AFSC hires new global director for diversity, equity and inclusion

Karen Francis, Director of Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for AFSC

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is pleased to announce that Karen Francis has joined the organization as global director of diversity, equity and inclusion. Francis' hiring reflects AFSC's ongoing commitment to ensuring that their work around the world treats everyone with respect and dignity, while fostering an inclusive workplace culture that values and supports its diverse staff.

"I am delighted to join the AFSC at such a critical moment," said Francis. "When we center human dignity and justice in our systems and relationships, we not only transform workplace culture but also expand the organization's ability to advance equity and meaningfully support communities worldwide. AFSC is working to do that, and I am glad to have the opportunity to guide and support this work."

Francis began her career as a youth counselor and has served in leadership positions directing national, state, and local human service initiatives across diverse communities and multiple service systems. She also serves as an expert panelist for global diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, providing strategic assessment and implementation guidance to organizations in the United States and internationally. In addition, she helps lead a globally recognized credentialing program that certifies DEI professionals worldwide.

A Jamaican American, Francis earned her Ph.D. in Medical Sociology and Social Inequality from Howard University in Washington, DC. She received the Diversity MBA's Top 25 Leaders of Impact Award, recognizing her outstanding contributions to advancing equity and inclusion in her field.

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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.