In 2016 Lisa Blunt Rochester made history when she became the first person of color to represent Delaware in Congress.
She began her professional career as a problem-solver and an advocate. A caseworker for then-Congressman Tom Carper, Lisa helped people during challenging times with their Social Security benefits, disability insurance claims, IRS disputes, and housing needs. She served in the cabinets of two Delaware governors as Delaware’s first African-American woman Secretary of Labor, and as Delaware’s first African-American Deputy Secretary of Health and Social Services and State Personnel Director. As Secretary of Labor, Lisa managed 500 employees and an $87 million budget; she focused on connecting employers to resources and jobseekers – particularly those on welfare or leaving Delaware prisons. As State Personnel Director, Lisa was commissioned to investigate the Delaware State Police for racial and sexual discrimination. Working with local and national experts in policing and civil rights, the 2001 Blunt-Bradley Report served as a roadmap to improve the internal and external relations of the State Police.
She also served as the CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League – an action-oriented, public policy research think-tank focused on the inclusion of people of color. Most recently, Lisa worked on President Biden’s cabinet selection and inauguration teams. #BlackHistoryMonth2021 #EquityCSD #powerofwecsd