Chauncia Willis is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management (I-DIEM). She leads efforts to integrate equity into all facets of disaster policy, programs, and practice with the goal of increasing cultural competence and mitigating the harmful impacts of bias on underserved groups. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Chauncia is certified as an emergency manager, professional coach, and cultural diversity professional. Her expertise includes disaster management, national security event planning, leadership coaching, immigrant and refugee outreach, and diversity, equity, and inclusion training.
Prior to co-founding I-DIEM, Chauncia served as the Emergency Manager of Tampa, Florida for over 14 years where she developed successful programs benefiting marginalized populations. Her prior experience also includes roles with the Georgia Public Health Terrorism and Preparedness Program, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, and the Atlanta-Fulton Emergency Management Agency.
Regarded as a national expert, Chauncia has provided witness testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on multiple occasions regarding matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as policy implementation. She is the author of Stretching: The Race Toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in America (2021). Chauncia earned her BA in psychology and business administration from Loyola University in New Orleans and her Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University.
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