22 August 2018
Promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce is key to CIA’S ability to fulfill our global intelligence mission. While it is every Agency officer’s responsibility, the role of Talent Center’s Diversity and Inclusion Office plays a critical role on this front for CIA.
I am pleased to announce Sonya L. Holt’s selection as the Agency’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO). As a veteran officer who served more than three decades at CIA, Sonya brings a wealth of experience and expertise to DIO. She is widely known for putting people first in order to accomplish CIA’s mission and has a proven record track record as an inclusive leader and a champion for diversity.
Prior to her selection as DIO, Sonya led the Director’s Advisory Group on Women in Leadership (DAG), which last month completed its five-year tenure. In her role overseeing the completion of the DAG effort, Sonya and her team successfully worked through the implementation plan stemming from the Study Group’s overall goal of increasing senior leadership opportunities for women at CIA and to improve opportunities for all employees.
Throughout her 34 year Agency career, Sonya has served in a range of impactful leadership positions at Langley and in the field within the Directorates of Support and Science and Technology, and in the Director’s Area. Sonya many career highlights include her Joint Duty role as the Chief of Staff in the Pentagon’s Human Capital Management Office; Program Manager for the Director’s External Advisory Board, as well as well as a number of key positions at CIA’s Recruitment Center, including a tour as the Southeast Regional Recruiter.
Please join me in congratulating Sonya on her selection and thanking Cedric Deal for his nearly two years of service as the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Cedric was steadfast in his leadership of DIO and I know you’ll give Sonya, as you did Cedric, your full support as she steps into this important assignment.
To succeed against intelligence challenges facing us today, we must have officers who bring a variety of life experiences and viewpoints to the job. Under the seasoned leadership of Sonya, we will continue to promote a diverse and inclusive workforce that is so vital to our mission.
– Gina Haspel, Director, Central Intelligence Agency
