Howie LeBlanco Director of Human Resources - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Recent News

Howie LeBlanco and Kendra Smith of Human Resources organized a well-attended “Re-Orientation program October 14 on campus for staff and faculty, engaging a facilitated conversation on mission and values and explaining a “roadmap” of the “employee life cycle.”
(posted February 2023)

Howie LeBlanco started work in May as the College’s first Director of Human Resources: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. Howie most recently served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where he helped to establish the inaugural Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In this role, he served as a senior leader on the President’s Cabinet and an advisor to the President on decision-making and College strategies grounded in equity, inclusion, and belonging. He also worked in partnership with the College’s Human Resources Department on initiatives around hiring processes, employee relations approaches, talent development strategies, and employee-related policies and protocols. He fostered a culture of learning and among other initiatives, developed an anti-racist curriculum for employees. He led leaders to examine and amend policies, structures, and procedures that create and support inequities and barriers for minoritized people, including those historically excluded because of race and ethnicity. He formed and led an Institutional Strategic Communications Team, designed and launched a BIPOC Empowerment Series, and the College’s Community Bias Response Program to respond to incidents of bias and discrimination with a restorative justice and educational approach. Howie earned his BS in Graphic Design and Digital Media and his Master’s of Science in Human Relations and Organizational Development from Champlain College. He is dedicated to continued learning and growth and has also continued professional education through Harvard University’s Bravely Confronting Racism in Higher Education program, has completed a Title IX Certificate program, and a Positive Organizational Development Graduate Certificate program through Champlain College. Over his career, Howie has developed expertise in designing and facilitating trainings addressing bias, discrimination, white supremacy, anti-racism, pronouns, creating safe spaces, coaching, leadership development, and more. Howie has brought a DEI lens to all of his work and is excited to be able to return to a Human Resources role that will allow him to bring all of his DEI, organizational development, and human relations work together. He will be spending his first several months meeting members of the community and diving into understanding challenges and opportunities for improvement, as well as developing initiatives related to the strategic plan and the goal of intentionally and continuously fostering a culture of belonging. As co-director of Human Resources, he will report to Rob Robinson, VP of Finance.
(posted July 2022)