By Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas
The Department of Commerce recently appointed Ines Hernandez as the first-ever Counselor
for Equity. In this newly created role, Hernandez will work across the Department’s 13 bureaus
to institutionalize equity across all workstreams and advise senior leadership on policy design
and implementation strategies that help advance the equity agenda within the Department’s
programs and strategic initiatives.
As the new Counselor, Hernandez will work in close collaboration with the DOC Equity (DEIA)
Council co-chaired by Deputy Secretary Don Graves and Deputy Under Secretary for
International Trade Diane Farrell. Established in November 2021, the DOC Equity (DEIA) Council
provides cross-bureau coordination, policy development, and administrative support for
initiatives that: institutionalize equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility across the
Department’s programmes and operations; support bureaus in creating a positive internal
culture and raise programme officials’ consciousness of systemic barriers.
“I am honored to have been selected as the first Counselor for Equity by the US Department of
Commerce and look forward to guiding federal resources to communities nationwide so that
we can grow an economy that works for everyone,” said Ines Hernandez, “My years of
experience working to bring financial inclusion and economic empowerment to culturally
diverse communities will guide me as I continue to advocate for economic mobility at the
national level.”
Hernandez most recently served as a trusted counselor for StartUP FIU, Florida International
University’s dedicated innovation hub, where she advised the unit’s economic development
programme and put innovative frameworks in place to ensure the organization’s reach
extended to all South Florida communities.
Hernandez has over 20 years of experience building cross-sector consensus that led to
community and economic development solutions, new policies, and action with demonstrable
results. She has extensive experience navigating intersecting issues, including financial
inclusion, small business development, workforce development, affordable housing, climate
policy, public health, and equity.
The Department of Commerce supports Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) at all
stages of the employee life cycle. The Department is committed to ensuring its work results in
broadly shared benefits for employees and leaders as well as customers and stakeholders. By
amplifying and sustaining efforts to build a diverse, world-class workforce and an equitable,
inclusive, accessible, and safe workplace, the Department of Commerce will continue to be a
leading employer of choice.
