LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- Mayor Frank Scott Jr. announced Tuesday Dionne Jackson, Ed.D. has been hired as the city’s chief equity officer.

Jackson will establish the City of Little Rock’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

City officials say Jackson will focus on ensuring adequate access to opportunities and necessary support structures within city government and across Little Rock.

The creation of the chief equity officer was first proposed by the mayor’s transition board in The Scott Script, which is a citizen-led transition for growth and progress in the capital city.

In the mayor’s 2021 State of the City address, Scott expressed his commitment to increasing Little Rock’s growth and progress with equity as the central theme in future planning.

“I’m thrilled that Dr. Jackson will use her expertise to help strengthen our city as we rebound from the pandemic and focus on rebuilding,” Scott said. “We’ve seen unprecedented business and jobs growth since my administration began. It is time to bolster our city’s capacity with intentional efforts to make Little Rock a more equitable place to live, work, and play.”

“I’m excited about the possibilities in our city, and look forward to helping create more opportunities for Little Rock residents to thrive,” Dr. Jackson said. “Mayor Scott’s transition team established an excellent roadmap for my role. I look forward to engaging with our community to better understand and address existing impediments to equity, and working with stakeholders to create the necessary support systems across city departments and throughout Little Rock.”

Jackson worked in education for 25 years. She most recently served as the executive director of AR Kids Read. She has also previously served as the chief diversity officer at Hendrix College.

She earned her doctorate from Baylor University, master’s at the University of Central Arkansas and bachelor’s degree from Hendrix College.