Mission

The Office of Equity and Multicultural Services (OEMS) is charged with providing leadership and direction supporting equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the Department of Human Services. OEMS is also committed to reducing disparities and barriers within the communities we serve. OEMS guides systemic changes to bring the opportunity for success to individuals and communities in the state of Oregon.

Vision

Every individual and community has dignity, respect and full measure of human rights.

Staff Bios

Gloria M. Anderson, OEMS Director

Gloria has more than 30 years of experience within DHS. Most of this time has been shared within Adult and Family Services, Child Welfare and more recently with CAF Administration. She has held a variety of positions providing direct services to children and families and led many efforts to ensure delivery of culturally appropriate services. Throughout her career, Gloria has been actively involved with matters involving diversity and international matters and in 2009 was honored with the DHS Diversity Leadership Award and by International Social Services United States of America Branch. Gloria is Cuban born, bi-lingual and bicultural. She enjoys spending time with family members, which are spread throughout the USA and several continents.

Debbie DeHerrera, Executive Assistant

Debbie DeHerrera serves as the executive assistant for the DHS Office of Equity and Multicultural Services.  Debbie returned to state service after an 18 year absence.  She previously worked for Adult and Family Services in the Income Maintenance and Field Services Section and most recently served as the Assistant Service Manager at Champion Homes of Oregon until the company folded in 2008.  She has an associate's degree in business management from Chemeketa Community College and doesn't rule out the possibility of continuing her education....maybe a bachelor's degree in business administration one day!

Marisa Salinas, Civil Rights/EEO Officer

Marisa Salinas graduated George Fox University with Bachelor of Arts in Social Work/Sociology and Spanish. Ms. Salinas later attended and graduated from Willamette University College of Law. After law school, Ms. Salinas was a recipient of a two year fellowship from Equal Justice Works (formerly National Association for Public Interest Law). Ms. Salinas has dedicated her career to working with diverse communities in Oregon and ensuring that individuals’ civil rights are protected. Ms. Salinas has worked with Legal Aid Services of Oregon Farmworkers Program, the Oregon Judicial Department Citizen Review Board and volunteered as a board member on the Eugene Civilian Review Board. Ms. Salinas began working with the Department of Human Services in 2006 as a bilingual (Spanish) and ICWA permanency worker.

Jason Mak, Diversity and Inclusion Manager

Jason Mak currently serves as the DHS Diversity and Inclusion Manager.  Jason graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor’s Degree in Ethnic Studies and did his graduate work in Asian American Studies at UCLA.  With responsibilities for developing internal workforce D&I initiatives, Jason has also served as the Diversity and Equity Manager at the City of Eugene; worked as the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Analyst at Lane Community College; was the HR Recruitment Manager at Eugene School District; and taught Ethnic Studies courses as an adjunct instructor.  As a second generation Chinese American, Jason is actively involved in a number of local and national community groups and professional D&I associations and enjoys mentoring and learning from the next generation of young leaders.

Oscar Hererra, Service Equity Manager

Oscar Herrera currently serves as the DHS Service Equity Manager.  He has more than twenty years of experience in the field of human services, in the States of California and Oregon. Throughout his career, he has worked with diverse communities and populations in the delivery of social services.  In California, he served as a direct family care worker, as a Child Protective Services Social Worker in Sacramento, and later as a Head Start Social Worker.  He moved to Oregon in 1994 to accept a position as Supervisor for Oregon’s Migrant Head Start Program and in 1996 joined DHS as a Supervisor for Child Welfare Agency at the Marion County Branch.   In 2009 Oscar was promoted to the International Case Consultant position for DHS, where he led statewide efforts to ensure compliance with international rights and treaties for immigrant, refugee and other intercultural individuals.  He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and skill to the field of service equity for the state of Oregon both professionally and personally.  

As an immigrant from El Salvador  Oscar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Business Administration from El Salvador, has 45 units toward a Social Worker Bachelor Degree from San Francisco Community College, and is fluent in Spanish and English.  Oscar also studied languages in El Salvador and speaks Italian and Portuguese.

Alec Esquivel, Civil Rights Investigator

Bio Coming Soon