Dionne R. Wiggins ’13gOn November 3, Dionne R. Wiggins ’13g delivered the 23rd annual Outstanding Alumni Lecture.Dionne serves as the Vice President for People and Culture at American Jewish World Service (“AJWS”) in New York City. Together with her team, she drives key objectives related to transforming organizational culture, systems, and processes to ensure that they are best in class. Dionne leads the division responsible for strategic human resources partnerships, recruitment, payroll and benefits, labor and employee relations and fosters a culture of care, accountability, and honesty so that AJWS’s staff can thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.A staunch and passionate advocate for women, children, people of color, individuals with disabilities and animals, Dionne is a dedicated leader with more than 23 years of combined professional experience in the legal, human resources and DEI sectors. Prior to joining AJWS, Dionne worked for the New York City Department of Education, where she led labor and employee relations work as the Senior Director of Diversity & Personnel Initiatives and served as chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee for the Special Education Office. She has worked for private organizations, law offices, nonprofits and government agencies, including Edison Learning (formerly Edison Schools, Inc.-New York, NY), the law offices of Smigel, Anderson & Sacks, LLP. (Harrisburg, PA), The New York Foundling (New York, NY) and Birch Family Services (New York, NY).Dionne holds a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies from John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY), a Master’s degree in Human Resources & Employment Relations from Penn State University, a Juris Doctor degree from Widener University School of Law (Harrisburg) and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution from Cornell University. During her law school tenure, Dionne served as the president of the Black Law Students Association and the president of the Women’s Law Caucus. Dionne was selected as a fellow in the Martin Luther King Jr. program, established through the Pennsylvania Legal Aid network to promote cultural and ethnic diversity in legal services and to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Throughout her educational and professional career, Dionne has served as a mentor to several individuals, furthering her passion to always help others succeed.Watch the full lecture on YouTube