Kelli Ellsworth Etchison has been appointed to Michigan’s Black Leadership Advisory Council by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Ellsworth Etchison is LAFCU’s chief marketing officer and chief diversity officer.
The council was created to serve in an advisory capacity to the governor and develop, review and recommend policies and actions designed to prevent and eradicate discrimination and racial inequity in Michigan.
Gov. Whitmer said in a news release announcing council members, “In order to confront systemic racism head on, we need members like those on this council to inform our work in state government. This group of leaders includes experts in economics, public policy, health, technology, the environment, and more. I know that those on the Council will continue to be a force for change in Michigan, and I am excited to work closely with them to create a more equitable and just state for all.”
The council’s 16 members and four committee chairs were selected from more than 650 applicants. Each member represents Black leaders in a specific field. Ellsworth Etchison is a representative in economics for the term Nov. 12, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2023. She is the only appointee from Mid-Michigan.
“With the recent racially charged events in our country, I am more compelled than ever to amp up my involvement as a positive agent of change,” Ellsworth Etchison said. “I believe the time is ripe to make a difference, and Gov. Whitmer is the woman to do it. I am proud to have been chosen to serve on the Black Leadership Advisory Council.
“Arguably, the most important asset I bring to this role is more than 50 years of first-hand knowledge. I have personal experience with racial discrimination and the inequities that exist within our state. When I first started in the financial industry more than three decades ago, there weren’t many people who looked like me. Some said I got the job to fill a quota. I say, ‘So what?’ I was given a chance. I believe everyone in our great state deserves the same chance.”
During her more than 30 years with LAFCU, Ellsworth Etchison advanced from a loan interviewer to her present responsibilities. As chief diversity officer, she works to establish diversity, equity and inclusion as shared values within LAFCU and the community. She is also a commissioner and serves as secretary of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan and is a member of the Study Committee for the City of East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission.
Included in the work of the Black Leadership Advisory Council is to identify state laws or gaps in state laws that create or perpetuate inequities; collaborate to promote legislation and regulation that ensures equitable treatment of all Michiganders; serve as a resource for community groups; and promote the cultural arts in the Black community.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said in the news release announcing council members, "With the creation of the Black Leadership Advisory Council, we are affirming a truth that Michigan has benefited from for generations: the leadership shown by Black Michiganders in all areas of life and work is critical to the vitality and prosperity of our state. These leaders’ diverse perspectives will be essential as we work to fight against systemic inequalities experienced by far too many Michiganders.”
The Black Leadership Advisory Council is housed in the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
Kelli Ellsworth Etchison