YAMILE NAZAR was recently appointed as the new director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Department. She began her new role Porter on Jan. 3. 

Nazar has served as the interim director of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission. 

“I am grateful to City leadership, mentors and colleagues for their continued confidence in my ability to lead this important department and for demonstrating their meaningful investment in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts,” Nazar said “I look forward to leveraging my extensive experience to offer enhanced strategic advisory and consulting capabilities to our community and contributing to the realization of the City's DEI goals and objectives.” 

In Nazar’s role, she will be responsible for the department’s existing programs and services, to include supporting the human relations commission and the Fair Housing Board. She will also be implementing new strategies that support “positive human relations and opportunities for all,” a city press release said. 

“Yamile has consistently demonstrated her ability to move us forward both as an organization and as a community with positive solutions, and I am confident this new role will allow her to continue advocating for equity and opportunity on behalf of all residents,” Fayetteville City Manager Doug Hewett said. “Her leadership and expertise throughout the City SPIRIT process has been exemplary, making it clear she was the right person to fill this critical role.” 

Nazar resides in Fayetteville and has held numerous positions in the public sector, including positions as an investigator and mediator in New York, a community engagement professional in the Durham County LIbrary, and a division manager for the City of Greensboro’s Human Relations Department. 

Nazar recently graduated from Cornell University’s Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program; in addition, she is certified as a U.S. Army Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor and holds a bachelor of arts in Criminal Justice and a Master of Public Administr