Chad Dion Lassiter is a National Expert in the field of American Race Relations. Mr. Lassiter has worked on race, peace, and poverty-related issues in The United States of America, Africa, Canada, Haiti, Israel, and Norway, and is called upon frequently by media outlets to provide commentary on race relations and potential solutions. In April 2023, Mr. Lassiter was appointed by President Biden to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunities for Black Americans.

He is the current Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, where over his five years in this position, he has continued to push the Commonwealth forward in the spaces of DEI Training, Unconscious Bias Training, Anti-Racism Training. He developed and launched a 'No Hate in Our State Townhall' to address the surge of White Nationalism in Pennsylvania; a 'Social Justice Lecture Series' to provide an outlet for the communities in the commonwealth to discuss imperative issues and serve as a Racial Reduction Response team for those communities impacted by hatred. He oversees a staff of 87 with three Regional Offices that comprise the 67 counties in Pennsylvania. He also manages an annual budget of $11 million dollars.

During his appointment, Mr. Lassiter has also developed programs such as, a 'Global Social Justice Initiative,' 'Black and Jewish Beloved Community Dialogue,' and the 'College Race Dialogue Initiative.'

Mr. Lassiter received his master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Social Work, where he was the A. Phillip Randolph Award winner in 2001 and was the recipient of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Involvement Award in 2008.

Mr. Lassiter is a co-founder and current president of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy & Practice's Black Men at Penn, the first Ivy League Black male group of social workers. Since 2003 this transcendent group has sought to recruit Black males into the profession, as well as, provide Anti-Racism and violence prevention training to urban and suburban schools around the country and diversity and inclusion training for corporate entities and penal systems.

Mr. Lassiter has been recognized by the Philadelphia Tribune as “The Most Influential African American Leader from 2010-2022," as “Who's Who among African-Americans" 17th edition in 2004 with such notables as Colin Powell and Michael Jordan.

On November 18, 2019, Mr. Lassiter was inducted into the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice Alumni Hall of Fame.  On October 26, 2021, Mr. Lassiter was chosen as National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter Social Worker of the Year for 2021. He was the recipient of the 2023 International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies' International Award. He has also been recognized by City & State's 2022 Pennsylvania Fifty Over 50; City & State's 2022 Pennsylvania Impact 50; City & State's 2023 Pennsylvania Impact 75; City and State's 2022 & 2023 Pennsylvania Power of Diversity: Black 100; and Philadelphia Business Journal's 2024 Diversity in Business.

​Email: classiter@pa.gov

In her role as Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Zulay Rojas is a member of the Beloved Community. This role affords her the opportunity to listen intently and assist those in need with empathy. 

During a selfless service to our nation in the Armed Forces, her boots were stationed in the Mesopotamian sands of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. After nine years of serving in the military, she hung up the uniform and started her journey into civil service. 

As a Criminal Justice Scholar, she discovered the importance of equal rights for all and joined the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. 

It is here that she can live out Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s realistic vision of the Beloved Community, one in which "caring and compassion drive political policies that support worldwide elimination of poverty and hunger and all forms of bigotry and violence. A state of heart and mind, a spirit of hope and goodwill that transcends all boundaries and barriers and embraces all creation."

Email: zrojas@pa.gov

​As Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), Meredith Millard, Esq. oversees the Office of Chief Counsel, part of which is responsible for providing legal advice and representation to the Commissioners and the Executive Director on a multitude of issues, and part of which is responsible for advocating on behalf of persons pursuing complaints of unlawful discrimination at public hearings in cases where probable cause is found. 

Prior to joining the PHRC, Ms. Millard served as an attorney for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) for more than six years, where her primary focus was Labor and Employment Law.  In that capacity, she provided legal representation to the PLCB in employee disciplinary appeal and grievance proceedings, unemployment compensation claims proceedings, and proceedings involving complaints of unlawful employment or public accommodation discrimination brought before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and/or the PHRC.  Among other things, she also provided legal advice to PLCB staff responsible for investigating internal complaints of unlawful discrimination and responding to disability or religious-based accommodation requests.

Ms. Millard also previously served as an attorney for the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) for several years, where she was responsible for providing legal representation to the Association and its members in various employment-related and other administrative and court proceedings.

While serving as an attorney for PSEA and later for the PLCB, Ms. Millard also assisted with litigating several important cases involving the interplay between Pennsylvania's open records laws and personal privacy rights protected by the Pennsylvania Constitution.

Having represented an employer, as well as a union and its members, at different points in her career, Ms. Millard has extensive knowledge of federal and state laws which are intended to prohibit unlawful discrimination and promote workplace equality.  She is also well versed at identifying and distinguishing between workplace disputes or general dissatisfaction with working conditions and unlawful discrimination, and she understands the importance of considering both sides of an issue when providing legal advice or recommendations to the PHRC to maintain fairness and impartiality. 

Ms. Millard holds a Juris Doctor Degree from Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, where she served as the Business/External Managing Editor for the Widener Law Review.  She also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Elizabethtown College, where she was a College Scholar and graduated with honors majoring in Political Science and minoring in Philosophy.

Ms. Millard is a lifelong Pennsylvanian and the proud mother of three wonderful children who bring much joy to her and her husband, while also keeping them very busy in their spare time.

Email: memillard@pa.gov 

Deputy Chief Counsel Morgan Williams has been with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission for ten years, serving in different capacities in the Office of Chief Counsel.  In her role as Deputy Chief Counsel, she supervises the office's prosecuting attorneys who advocate on behalf of persons pursing complaints of unlawful discrimination at public hearings in cases where probable cause is found.  In addition to her role as a supervisor, she also works with Senior Management on a variety of complex issues, including policy, legislation, regulations, internal HR matters, and various special projects as assigned by the Executive Director and/or Chief Counsel. 

Prior to serving in her role as Deputy Chief Counsel, Williams was a senior prosecutor within the Office of Chief Counsel where she handled complex litigation and appeals.  During her time at the Commission, she has also served as Interim Chief Counsel and Interim Regional Director.  She has received the Legal Star Award and the Executive Director's Award.  Deputy Chief Counsel Williams serves the people of the Commonwealth out of the Commission's Pittsburgh Regional Office.  

Before her tenure with the Commission, Williams cut her teeth in private practice and worked with the Commission's partners at the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission.  Williams holds a Juris Doctor Degree from Widener University School of Law in Delaware.​

Email: morganwill@pa.gov 

​Darlene Hemerka, Esquire brings a passion for equity and inclusion to her role as a Hearing Examiner for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC). Hemerka became an attorney to enforce civil rights laws. Part of her passion stems from the fact that she was born with Cerebral Palsy and uses a walker to ambulate.

Prior to joining the PHRC, Hemerka was a staff attorney at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled. Her responsibilities included overseeing the intake line, educating families and practitioners on alternatives to guardianship for adults with disabilities and representing tenants in municipal court and in front of the Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission.

Hemerka also worked at the Public Interest Law Center (Law Center). She began her time at the Law Center as an Equal Justice Works Fellow. As a fellow, she designed a project to ensure that students with disabilities ages 14-21 received appropriate "transition services;" activities designed to prepare the student for employment and further education. After completing her fellowship, Hemerka became a staff attorney at the Law Center and worked on education cases.

Before joining the Law Center, Hemerka was a judicial law clerk at the Superior Court of New Jersey. She conducted mediation in small claims cases, drafted orders in family matters and communicated with attorneys and self-represented litigants. 

Email: dhemerka@pa.gov

Tamara Shehadeh-Cope, Esq. comes to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) with a passion for human rights advocacy and furthering social justice causes. Shehadeh-Cope has dedicated much of her career to the practice of immigration law and serving particularly vulnerable noncitizens throughout the Commonwealth. She has worked diligently to provide trauma-informed advocacy to crime victims and to facilitate access to free legal services, both of which are very important to her.

Prior to joining the PHRC, Shehadeh-Cope worked at Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center (PIRC) in various capacities. In her role as Supervising Attorney for PIRC's Community Programs, Shehadeh-Cope represented undocumented and noncitizen survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and similar crimes before the United States Citizenship and Immigrant Service (USCIS) and the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR). She worked closely with clients in obtaining legal relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act while supervising a team of attorneys and Department of Justice (DOJ) Accredited Representatives doing the same.

Additionally, Shehadeh-Cope worked as a staff attorney with the Removal Defense Program, where she provided Know-Your-Rights presentations and information to detained immigrants throughout the Commonwealth as part of the Legal Orientation Program (LOP) at the Department of Justice. Through her work in removal defense, Shehadeh-Cope successfully represented many asylum-seekers and noncitizen detainees in immigration court.

Shehadeh-Cope also worked as Managing Immigration Attorney at Community Justice Project (CJP), a part of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN), where she served immigrant domestic violence survivors in their immigration cases before USCIS and EOIR. Shehadeh-Cope engaged in extensive outreach, connecting with domestic violence shelters and service providers throughout Commonwealth to provide educational trainings to staff and community stakeholders.

A graduate of the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law and Fordham University, Shehadeh-Cope looks forward to contributing to the PHRC's continuing work towards a diverse, just, and inclusive Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

E-mail: tshehadehc@pa.gov

Adrian Garcia serves as PHRC's Director of Enforcement and has enjoyed a long career focused on assuring equal consideration and representation at every level. Experience in human relations, advertising, marketing, insurance and financial products and his degree from Palmer Business Institute have allowed him to serve his community locally and beyond -always with a focus on markets of inclusion.

As Specialty Marketing Manager for Advance Auto Parts (AAP), Garcia chaired the Diversity and Inclusion Work Group which worked on ensuring fair representation in the hiring and promoting of a diverse staff in their retail and corporate divisions.

After 5 years with AAP, Garcia returned to Lancaster, PA where he worked as Development Officer for the local Hispanic Public Radio Station, SACA Broadcast Station Corporation. Garcia was subsequently hired as an Intake officer of the Lancaster County Human Relations Commission, and later became an investigator working on employment discrimination cases and assisting as an interpreter for housing cases, which included translating complaints and other documents. He translated the Landlord/Tenants Rights and Responsibilities Manual, which is now known as the Know Your Rights Landlord and Tenant Guide. Garcia was the Education Committee Liaison working with over 15 school districts throughout Lancaster County. 

In 2016, Garcia joined Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership (LHOP) as its director of Housing Equality & Equity Institute, where he led the effort of Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing through programmatic advocacy where Garica sought ways to breathe life into the AFFH.

In 2018 Garcia applied for and secured the Fair Housing Initiatives Program designation from HUD. This was a game changer as it allowed LHOP to expand its fair housing education and outreach initiatives in York county including The Rental Advantage Course and the Eviction Prevention Network. For these programs Garcia received the 2019 Innovator Award from Fine Dinning Lancaster Magazine. The Eviction Prevention Network model has become the framework for addressing COVID19 evictions.

For his work in various communities across the nation and here at home, Adrian has received the following awards:

• NAACP Image Award for Business, Roanoke, VA
• Frank C Sumy Award from the Urban League of Lancaster.
• LULAC Leadership Award, Memphis, TN
• Compañeros Award, Atlanta, GA
• Community Stewardship Award, AUSA, Roanoke, VA
• Innovator Award, Lancaster, PA
• City and State's 50 Over 50 2021 PA Power List
  

Email: adrgarcia@pa.gov

Ashley N. Walkowiak serves as the Director of Policy, Intergovernmental Affairs, & Mediation. In this role, she develops and implements policy, as well as legislative and community-sensitive strategies, to further civil rights protections for Pennsylvania citizens. Additionally, she oversees the Mediation Services Division.  

Prior to joining PHRC, Walkowiak served as the Special Assistant to the appointed Commonwealth Victim Advocate (2018 – 2023) where she worked to advance the rights and services provided to crime victims. She developed training on the impacts of trauma, led sensitive initiatives, directed strategic planning, and served as agency spokesperson.

From 2006 to 2018, she held various executive positions in the Governor's Office of Administration, the state agency dedicated solely to policy and implementation.

Walkowiak is passionate about restorative justice and creating a just and safe Pennsylvania for all citizens. She is a published author and holds an Art Therapy Life Coach certification. When she's not at PHRC, you can find her serving on the Cumberland County Commission for Women, writing her next book, and promoting the power of art to transform lives. 

​Desireé Chang serves as the Director of Education for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. She has been with the PHRC for three years. Prior to becoming the Director of Education, she worked as a Civil Rights Mediator with the Mediation Division. During her tenure at the PHRC, Chang has received the Director of Excellence Award (2020) and PHRC Social Justice Team Award (2021). She is a graduate of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Institute (2021) and has been recognized for her participation on several committees and community social justice collaborative efforts. 

Chang's educational acquisitions include an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude, obtained from HACC Lancaster. As well as, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Legal Studies from Drexel University, both magna cum laude. She is a member of several academic honor societies.

Prior to the PHRC, she worked as an adult Probation and Parole Officer with a specialized caseload of individuals with developmental and mental health disabilities. In addition, she has a background in substance abuse counseling. She has served as a facilitator for trauma informed responses and has been a certified trainer in Motivational Interviewing and Moral Recognation Therapy. She enjoys public speaking and volunteering at women's shelters.

Much of Chang's professional career has been in roles that include assistance for, or advocating of, special interest groups. Her passions are married at the PHRC with the ability to educate Pennsylvanians and actively work towards eradicating discrimination both inside and outside of the Commonwealth.   

Email: dchang@pa.gov

​Caroline Eister serves as the Director of Fair Housing and Commercial Property at the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. In this capacity, she leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of statewide programs aimed at preventing discrimination in housing and commercial property.  

Eister's journey in public service began in 2007 with the Department of Human Services where she held various roles in the Office of Developmental Programs, The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and The Office of Administration's Bureau of Equal Opportunity. During her tenure with DHS, she made noteworthy contributions to staff development, certified investigations, licensing, institutional safety and nursing.   

Prior to her commonwealth service, and throughout her career, Eister dedicated many years to supporting people with disabilities, and the elderly. She focused particularly on training, development and coordination for community living arrangements, intermediate care facilities, long term care facilities and homebased waiver programs throughout Pennsylvania. She has served as chairwoman of various human and disability rights committees, demonstrating her commitment to advocating for equality and inclusion. Eister developed impactful training programs in disability rights, abuse prevention, crisis intervention, principals of investigation, as well as healthcare and safety presentations, clinicals and practicums for community members, state agencies, students, and professionals. 

Eister previously served at the PHRC in the Harrisburg Regional Office as a Human Relations Representative 2018-2019.  Her return to PHRC reflects her ongoing dedication to advancing fair housing and advocating for the rights of all Pennsylvanians. Her personal passion for social justice,  provides support for positive change and empowerment in communities across the state.  

Email: ceister@pa.gov  

Lauren Curtis Daman is the Director of Human Resources for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC).  As a Senior Manager, she is responsible for direct strategies, initiatives, and operations for the human resource services program for PHRC. This includes personnel and position management, labor relations, staff development, and complement management.

Daman's educational background includes an Associates and Bachelor's degree in an  accelerated Corporate Communications program obtained from Elizabethtown College.

Prior to coming to the Commission, Daman worked for the Commonwealth, where she held positions as a Labor Relations Analyst, Employee Training Analyst, and an Human Resources Analyst in corrections, beverage, and education. Her passion is helping people with information that is needed. Her favorite quote for and in life is, "treat people the way you want to be treated."

Email: ldaman@pa.gov

​​Sheryl Meck serves as Supervisor for the Civil Rights Outreach Coordinators Division within the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, as of February, 2024.

Prior to this role, Meck served a combined 10 years in the Adult Probation and Parole field. She began her career supervising high risk cases as a State Agent for Maryland. She then transferred employment to Lancaster County Adult Probation and Parole, where she supervised and worked closely with domestic violence offenders for five years before being promoted to Supervisor of the Behavioral Health/Neurodevelopmental Disorders Unit as the first Filipina American Woman in a management position within the history of Lancaster County Adult Probation.

Meck graduated from Basic 94^th Firearms Training Academy in 2018 and served in a secondary position on the Special Intervention Unit for Lancaster County Adult Probation; she also contributed as a CPR Instructor for the agency. Meck is trained in motivation interviewing, trauma-informed, and crisis intervention. She recognizes these trainings as a major asset in her current role, serving the people of the Commonwealth.

Meck is a founder and co-chair of Diversity Respect Inclusivity Vales Equity (D.R.I.V.E.) Committee of the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. This committee was created as a result of heightened racial tension in the year of 2020. This committee is dedicated to community outreach, internal training, and continued efforts toward fostering a positive relationship between entities of the Court system and the people within the community. This committee continues on, in the hands of passional social justice change agents, who have committed to serving others.

Meck is a graduate of California University of PA where she earned her Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Forensic Science in 2010. Meck ​​has earned a Master of Science Degree in Public Safety with Concentration in Public Administration from Capella University in 2012. She continued on, earning 28 credits toward her Doctorate of Public Administration.

Email: Shmeck@pa.gov​

“Pursuing justice, equity, diversity and inclusion is a moral imperative. I believe that all people should be treated fairly with dignity and respect". Dr. La Dawn Robinson.

Dr. La Dawn Robinson serves as the Regional Director for the Pittsburgh region. The Pittsburgh Regional Office serves 23 counties in the Commonwealth.  Dr. Robinson's role is to manage the daily operations of the office, direct the investigative work of the staff, as well as to conduct outreach and training for the communities in which the office serves.  Additionally, this role allows Dr. Robinson to continue her passion for equal employment opportunity in the workplace – specifically the fair treatment that employees' rights are not being violated but are being respected.

Prior to the role of Regional Director, Dr. Robinson devoted 20+ years in the field of Human Resources where she served in multiple management roles and lead multiple HR functions, such as Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action, Talent Acquisition, and Employee Relations. Additionally, Dr. Robinson is a member of an array of committees, councils and boards that advocate for social justice, equity justice, and diversity, accessibility & inclusion.

She holds a Doctorate degree in Executive Leadership from the University of Charleston, a Master of Science degree in Professional Leadership from Carlow University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from West Virginia University. 

Email: ladrobinso@pa.gov