WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has named Janis Bowdler, a Latina activist and former head of the philanthropic arm of JP Morgan Chase, as the first-ever counselor for racial equity at the Treasury Department, a Treasury official said on Monday.
The move comes after a racial equity review at Treasury during the first 200 days of the Biden administration showed the need for a champion to head economic policy initiatives to advance racial equity, the official said.
Bowdler will also work to set up an external racial equity advisory committee at Treasury, including academics, researchers, community activists and advocates.
Reporting by Andrea Shalal