Nichelle D. Perkins, a seasoned human resource professional with a strong background in equal employment opportunity and affirmative action laws as well as ADA compliance and conflict management, is joining West Virginia University as the deputy diversity officer for equity assurance.

Perkins, whose appointment was effective immediately, will report to Chief Diversity Officer David Fryson as part of a restructured Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, replacing the former Office for Social Justice.

“Nichelle is an outstanding person and a proven leader whose background in employee relations, cultural diversity and equal employment opportunity and affirmative action will be an asset to our team,” Fryson said. “This hire, and the realignment of our Division, will help us meet an important driver of our 2020 plan for the future—“fostering diversity and an inclusive culture on our campus.””:http://strategicplan.wvu.edu/the_map/goals/goal_3

Perkins comes to WVU from Palatine, Ill., where she is business operations and human resources manager with Concord Crossroads, LLC, a business serving the veteran disabled. She also teaches strategic management and human resources management in the MBA program at the University of Phoenix.

She has strong ties to West Virginia and WVU, having served as the project manager for the legislatively mandated three-year personnel study to restructure the 20-year-old classification/compensation system for the Higher Education Policy Commission from 2006-2009.

Prior to that, she was director of human resources at Brick Street Mutual Insurance and served in leadership roles at two state agencies – director of human resources, West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission; and director of the division of personnel, West Virginia Division of Personnel.

On the state level she was responsible for developing and implementing the state’s affirmative action plan and partnering with other agencies to implement the state’s first strategic diversity recruitment plan.

At WVU, Perkins taught employment law and workplace and diversity-related courses in the WVU College of Business and Economics graduate management program, and was an Extension clinical professor and social justice administrator at WVU.

“I am honored to serve as a deputy diversity officer during this exciting time of implementing the diversity vision of the WVU 2020 Strategic Plan,” Perkins said. “Under President Jim Clements’ leadership, David Fryson is building a team committed to the future of diversity, equity and inclusion at the University and in the community,” she added.

Perkins earned a political science degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and a law degree from the University of Iowa. She has completed many professional certifications in diversity courses and training, and was selected as a Ford Fellow Scholar to attend professional development training in Ghana.

-WVU-

bl/11/20/12

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