The Culver City Unified School District has hired Dr. Jennifer Smith as its first Assistant Superintendent of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Smith, who has nearly 23 years of experience in education, most recently served as Curriculum and Instructional Services Division Coordinator for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, where she helped develop Supporting the African Learner: A Guide to Transforming Beliefs, Systems and Practices for Black Students, and served on the panel that issued LACOE's Beyond the School House Policy Report, which included recommendations to address systemic conditions and disparities at the federal, state, county and district levels.

"Dr. Smith has a unique experience and expertise in the area of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that will benefit our district as we seek to address DEI issues at every level of instruction," said CCUSD Superintendent Quoc Tran. "I very much look forward to partnering with Dr. Smith, our Board of Education and everyone in the CCUSD family to make sure we are a leader in this area."

The landmark decision to create a new, cabinet-level position designed develop and lead programs and strategies that foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community put CCUSD at the forefront of the DEI discussion, district officials said.

The Assistant Superintendent of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion reports directly to the Superintendent and was the first such position among public schools in California, CCUSD said.