities among research associates and sponsors

• Examine how associateships support the professional needs and mobility of research associates

• Establish and|or examine mechanisms to collect and collate data from research associates in compliance with any applicable laws

• Explore establishing a centralized office to manage the associate workforce

Assess and|or address policies, processes, 

programs, and practices that will help to 

foster a more inclusive work environment 

and experience for associates

• Examine externally mandated statues and|or regulations and internally developed policies that govern research associates

• Explore the expansion of reward and recognition opportunities for research associates in compliance with any applicable laws

• Develop and deploy exit interviews for research associates to better under their work experience in compliance with any applicable laws

• Identify and implement promising practices to further foster a more inclusive work environment and experience for research associates
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 19

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 4: Accessibility

NIST defines accessibility as the design and development of infrastructure to ensure that all people, including individuals with 

disabilities, can engage in full and independent usage. The federal government is committed to modernizing its infrastructure 

so that all segments of society, including individuals with disabilities, can fully and independently engage with its spaces and 

services, which aligns with NIST’s objective to make the institute diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible — with 

accessibility serving as a necessary component. In support of this objective, the institute will focus on designing an accessible 

hybrid work environment and creating a safe and inclusive workplace that is sensitive to the needs of all employees as one of 

the most critical accessibility-related challenges facing NIST.

Extant research suggests that corporate climate and work-life balance are key drivers to fostering inclusive work 

environments and experiences as they are linked to decreased stress and increased satisfaction at work7. By expanding access 

to both physical and virtual environments, NIST has an opportunity to diversify its geographic footprint among individuals 

with all abilities, while also offering support services that can help employees to be more effective, efficient, and engaged in a 

hybrid work environment. For example, NSTC’s report on “Best Practices for Diversity and Inclusion in STEM Education and 

Research: A Guide By and For Federal Agencies” highlights working from home as a promising practice for inclusion as 

telework can improve the quality of work-life balance and increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. 

On the other hand, there is evidence that working from home during the pandemic has taken a toll on many workers, 

especially among employees who identify as women and|or caregivers. For example, recent studies by the National 

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine titled “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Careers of Women in Academic 

Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine” and Stanford University titled “Nonverbal Mechanisms Predict Zoom Fatigue and 

Explain Why Women Experience Higher Levels than Men” have documented the disproportionate level of physical and 

psychological exhaustion experienced by employees who identify as women. As the federal landscape pivots to a hybrid work 

environment, NIST must ready an equitable, inclusive, and accessible work experience that serves the needs of its diverse

workforce — both in-person or on-line. It is important to continuously assess how employees are adjusting to the hybrid work 

environment and ensure clear and consistent communication regarding hybrid work policies, processes, and practices in 

place.

Survey responses for McKinsey and Lean In’s “Women in the Workplace 2021” suggest that 1 in 10 working women has a 

disability. Moreover, women with disabilities are more likely than women overall to report anxiety about using workplace 

flexibilities such as remote work and flexible schedules. Based on the NIST DEIA Self-Assessment, the institute has an 

opportunity to further establish a centralized accessibility program with sufficient resources to address requested

accommodations. Moreover, the institute has an opportunity to further meet the needs of various underserved communities,

like women and LGBTQI+, through the expansion of lactation spaces and non-gendered bathrooms. Beyond physical facilities, 

to ensure accessibility of useful information among both internal and external stakeholders, NIST will continue to promote 

promising practices for print and digital assets to further ensure compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the 

Plain Writing Act.

Through a focus on accessibility as a priority area, NIST will leverage the below objectives, strategies, and action items over the next 

two (2) years as it adopts new ways of working that will help to cultivate a culture of belonging through a hybrid work environment 

and provide an experience that is accessible among employees of all abilities.

7 López, C.M., Margherio, C., Abraham-Hilaire, L.M., and Feghali-Bostwick, C. (2018) Gender disparities in faculty rank: Factors that affect 

advancement of women scientists at academic medical centers. Social Sciences 7(4). 

"How to Navigate the Gender Landscape at Work," Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/02/lessons-in-how-tomake-the-workplace-inclusive-for-lgbtq-employees/
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 20

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 4: Cultivate an Institutional Culture That Is Accessible 

NIST DEIA Strategic Alignment

• OMB DEIA Strategic Priority: Safe Workplaces, Advancing Equity for Employees with Disabilities

• DOC DEIA Strategic Goal: Create and Promote an Organizational Culture that is Accessible

NIST DEIA Maturity Signal: Data-Driven Workplace Policies, Practices, and Procedures, Culture of Inclusion

Objective 4.1 Design the Hybrid Work Environment and Experience to Reflect DEIA Goals 

Strategy Action Item

Examine needs, enhance capabilities, 

and|or educate on communication and 

collaboration tools

• Continue to assess the hybrid work environment and experience of all participants

• Equip on-site meeting rooms with hardware and software for virtual participation

• Collect data on the effectiveness of communication and collaboration tools for remote and telework participation

• Clarify and communicate hardware and software standards for staff and supervisors in hybrid work environments

• Develop and deploy learning opportunities on managing hybrid work environments for staff and supervisors 

• Assess and|or address gender inclusive capabilities for communication and collaboration tools

• Develop and deploy guidance on managing hybrid work environments and hybrid meeting management

Examine needs, enhance capabilities, 

and|or educate on wellness and work-life

flexibilities and programs

• Continue to examine, enhance, and educate on wellness and work-life policies, programs, processes, and practices to ensure the equal and equitable 

application of flexible schedules and remote and telework opportunities

• Continue expanded use of hybrid meetings to promote virtual participation among remote and teleworkers

• Continue to promote awareness of existing wellness resources for the hybrid workforce 

• Assess and|or address the need for caregiver subsidy programs

Objective 4.2 Create a Safe and Inclusive Workplace to Reflect DEIA Goals 

Strategy Action Item

Examine needs and|or enhance 

capabilities across physical and virtual 

work environments to support employee 

well-being and accessibility

• Assess and|or address the needs of individuals with disabilities to ensure compliance with applicable federal requirements, such as the Rehabilitation 

Act

• Establish phased program with short and long-term construction schedule for restrooms, lactation spaces, and parking lots to further ensure 

compliance with applicable federal requirements, such as the Architectural Barriers Act

• Promote awareness of existing policies, programs, processes, and practices to request specific accommodations

• Assess and|or address if communication and collaboration tools are equipped with capabilities for individuals with disabilities

Examine needs, enhance capabilities, 

and|or educate on inclusive and 

accessible communication policies, 

processes, programs, and practices

• Operationalize “NISTR 8366: Guidance for NIST Staff on Using Inclusive Language in Documentary Standards “

• Improve intranet to provide user-friendly and user-intuitive interface by updating its search capabilities 

• Promote promising practices to further ensure compliance with Section 508, the Plain Writing Act, and guidance on inclusive language standards

• Establish review processes to ensure compliance with Section 508, the Plain Writing Act, and guidance on inclusive language standards

• Recruit dedicated staff to ensure compliance with Section 508, the Plain Writing Act, and guidance inclusive language standards
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 21

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 5: Inclusive Economy

NIST envisions itself as the world’s leader in stimulating innovation, fostering industrial competitiveness, and improving 

quality of life by creating critical measurement solutions and promoting equitable standards — and ensuring equitable 

service delivery is critically important to this vision. In support of realizing this vision, the institute currently maintains several 

initiatives that are helping to advance a more inclusive economy across underserved communities and disadvantaged 

businesses. The Federal Government is committed to creating more equitable economic opportunities for historically 

neglected populations, which aligns with NIST’s objective to expand external engagement to maximize the value of programs

within the bounds of existing legal frameworks. In support of this objective, the institute recognizes inclusive economy as 

one of the most critical DEIA-related challenges facing NIST in both the short and long-term. Through this priority area, NIST 

will focus on targeted activities across minority-serving institutions and programs and small businesses, to include the 

vendor community. This priority area further aligns with the department-wide action plan in accordance with EO 13985 on 

“Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.” As part of the DOC 

Equity Action Plan, which was released on April 14, 2022, NIST commits to continuing to drive inclusive economy through 

outreach and external engagement across targeted programs, such as Manufacturing USA, the Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership, standards development and dissemination, and the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program.

NIST’s current outreach and external engagement activities are distributed across individual programs and their associated 

networks, which limits a cohesive and coordinated approach to educate and|or expand stakeholder groups, such as 

underserved communities. Further, examining and|or enhancing NIST’s current bandwidth to support more coordinated 

outreach and external engagement across disadvantaged businesses within the vendor community could help to drive 

procurement opportunities among underserved communities. Through efforts to drive DEIA-related initiatives within its 

workforce, NIST will be better positioned to reach, relate, and reflect all segments of society, which will help to cultivate a 

culture of belonging that extends to internal and external stakeholders including both customers and contractors. 

Considering this plan’s emphasis on EO 14035, this priority area is more extensively captured in the department-wide action 

plan in accordance with EO 13985. However, when considering the strategic alignment between both executive orders, the 

current plan includes a set of objectives, strategies, and action items that will be leveraged as part of the institute’s 

overarching outreach and external engagement strategy over the next two (2) years to help drive inclusive economy though 

equitable service delivery as a reflection of its DEIA goals. 
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 22

NIST DEIA Strategic Goal 5: Drive Inclusive Economy Through Equitable Service Delivery 

NIST DEIA Strategic Alignment

• OMB Equity Goal: Advance Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government

• DOC Equity Goal: Help the American Economy Grow

NIST DEIA Maturity Signal: Data-Driven Workplace Policies, Practices, and Procedures

Objective 5.1 Examine, Enhance, Educate, and|or Expand Enterprise-Wide Coordination on Outreach and External Engagement Opportunities across Underserved Communities and 

Disadvantaged Businesses

Strategy Action Item

Cultivate strategic partnerships with 

minority-serving institutions and 

programs and small businesses to drive 

inclusive economy

• Develop new communication tools in plain language 

• Develop internal tools to aid in data collection and customer relationship management

• Examine effectiveness of outreach and external engagement strategies and activities

• Ensure cross-coordination with outreach and external engagement strategies and activities 

• Conduct targeted outreach and external engagement activities with MSIs, MSPs, and small businesses

• Track targeted outreach and external engagement activities and customer relationship data for MSIs, MSPs, and small businesses

Objective 5.2 Examine, Enhance, Educate, and|or Expand Enterprise-Wide Outreach and External Engagement Opportunities Across Disadvantaged Businesses in the Vendor 

Community

Strategy Action Item

Leverage a targeted outreach and external 

engagement strategy to promote 

awareness about NIST procurement 

opportunities among small businesses in 

the vendor community to drive inclusive 

economy

• Continue to enhance and expand outreach and external engagement strategies

• Examine effectiveness of outreach and external engagement strategies and activities

• Ensure cross-coordination with outreach and external engagement strategies and activities 

• Emphasize small businesses in market research and acquisition strategies
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 23

NIST DEIA EMERGENT THEMES

The FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan focuses on immediate strategies that the institute can leverage over the next two (2) 

years by establishing a sustainable DEIA infrastructure to help accomplish NIST’s goal of cultivating a culture of belonging by 

integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all ways of working. Despite the plan’s short-term emphasis, it is 

intended to serve as a living document that will be updated as the sphere of DEIA at NIST continues to evolve at the 

government, department, and institute level in coming years. As NIST begins to look ahead, several emergent themes were 

identified as high-impact opportunities for long-term planning during the DEIA strategic planning exercise. This plan concludes 

with a brief overview of these themes as they can serve as a north star in helping NIST to realize its long-term vision of drawing 

from all segments of society to position itself as a model institute that values and champions diversity, equity, inclusivity, and 

accessibility. Additionally, the institute will evaluate its framework to foster a culture of anti-harassment and anti-violence in 

the workplace.

• Diversity: NIST understands that a communication and change management strategy will serve as a key component in 

successfully institutionalizing DEIA across the institute. In addition to providing a bi-directional feedback mechanism, a 

communication and change management strategy will also serve as an accountability mechanism to ensure the 

advancement of DEIA goals. This plan captures the institute’s short-term commitment to assess and|or address “The 

State of DEIA of NIST” on a quarterly and|or annual basis through vehicles such as townhalls and office hours. Also, 

the institute will explore its long-term interest to reinvigorate the “NIST DEIA Summit” as an annual event to highlight 

the advancement of DEIA at all institutional levels.

• Equity: NIST recognizes that the recruitment, retention, and advancement of a diverse workforce with representation 

across underserved communities who have an opportunity to engage in meaningful and mission-driven work is an 

ongoing process. In support of this process, this plan includes action items that are largely focused on conducting 

and|or concluding fact-finding activities to assess and|or address barriers in pay, promotion, performance, and 

personnel policies, processes, programs, and practices. This short-term focus will help to inform the institute’s longterm examination of the impact of intersectionality on inequalities and inequities in these same areas among 

employees who identify across multiple underserved communities. Additionally, the institute will explore how best to

foster a more inclusive work environment and experience across all associate categories — coupled with long-term 

human capital planning for succession management across both the federal and associate workforce. 

• Inclusion: NIST recognizes inclusion as a key lever in cultivating a culture of belonging. Given the ever-evolving sphere 

of DEIA at NIST, this priority will require regular revisiting to ensure that the institute remains emergent on thought 

leadership in this area. In the short term, NIST will pilot the deployment of initiatives like the NIST Leadership 

Competency Model and new portrayal model in the NIST Portrait Gallery — with hopes of scaling both models across 

the full institute in the long-term. Additionally, given the continued expansion of the institute’s federal advisory 

committees, NIST will explore the establishment of a DEIA-focused committee.

• Accessibility: NIST acknowledges that given the expanded scope of the definition for accessibility, while creating a safe 

and inclusive workplace that is sensitive to the needs of all employees is a business imperative, the institute must also 

remain committed to addressing the specific needs of individuals with disabilities. To that end, NIST will focus its most 

immediate attention on assessing the current state of compliance across the hybrid work environment, which will 

inform the identification of accessibility-specific action items as part of the institute’s long-term capital planning. In 

the short-term, the institute will also explore the enculturation of new and existing employees during the 

reintegration to campus as the organization pivots to a hybrid work environment. As part of this long view, NIST 

endeavors to evolve beyond mandated compliance across work environments by eventually creating a work 

experience that addresses the needs of a full workforce of all abilities. 

• Inclusive Economy: NIST commits to continuing to drive inclusive economy through an immediate focus on outreach 

and external engagement across targeted programs, such as Manufacturing USA, the Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership, standards development and dissemination, and the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. In 

addition to this short-term commitment, the institute will further foster an inclusive economy through its 

collaboration with DOC and other external stakeholders across industry to develop a Job Quality Framework. The 

framework is envisioned as an actional tool for leaders to ensure that members of the workforce are provided highquality jobs and valued as an important asset to organizational success as evidenced by including levers to cultivate a 
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 24

diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplace. Additionally, NIST will continue to contribute to the Equitable 

Growth Initiative, which is designed to develop an interagency framework that incentivizes industry in the adoption of 

business practices that lead to more equitable and inclusive economic growth.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 25

APPENDIX A | NIST DEIA RESOURCES

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech:

This report examined the challenges faced by women of color in technological disciplines. The examination found 

that women of color face structural and social barriers to career mobility. The examination included a 

comprehensive library of literature on the underrepresentation of women, as well as research by subject matter 

experts and best-in-class organizations on evidence-based strategies to drive recruitment, retention, and 

advancement among women of color. Additionally, the examination found that many efforts to increase 

representation among women have failed to consider an intersectional approach to address the disproportionate 

impact on women of color.

• NIST GCR 21-029: Needed Improvements in Standards and Transparency for Staff Promotion: This report examined 

causes of inequity in promotions among women at NIST. The examination included listening sessions with a specific 

fraction of the federal workforce and an analysis of personnel actions over a multi-year range. The examination 

found that in contrast to the views expressed in the listening sessions, little evidence demonstrated a disadvantage 

in promotions among women within technical positions. Additionally, the examination identified an opportunity to 

provide greater transparency with the promotion process to drive perceptions of equality and equity among the 

institute’s full workforce. 

• NIST GCR 21-030: Supporting Women and Under-Represented Minorities in the Sciences: Implementing Equitable 

Approaches to Organizational Change: This report examined a comprehensive library of literature on equity in 

organizations to better understand gender and race-specific barriers for women and people of color in STEM. The 

examination included research on organizational structural, cultural, and behavioral variables across multiple 

disciplines, such as psychology and sociology. The examination found several proven strategies to drive 

organizational change as it relates to diversity and inclusion to better support women and people of color in STEM, 

including at NIST. 

• NISTIR 8362: Survey on Gender, Equity, and Inclusion: This report examined factors that might result in genderspecific barriers for women at NIST. The examination focused on emergent themes from a quantitative survey 

administered across the federal workforce. The examination found statistically significant differences among 

women and men with respect to perceptions of the institute’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity, meritocracy, 

and microaggressions — with men expressing more positive responses. Additionally, while the examination did not 

demonstrate differences in perceptions of equal opportunity in hiring, a higher propensity of women considered 

separating from the institute.

• NISTIR 8366: Guidance for NIST Staff on Using Inclusive Language in Documentary Standards: This report provides 

guidance on the consistent use of inclusive language in documentary standards at NIST. The guidance is based on a 

set of key sources, including the NIST Technical Series Publications Author Instructions, American Psychological 

Association Style Guide, and Chicago Manual of Style. The guidance is limited to the English language; however, its 

concepts can be applied more broadly, such as in translations.

• NISTIR 8371: Promising Practices for Equitable Hiring: Guidance for NIST Laboratories: This report examined best 

practices to drive equitable hiring in the STEM workforce. The examination included recommended practices among 

subject matter experts and best-in-class organizations. The examination resulted in a set of recommendations for 

hiring managers in helping to drive equitable hiring practices at NIST.

• NISTIR 8375: Mapping Employee Networks through the NIST Interactions Survey: This report examined social 

networks to better understand the current level of inclusivity at NIST. The examination used an interactions survey 

to map personal and professional ego networks (which are the social networks an individual builds) across the 

federal workforce. The examination found a siloed effect associated with organizational units, with work ego 

networks aligning to workforce demographics and advice ego networks suggesting preferences based on age and 

gender. Additionally, the examination found differences between gender-dominated advice networks based on 

gender; however, it did not find any discernible differences based on race.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 26

• NISTIR 8376: Assessing Inclusivity of Women at NIST: A Comprehensive Examination of HR Data, In-Depth

Interviews, and Survey Data: This report examined factors that might result in gender-specific barriers for women at

NIST. The examination focused on emergent themes from qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys, and

personnel data. The examination found notable differences in how women and men experience NIST as it relates to

a culture of diversity and inclusivity.

• NISTIR 8363: Examining Recent HR Data for Gender Bias Among Federal Employees at NIST: This report examined

employment records to gain a basic understanding of gender differences at NIST. The examination included

personnel data for federal employees over a multi-year range. The study found several instances in which

substantial gender imbalances do not exist; however, notable trends of gender differences were found as it relates

to hiring, pay bands, annual salaries, and supervisor level. Additionally, the examination identified the highest

degree earned as a factor toward gender-specific barriers and identified the “broken rung” as a factor limiting the

advancement of women.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 27

APPENDIX B | NIST VOLUNTARY EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS8

• Adventures in Science

• American Physical Society Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance (APS-IDEA)

• Association at NIST of Hispanic Americans (ANHA)

• Association of NIST Asian-Pacific Americans (ANAPA)

• Boulder Association of Women in Science (BAWS)

• Book Club

• Caregiver Group

• Diversity and Inclusion in STEM (DISTEM) Forum

• DOC WSTEM

• Employee Resource Group Council

• Engineering Laboratory Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) Council

• Information Technology Laboratory Diversity Committee

• Lactation Support Group

• Material Measurement Laboratory Equity and Inclusivity Working Group

• NIST Association for Black Staff (NABS)

• NIST Chapter of Sigma XI

• NIST Pride

• NIST Softball Club

• NCNR DEI Working Group

• Physical Measurement Laboratory Diversity and Inclusion Committee

• Postdoctoral and Early-Career Association of Researchers (PEAR)

• Prayer Group

• Project Diversity

• Smart Grid and Cyber-Physical Systems Belonging Initiative and Diversity, Equity, Integrity, and Technology 

SuperCluster

• Standard Stitchers

• Standards Alumni Association (SAA)

• Standards Employees Benefit Association (SEBA) and Fitness Center

• SEBA Garden Club

• Steering Group for Equity in Career Advancement (SGECA)

• Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day (TODSTWD)

• The Parents Network

• Toastmasters Club

• Veterans Affinity Group

• Viet-NIST

• Volunteer Club

• Women in STEM (WiSTEM)

8 The provided list of voluntary employee organizations was collected as of February 2022 and may not be exhaustive of all DEIA-related organizations across the 

institute.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 28

APPENDIX C | NIST DEIA MATURITY MODEL9

9 The embedded NIST DEIA Maturity Model was received from OPM following review of the NIST DEIA Survey of Promising Practices and Self-Assessment. This model is in alignment with the maturity model provided in the 2021 

Government-wide Strategic Plan
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 29
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 30
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 31

APPENDIX D | NIST DEIA SURVEY AND SELF-ASSESSMENT TEAM

• Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (Co-Chair)

• Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity and Accessibility Office (Co- Chair)

• Chief of Staff 

• Chief Counsel 

• Associate Director of Laboratory Programs 

• Associate Director of Innovation and Industry Services 

• Associate Director of Management Resources 

• Director of the Program Coordination Office 

• Director of the Office of Human Resources Management 

• Director of the Office of Information Systems Management 

• Director of the Office of Acquisition and Agreements Management 

• Director of the Office of Facilities and Property Management 

• Director of the Office of Safety, Health, and Environment 

• Director of the International and Academic Affairs Office 

• Director of the Public Affairs Office 

• Director of Leadership and Employment Development 

• Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Strategist 

• Voluntary Employee Organization Program Manager 
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 32

APPENDIX E | NIST DEIA STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM

• Diversity Working Group

o Co-Leads: Melissa Midzor, Sesha Joi Moon, Jeanita Pritchett, Angela Hight Walker

o Members: Anne Andrews, Kaitlin Boeckl, Robin Bunch, Daniel Cipra, Alicia Chambers, Amy Cubert, Mike 

Fasolka, Juan Fung, Martha Heil, Monica Hudson, Jennifer Huergo, Fawas Joseph, Mirta-Marie Keys, Jeremy 

Lawson, Robin Materese, Marcos Reyes-Martinez, Maria Nadal, Aimee Generoso-Nguyen, Chandan Sastry

• Equity Working Group

o Co-Leads: Eyeisha Barron, James St. Pierre

o Members: Essex Brown, Joannie Chin, Braden Czapla, George Jenkins, Joe Mroz, Charles Romine, Brandi 

Toliver, Teresa Whiteside, Price Wootton

• Inclusion Working Group

o Co-Leads: Tara Fortier, Nahla Ivy, Kathryn Miller, Zachary Valdez

o Members: Alicia Chambers, Kristan Corwin, Christopher Currens, Nicholas Derimow, Marla Dowell, Jazalyn 

Dukes, Morgan Frycklund, Rachel Glenn, Christopher Greer, Jacqueline Hildebrand, Emilie Jué, James 

Kushmerick, Eric Lin, Kara Robinson, Claire Saundry

• Accessibility Working Group

o Co-Leads: Claire Barrett, Mary Theofanos

o Members: Kerrianne Buchanan, Robin Davitt, Jeffrey DiVietro, Laura Espinal, Melissa Fetsko, Chelsea 

Greene, John Paul Jones, Elizabeth Mackey, James Schufreider, Robert Vaughn

• Inclusive Economy Working Group

o Co-Leads: Mojdeh Bahar, Stephanie Hooker

o Members: Jo-Lynn Davis, Robert Fangmeyer, Alex Folk, Frank Gayle, Michael Molnar, Mary-Ann Pacelli, 

Pravina Raghavan, Zachary Valdez
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 33

APPENDIX F | DEIA EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND MEMORANDUMS10

Executive Orders

• EO 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations

• EO 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government

• EO 13988: Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

• EO 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

• EO 14019: Promoting Access to Voting

• EO 14020: Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council

• EO 14031: Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

• EO 14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce

• EO 14041: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic EO Opportunity 

Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

• EO 14045: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for 

Hispanics

• EO 14049: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native 

Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities

• EO 14050: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black 

Americans

• EO 14053: Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or 

Murdered Indigenous People

• EO 14069: Advancing Economy, Efficiency, and Effectiveness in Federal Contracting by Promoting Pay Equity and 

Transparency

Memorandums

• Office of Personnel Management Memorandum 01052022: Agency Opportunities to Establish Chief Diversity Officer 

or Diversity and Inclusion Officer Pursuant to Executive Order 14035

• National Security Memorandum 3: Revitalizing America’s Foreign Policy and National Security Workforce, 

Institutions, and Partnerships

• National Security Memorandum 4: Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and 

Intersex Persons Around the World

• National Security President Memorandum 33: United States Government-Supported Research and Development 

National Security Policy

10 The provided listing includes executive orders and memorandums that have been released as of March 2022.
FY22-FY24 NIST DEIA Strategic Plan | Page 34

APPENDIX G | EXECUTIVE ORDER 14035 DEIA DEFINITIONS

• Diversity: The practice of including the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and 

beliefs of the American people, including underserved communities.

• Equity: The consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong 

to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment.

• Inclusion: The recognition, appreciation, and use of the talents and skills of employees of all backgrounds.

• Accessibility: The design, construction, development, and maintenance of facilities, information, and communication 

technology, programs, and services so that all people, including people with disabilities, can fully and independently use 

them, including the provision of accommodations and modifications to ensure equal access to employment and 

participation in activities for people with disabilities, the reduction or elimination of physical and attitudinal barriers to 

equitable opportunities, a commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities can independently access every outwardfacing and internal activity or electronic space, and the pursuit of best practices, such as universal design.

• Underserved Communities: The populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, who 

have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, including 

individuals who belong to communities of color, such as Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, Native American, 

Alaska Native and Indigenous, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and North African 

persons; individuals who belong to communities that face discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender 

identity, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, gender non-conforming, and non-binary persons; persons who 

face discrimination based on pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, parents; and caregivers, individuals who belong 

to communities that face discrimination based on their religion or disability; first-generation professionals or firstgeneration college students; individuals with limited English proficiency; immigrants; individuals who belong to 

communities that may face employment barriers based on older age or former incarceration; persons who live in rural 

areas; veterans and military spouses; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty, discrimination, or 

inequality.11

11 According to EO 14035, an individual may belong to more than one underserved community and face intersecting barriers.