PURPOSE
The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) seeks to establish and maintain a model equal employment opportunity (EEO) program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by leveraging the pillars of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) to advance health discovery. To meet its mandate of designating special emphasis programs at the NIH, EDI created the Aging Employment Portfolio to ensure that this community remains a critical piece of the NIH’s success.
Our Aging Employment Portfolio is an EEO program that aligns with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulation 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 and ensures compliance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which prohibits discrimination against employees, and applicants for federal employment, who are age 40 or older.
THE PORTFOLIO
The NIH community values the significant contributions made by its employees regardless of age and provides comprehensive support to a multigenerational workforce. EDI seeks to equip employees with the necessary tools for their success and aim to create an age-inclusive environment where every member is encouraged to contribute their unique ideas and perspectives to assist the NIH in the accomplishment of its mission.
EDI’s responsibility also includes designing impactful programming and outreach initiatives to cultivate positive experiences across all employment levels. This would not be possible without the unwavering commitment of leaders and managers from all NIH Institutes and Centers, which is critical to sustaining these efforts. Although EDI bears responsibility for robust special emphasis programming at the NIH, we work in collaboration with many strategic partners, including the Office of Human Resources, the Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity, and NIH leadership.
Recognizing that our commitment to diverse groups surpasses federal mandates, NIH defines diversity broadly, encompassing all aspects of our human identities and uniqueness. Within EDI, our greatest motivation is facilitating the harnessing of the ideas of every NIH employee to drive innovation and advance health discovery.
MEET THE STRATEGIST
Dr. Patricia Fletcher currently serves as the Principal Strategist, Aging Employment Portfolio. She has a diversified professional background, having worked for state, federal, not-for-profit, and private organizations and held several roles in publishing, marketing communications, and research. Before joining the NIH, Dr. Fletcher served as a Social Scientist for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Interagency Recovery Coordination Advisor for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Partnership Coordinator for the Census Bureau, Assistant Vice-President, and Marketing Manager for JPMorgan Chase, Director of Marketing and Public Affairs for Queens Hospital Center, and Executive Director for ElderCare Buddy. Additionally, she was an adjunct professor in communications and aging studies.
Dr. Fletcher is a strong advocate for inclusivity and combating ageism. She takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining perspectives from communication, gerontology, public policy, social change, and design thinking to promote DEIA for older adults. She is an active member and contributor to various organizations such as the American Public Health Association, Aging & Public Health Section (Section Council/Planning Committee Lead); the Gerontological Society of America (Disaster and Aging Section); and the Non-Governmental Organization Committee on Ageing, United Nations (Global Alliances and Human Rights of Older Persons). Previously, she served as the Vice-Chair and Public Art Commissioner for the Arts & Science Council, and in various age-related and community groups.
Dr. Fletcher has presented social science research at national and international conferences advocating for a more inclusive, anti-ageist, and equitable society for older adults. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Communication, an M.S. in Gerontology, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies of Public Policy and Social Change. She enjoys literature and visual/performing arts.