Interim Chief Equity Officer Appointed By St. Pete Mayor Welch: City

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Mayor Kenneth Welch named Carl Lavender the city’s interim chief equity officer.

He replaces Lenice C. Emanuel, who resigned from the position after just weeks on the job. Her first day in the role was Oct. 2 and she handed in her resignation letter on Oct. 25.

Lavender brings more than three decades in non-profit executive and senior management experience, and nearly 20 years of experience in systems change leadership to the position, the city said in a news release.

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He most recently served as interim co-CEO and chief equity officer at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg.

"Carl is a transformational leader and advocate in our community whose expertise will help us advance equity and inclusive progress at the City, in partnership with community stakeholders," Welch said. "His vast experience, historical knowledge of the community, and breadth of equity efforts will be valuable as we move forward with establishing this office."

For years, Lavender has worked in partnership with equity-focused community innovations that intersect with city initiatives.

He served as a co-chair of the 2020 Plan, a seven-year poverty reduction plan funded by the city, Allegany Franciscan Ministries Foundation and others. Lavender was a founding steering committee member for Agenda 2010, a multi-sector collaboration of leaders whose advocacy inspired creation of the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area, where Lavender resides. He also served as a steering committee member for the Grow Smarter initiative.

"I am excited by the possibilities and the outcomes of smart, well-thought-out plans of action supporting Mayor Welch and the entire equity community," Lavender said. "This is a compelling opportunity to guide the next steps for two significant studies (2021 Structural Racism Study and 2023 Employee Climate Study) that, after follow through, will position the City for successful outcomes in equity."

Reporting directly to the mayor’s chief of staff, Jordan "Doyle" Walsh, he will serve as a member of the Mayor's Cabinet, or executive team, and will oversee education and youth opportunity efforts and the Office of Community Impact. His first day with the city will be Nov. 14.