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Darlene
Sweeney-Newbern named OCRC Director of Regional Operations
Ohio
Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) Toledo Regional Director
Darlene Sweeney-Newbern has been chosen to serve as the new
statewide Director of Regional Operations. As Director of
Regional Operations, Ms. Sweeney-Newbern will oversee agency
personnel and management of the five regional offices in
Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo in
their enforcement of Ohio's laws against discrimination. She
fills the vacancy left following the retirement of former
Director of Regional Operations, Keith McNeil.
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"Darlene is passionate about civil rights and has served the
OCRC with distinction for over 28 years. We are confident
Darlene will maintain our tradition and values of
dedication, integrity, respect, teamwork, and public
service," said OCRC Executive Director, G. Michael Payton.
Ms. Sweeney-Newbern has broad experience in investigating,
supervising and managing employment and fair housing charges
for the Commission. Upon invitation, she has traveled
throughout the United States speaking, teaching and training
state and federal law enforcement agencies, judges,
attorneys, employers, unions, fair housing advocacy groups,
realtors, the NAACP, corporations and members of the general
public on employment and fair housing laws.
Sweeney-Newbern has investigated or consulted in many
notable cases, including a $4.3 million settlement in a
redlining case against Farmers Insurance in Toledo and an
$850,000 settlement in a race and familial status
discrimination case involving a Massillon, Ohio landlord who
limited the number of African American tenants in his
properties.
Sweeney-Newbern has been an instructor on fair housing
laws and author of two fair housing training manuals for the
National Fair Housing Training Academy located in
Washington, D.C.. She is a popular motivational speaker who
has presented at national and international conferences
throughout the United States. During the Obama
administration, she met at the White House and in Ohio with
senior staff to discuss national housing policy reform.
Sweeney-Newbern sits on numerous boards and committees
including the Northern Ohio Development Agency (NODA), the
Toledo Chapter of the NAACP, Toledo Community Coalition, the
Toledo Chief of Police Advisory Board, Dialogue to Change and
State of the State Conference Committee. Sweeney-Newbern is
the recipient of various awards including The Rev. Fred L.
Shuttlesworth Humanitarian Award, Shanna L. Smith-Spirit
of Fair Housing Award, Ohio Civil Rights Commission's
“Rosa Park Medal,” the NAACP Outstanding Community
Leadership Award and, the “Keeping the Dream Alive Award”
for brokering the Farmers Insurance case settlement.
For more information, please visit crc.ohio.gov or contact
Mary Turocy at mary.turocy@civ.ohio.gov.
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