DETROIT – Mayor Mike Duggan has appointed Anthony Zander as the Director of the Department of Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity (CRIO).
Zander was appointed after Kimberly Rustem sought employment elsewhere. The City’s Human Rights Commission unanimously voted to accept Zander at their monthly meeting on Thursday.
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He was previously a member of Duggan’s Lean Continuous Improvement team, where he supported city departments to improve internal processes, developed processes for new programs, and led cross-departmental projects.
“Processes don’t mean much if they aren’t efficient and working for the people they are meant to help,” said Mayor Duggan. “That’s why having Anthony lead CRIO is so important right now. With his proven experience in improving the delivery of important services, I have complete confidence that he will make sure our department of civil rights, inclusion, and opportunity is operating effectively on behalf of all Detroiters.”
Zander’s focus will be on the following, according to Duggan:
- Ensuring all persons and entities subject to Executive Order on Detroiter hiring (EO 2021-1) are compliant
- The department is properly structured to investigate and bring resolution to complaints of discrimination
- Make certain the Disability Affairs strategic plan is properly resourced
- Proactively protect the human and civil rights of Detroiters and visitors alike
Before joining the City of Detroit, Zander worked in D.C., Lansing, and Detroit with a focus on humanitarian policy.
Zander studied Political Science at Michigan State University and is a Political Science graduate student with disciplines in Public Administration and Urban Politics.
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