The Civil Rights  Advisory  Committee and  You! 

Civil Rights Advisory Committee for Fair and Equitable Treatment 
advises the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service’s state conservationist and the Farm 
Service Agency’s state executive director in 
employment and program delivery issues by: 

Identifying and bringing to management’s 
attention any trends, problems, issues and 
concerns related to employment and program 
delivery. 

Monitoring recruitment practices and making 
recommendations for ensuring that 
under represented groups are made aware 
of opportunities for employment. 

Acting as a forum for an exchange of ideas 
and action proposals on sensitive issues, 
matters, or concerns of an Equal Employment 
Opportunity nature. 

Who Serves on the  Committee?

Leadership (2006—2007)

  NRCS Co-Chair 
  FSA Co-Chair 

Committee Membership

 Five employees representing both 
NRCS and FSA 

Ad-hoc Members 

Six Special Emphasis Program 
Managers—NRCS 

FSA Special Emphasis Program 
Manager

  Advisors 

Title VI and Title VII Liaison 
NRCS Outreach Coordinator 
FSA Outreach Coordinator 

Conservation District Liaison 
Currently vacant 

NRCS State Conservationist 
FSA State Executive Director 

Why Diversity? 
Where Do You Fit In? 

USDA values diversity an d encourages 
and re c ognizes 
the c ontributions  of all  em plo y e e s . 
T h i s enabl e s  USDA to benefit  from the 
different p er s p ectives and contribu tion s . 
All employees are responsible to assure civil 
rights compliance. Employees are welcome 
and encouraged to attend quarterly 
NRCS/FSA Civil Rights Advisory Committee 
meetings. Please contact any Civil 
Rights Committee member for more information .
  You can also help the committee by 
volunteering to serve. The committee values 
all input and ideas from NRCS/FSA and 
partnership employees. 

USDA’s Office for Civil Rights 
http://www.ascr.usda.gov/

W h a t is a Special 
Emphasis Program
Manager (SEPM)? 

A SEPM is responsible for planning and implementing 
a program to improve employment and 
advancement opportunities for women, Hispanics, 
Blacks, American Indians, Asian Americans, 
members of other minority groups, and persons 
with disabilities. SEPM duties are collateral duty 
positions. 

Vermont’s NRCS SEPMs: 

Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager 
Sarah Larose (802) 524 6505 x127 

Federal Women’s Program Manager 
Lavonne Royal (802) 951 6796 x222 

Disability Emphasis Program Manager 
Martha Stuart (802) 295 7942 x28 

Black Emphasis Program Manager 
Lance Gorham (802) 334 6090 x24 

Asian American/Pacific Islander Emphasis 
Program Manager 
Reed Sims (802) 951 6796 x243 

American Indian/Alaskan Native Emphasis 
Program Manager 
Pam Bean (802) 951 6796 x237 

FSA SEPM (all programs): 
Sue Monahan (802) 951 6796 x255 

If you believe you have be e n 
discriminated against. . 

Employees or applicants for employment with NRCS 
and FSA seeking counseling should call a Special 
Emphasis Program Manager or write to the Office of 
Civil rights as shown in the nondiscrimination statement 
below. The Equal Opportunity Counselor must 
be contacted within 45 days of the alleged discriminatory 
act. 

Nondiscrimination Statement 

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 
discrimination in all its programs and activities on 
the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, 
and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial 
status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, 
genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because 
all or a part of an individual’s income is derived 
from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited 
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities 
who require alternative means for communication 
of program information (Braille, large print, 
audiotape, etc) should contact USDA’s TARGET 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a 
complain of discrimination write to USDA, Director, 
Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 7953272 
(voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an 
equal opportunity provider and employer.”