Patrice Gilliam-Johnson
Patrice Gilliam-Johnson is the former secretary of labor of Delaware. She was appointed to the position by Governor Jack Markell (D) in 2016 to replace outgoing Secretary John McMahon. McMahon retired on January 22, 2016, after months of allegations of workplace racism in the department.[1] She was unanimously confirmed by the Delaware State Senate.[2] Gilliam-Johnson resigned from the position on February 2, 2018, to take a post at Delaware State University.[3]
Biography
Gilliam-Johnson is the daughter of the late civil rights leader Jim Gilliam Sr. Before becoming secretary, she spent nearly two decades working in education. Her expertise is in the psychology of human organizations. She was the chairwoman of the Organizational Dynamics Program at Wilmington University. She also worked as a consultant for businesses, focusing primarily on human resources. Gilliam-Johnson also worked for the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.[4]
Education
- Bachelor's degree in psychology, Morgan State University
- Master's degree in industrial and organizational psychology, University of Maryland
- Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology, University of Maryland[4]
Political career
Delaware Secretary of labor 2016-2018
Gilliam-Johnson was appointed to her position by Governor Jack Markell on January 14, 2016. She was unanimously confirmed by the Delaware State Senate on January 27, 2016.[2]
When he announced Gilliam-Johnson's appointment, Gov. Markell said,
| “ | Patrice’s experience and background coupled with her strong work ethic, dedication to underserved communities and her passion for public service will make her a strong labor secretary.[2][5] | ” |
Her appointment was also praised by the NAACP, which had been concerned about allegations of racial discrimination at the department of labor under Secretary McMahon. In a released statement, the NAACP said
| “ | There are structural issues across the entire state and the effort to address and correct the racism and discrimination problems will require the full participation of the governor, his cabinet and senior management. McMahon failed to hold those in DOL management operations accountable.[2][5] | ” |
Gilliam-Johnson resigned from the position on February 2, 2018, to take a post at Delaware State University.[3]
Recent news
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See also
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Don Rush, Delmarva Public Radio, "Delaware labor secretary retires amidst charges of racism in agency," January 13, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Delaware 105.9, "Gilliam-Johnson Confirmed as Delaware Secretary of Labor," accessed January 29, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Delaware Online, "Labor secretary Gilliam-Johnson resigning to take post at DSU," January 11, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The News Journal, "Ministers approve of Delaware labor secretary nominee," accessed January 29, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John McMahon |
Delaware Secretary of Labor 2016-2018 |
Succeeded by Cerron Cade |
