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SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE

UNITED STATES SENATE

Post-hearing Questions for
Dr. Stacey Dixon upon her nomination to be
Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence

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[From Senator Casey]
1. In your pre-hearing questions, you committed to carrying out DNI Haines’
and President Biden’s directives on expanding diversity, equity and
inclusion across the IC. Part of your role as PDDNI includes chairing the
Deputies Committee to oversee the various IC elements’ diversity, equity
and inclusion initiatives.1
 What do you see as barriers to expanding diversity within the IC?
Expanding diversity in the IC is one of my top priorities. Barriers to
expanding diversity include challenges with hiring, retention, and career
development of women, minorities and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Themes within those challenges include structural/organizational and policy
concerns, workplace attitudes and perceptions. The IC must also go beyond
diversity to a culture of inclusion that connects each employee to the
organization; encourages collaboration, flexibility, and fairness; and
leverages diversity throughout the organization so that all individuals are
able to participate and contribute to their full potential. Building a diverse
and inclusive workforce requires dedication at all organizational levels,
routine assessment of workforce data and plans, pipeline development,
targeted outreach and recruitment, investment in assistive technologies and
development of program metrics.
How will you leverage your leadership of the Deputies Committee to
ensure the implementation of efforts to expand diversity, equity and
inclusion across the IC?

Workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion are mission-critical imperatives
for the IC, and the unique contributions of all employees are vital to the IC’s
success. The recently issued Executive Order on Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) provides detailed recommendations to
help drive initiatives. Some of them include enhanced data collection;
promoting paid internships, advancing equity for employees with disabilities
and LGBTQ+ employees. In my role, I will continue to engage and foster
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Dixon Prehearing questions, Question 56, page 26.

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workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion by supporting programs and
activities that aim to improve the IC’s culture. I will lead the IC in placing
greater emphasis on creating inclusive workplace cultures to leverage all
the viewpoints and innovation that diversity yields.
As a current member of the Deputies Committee, I can attest to the fact that
we review IC workforce demographics with an eye toward improving
representation at all levels. It will take a different approach if we want to go
beyond the small increases we measured between 2019-2020 in hiring
women and minorities (0.1% and 0.8%, respectively) or having women and
minorities serve as managers (0.9% and 0.5%. respectively). In chairing the
Committee, I will work with members and the DNI to set and reach goals for
diversity, equity and inclusion and leverage all facets of influence, such as
budget, to keep a vigilant watch on our progress.

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