Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at CCE Jefferson

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County remains committed to ongoing growth, continued development, and substantive organizational transformation as we position ourselves to effectively support our community to thrive. In carrying out our mission of putting knowledge to work we do so with an intentional focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our staffing, volunteers, programs, and community partnerships. Our current plan of work aims to address the following: 

• CCE Jefferson Website, Social Media, and Print Media Content 
• HR Policies and Forms 
• Staff Recruitment and Retention 
• Employee Satisfaction and Feedback 
• Program Curricula, Resources, and Facilitation 
• New Staff Orientation/Onboarding 
• CCE Newsletters (Staff and Community) 
• Monthly Education Topics for Staff Meetings 
• DEIB Definitions of Commonly Used Terms 
• Accessibility  

Statement from our Executive Director: 

I am honored to be the first female Executive Director in the 112-year history of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are personally important to me in that I strive to create a workplace where all employees and participants feel valued and welcomed. This includes celebrating having staff from different states and countries, a span of age ranges, many family structures, different cultures and backgrounds, special talents, and a variety of educational experience and expertise. As our community becomes more diverse, we are taking an intentional approach to ensuring we meet community needs and provide unique and meaningful experiences for staff and participants alike. Everyone in our organization – from our staff to our leadership teams to our board of directors – is committed to creating an equitable environment that helps people be their happiest, healthiest, and most productive selves. There is a level of vulnerability in this type of work, knowing we are not perfect and acknowledging our deficits along with our strengths, but with vulnerability comes empathy and growth. Different backgrounds, viewpoints, and thought processes help us see things in new and different ways – moving us to be more innovative and to stay relevant to our community. 

Sincerely, 

Amanda Root 
Executive Director 

Last updated April 1, 2024