Marilee Holmes

Chief Diversity Officer

Marilee Holmes, Lead Advisor for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging since June 2021, has been promoted to the newly created role of Chief Diversity Officer. This marks the first time Save the Children has dedicated a C-level position to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy and initiatives, and it represents the vital role DEI plays in building a strong, successful organization.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Marilee spent more than a decade practicing immigration law before she transitioned to the corporate world, committed to having a direct impact on the diverse range of talent embarking on opportunities in the U.S. and around the world. As Chief of Staff at Roc Nation, she worked closely with the CEO to ensure that DEI and social justice—among the core values of the company’s diverse founders—remained a top priority across hiring, advancement, vendor relationships and all other aspects of the entertainment company’s business. Marilee will work closely with our new Chief People Officer once that person is in place and supervise a DEI Associate beginning in early November. She’ll be a change agent and trusted advisor to the Senior Leadership Team, the Board, our colleagues here and in the movement, our partners and the communities with which we work.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Marilee will continue to advance the DEI strategies already in place across the organization, from our DEI Council and Employee Affinity Groups to our continuously evolving training programs and more. Looking ahead, she’ll continue to lead the coordination of our ongoing comprehensive culture review and advise new DEI efforts. Save the Children seeks to have DEI deeply embedded in our culture—how we hire, how we collaborate, how we build new programs, and how we localize our work. Marilee will lead us on this path.