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Joy Fowler, chief diversity and equity officer at Multnomah County, is leaving the job at the end of this month for “an opportunity to advance her professional and personal aspirations,” a county spokeswoman confirmed in an email.
Fowler took the job in March 2022 after serving almost three years as senior diversity manager for the Port of Portland. Before that, she spent 18 years as a vice president at Umpqua Bank, according to her LinkedIn profile.
“I am communicating directly with you today about a departure that will be deeply felt across Multnomah County,” Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said in an email to staff. “After three years of making an incredible impact here at Multnomah County, Joy has an opportunity to advance her professional and personal aspirations with a new endeavor.”
Fowler’s departure comes as diversity, equity and inclusion policies come under fire from the Trump administration, which has sought to end DEI programs in government agencies and in public schools. Last month, 19 states sued the administration over its threat to halt funding to states that had DEI programs in schools.
Vega Pederson lauded Fowler’s work on the county’s 2024–2028 Workforce Equity Strategic Plan: 33 benchmarks in eight categories that are to be implemented over four years. Among them: require an “evaluation and research unit” to evaluate the county Complaints Investigation Unit’s processes, policies and outcomes every three years, and identify “pain points” in departments with high turnover among people of color.
The Board of County Commissioners approved the plan in March 2024. Fowler worked with other county staff to complete it, including former chief operating officer Serena Cruz, who left the county in September.
The position pays Fowler $197,252 per year. Fowler is working with the county to find an interim replacement.
Fowler’s departure is the first high-profile one since Dan Field, director of the county’s Homeless Services Department, announced in March that he would retire June 16. His deputy, Anna Plumb, will take over as interim director, Vega Pederson said at the time.