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Disabilities advocacy group names Kimble equity officer

Niagara Gazette - 11/21/2020

Nov. 21--Western New York Independent Living, Inc. has announced the appointment of former Niagara County lawmaker Renae Kimble as its new chief organizational equity officer.

Kimble will lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of WNYIL's organizational equity, ensuring it is a diverse, equitable, and all-inclusive organization. She will also lead WNYIL's efforts to provide effective, easy to understand, and respectful quality care and services to the 7,000 people with disabilities the agency serves annually, that are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices.

Kimble will also assist in the outreach to, and recruitment of, potential candidates for the board of directors and the agency's advisory councils, ensuring that both reflect community demographics.

"I am extremely humbled and honored to be selected as the Chief Organizational Equity Officer for WNYIL," Kimble said. "Today more than ever before it is important if not imperative that community-based organizations and corporations work together to provide a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization on every level, be it the workforce, leadership team, and board of directors. WNYIL's core mission of improving the lives of individuals with disabilities serves as a strong foundation in its quest to continue to have all people succeed regardless of our cultural, social or economic differences. WNYIL wants to ensure that all people have the same advantages, access, and opportunity to live independently in the community. I will work tirelessly to help make that happen."

Kimble brings a wealth of experience in fighting for equality for all individuals. She previously served for 18 years as a member of the Niagara County Legislature, a stint that included service as majority leader, deputy minority leader and vice chair. In addition, Kimble served as director of the Human Rights Commission for the City of Niagara Falls and was the author of the Niagara County Affirmative Action Policy while a legal associate in the Niagara County Attorney's Office. She also served as project manager for the Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc., Niagara Site, risk Manager for the self-insurance program of the City of Niagara Falls, director of the business opportunity program of the Office of Urban Initiatives and an adjunct professor in the African American Studies Program of the State University of New York at Buffalo.

"WNYIL is extremely lucky to be able to have such a distinguished, successful Human Rights activist to ensure WNYIL's policies and practices of working equitably and positively with all the peoples of our communities with and without disabilities," said Douglas J. Usiak, WNYIL chief executive officer.

Kimble earned a Juris Doctor Degree from the Faculty of Law and Jurisprudence of the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY-Buffalo), class of 1982. She also earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from SUNY-Buffalo, class of 1977 and an associate of arts degree in in liberal arts/social science from Niagara County Community College, class of 1974.

The Western New York Independent Living, Inc. Family of Agencies offer an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

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(c)2020 the Niagara Gazette (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)

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