OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert appointed an Omaha native this week to lead the city’s Human Rights and Relations department.
Cailin Daly Dejillas was announced as the new director Wednesday. She replaces Gerald Kuhn, who resigned in April after only three months on the job.
Dejillas most recently worked at Amazon as a Senior Manager, overseeing disability, accommodation, and employment investigations. She also served in King County, Washington, as a public defender, and was employed by the Seattle Office of Labor Standards and Office for Civil Rights.
Dejillas has a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Sociology from the University of San Francisco.
“I am thrilled to join the City of Omaha’s Human Rights and Relations Department,” Dejillas said in a statement. “The opportunity to support equity in my hometown is an honor. I look forward to sustaining the strong services the Human Rights and Relations Department provides and expanding its visibility throughout Omaha.”
“Cailin recognizes the importance of community engagement to make citizens aware of the services the Human Rights and Relations Department provides,” Stothert said. “She has a clear vision to increase awareness and responsiveness to community concerns and lead our team of HRR employees.”
The department oversees reported discrimination, civil rights and Americans with Disabilities Act complaints and violations, as well as community outreach to promote diversity and reviews contracts for compliance with Omaha’s economic inclusion requirements.
Dejillas was selected after a national search. She begins in her new role July 31. Her salary is $175,000, almost $20,000 more than Kuhn’s salary when he was appointed in January.
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