News Release

Juliet K. Choi named chief of staff and senior advisor to Office for Civil Rights

HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Director Leon Rodriguez announced today that Juliet K. Choi has been appointed as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to OCR.  As the Department’s civil rights and health privacy rights law enforcement agency, OCR investigates complaints filed by the public and provides technical assistance and public education to ensure understanding of and compliance with federal nondiscrimination and health information privacy laws.  Juliet most recently served as Senior Director for Disaster Partnerships at the American Red Cross. 

“Juliet brings an exceptional background and extensive experience to OCR which will be invaluable in helping us further the important work we do, “said OCR Director Rodriguez.  “Her vast management, policy, and constituency engagement experience will help guide OCR’s important civil rights policy and outreach and stakeholder relations.  She will also be responsible for managing intra-HHS coordination and legislative and intragovernmental affairs.”
 
While at the American National Red Cross from 2006-2011, Juliet served in a variety of leadership positions and most recently as a member of the Disaster Services executive leadership team managing large scale relief operations, and the principal in charge for both overseeing its national strategy for strategic and inclusive private sector partnerships and administrative management of the nation’s premiere disaster case management technology consortium.

From 2004-2006, Juliet served at the Asian American Justice Center as the inaugural National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Partners Community Law Fellow and staff attorney where she focused on Title VI and language access with an emphasis on healthcare, disaster, and the courts.  Founding and leading AAJC’s disaster relief advocacy in the gulf region, her efforts led to amending the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to protect the limited English proficient community. 

Prior to her legal career, her portfolio includes seven years with the corporate division of Gannett Broadcasting (1992-1999) and subsequently as policy director with the National Mental Health Association (1999-2000). A certified mediator, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Dennis M. Sweeney (retired) of the Circuit Court for Howard County, Maryland (2003-2004). 

Juliet is the daughter of immigrants from South Korea.  She received her bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Virginia and law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.

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Last revised: February 28, 2012