San Jose’s new director of racial and social equity, Amber Hewitt, starts on the job Oct. 25. She was formally introduced at the San Jose City Council meeting on Tuesday.

In a statement, the city manager’s office said the director is a “key adviser” to the executive, and the Office of Racial and Social Equity’s mission is to support the city in “embedding a racial equity practice and embodying a culture that sustains it.”

Hewitt will oversee a team of six employees with an annual operating budget of approximately $3.3 million.

“Her strategic support, training, and tools will continue to advance racial and social equity in decision making that strongly considers the intersections of race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and other forms of marginalization for historically underserved communities,” City Manager Jennifer Maguire said Tuesday.

She comes to San Jose after a nationwide recruitment project to fill the role, which had been vacant for three months after Zulma Maciel, the office’s inaugural director, retired in August after nearly six years in office.

Deputy City Manager Angel Rios served as the office’s interim director until Hewitt was hired.

Before her move to San Jose, Hewitt worked in Washington, D.C., where she was hired as the district’s first-ever chief equity officer. There she built a new Office of Racial Equity, directing initiatives that shaped the budgets, policies, and planning.

Hewitt holds a PhD in counseling psychology from Loyola University of Chicago, a Master of Arts in psychology from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from the University of Southern California.

“I’m excited to join the City of San José and build on the strong foundation already in place to advance racial and social equity,” Hewitt said. “For me, this work begins with listening, building trust, and ensuring that community experiences inform how government serves its residents. It is also about embedding equity into the everyday practice of government, from how resources are allocated and services are delivered, to how progress is measured.”

San Jose ranks among the most diverse cities in the United States, where no single racial or ethnic group holds the majority.