Kim Desmond Selected as ICMA’s Chief Equity Officer

Washington, D.C., July 23, 2024- The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is proud to announce Kim Desmond as its first chief equity officer. In this position created by the ICMA Executive Board, Desmond will provide key leadership to advance thought leadership and practices regarding equity and social justice. Desmond comes to ICMA from the city of San Diego, California, where she served as the chief race and equity officer. She will join ICMA on August 12, 2024.

Following a nationwide search for candidates, Desmond stood out for her extensive background and experience providing an equity lens in local government decision-making. Prior to her role as the chief race and equity officer for San Diego, California, Desmond led the establishment of the Office of Social Equity and Innovation in the City and County of Denver, Colorado. In these previous positions, Desmond demonstrated her leadership and collaborative ability to implement substantive changes to enhance equity, diversity, and inclusion within the organization and the community.

"We are excited to have Kim join the ICMA team," said Marc Ott, CEO/Executive Director of ICMA. "Her experience in local government as a chief equity officer and working with members of the community to assure practices and policies are sensitive to the diverse voices and needs of the people will be invaluable to ICMA's members and the ICMA organization."

As the ICMA chief equity officer, Desmond will be responsible for leading the Equity Officer Cohort program and the ICMA Leadership Institute, will provide insight on programming and content for the Equity Summit, and will assure that ICMA considers issues related diversity, equity, and inclusion with all its projects and programs in concert with the ICMA mission.

"I am honored to be selected to serve as ICMA's first chief equity officer," said Desmond. "I believe my experience within local government will help ICMA better meet the need of its members to offer solutions that allow for more equitable policies and programs that enable everyone to thrive."

Prior to her 11 years in local government, Desmond spent 10 years in various positions supporting education practices for early childhood success. Desmond holds a master's in education administration and policy studies from the University of Denver, a master's in community counseling from Fort Hays State University, and a bachelor's in sociology from Fort Hays State University.